The Not So Complicated Rosemary Lemon Pork Chop Marinade

Grilled pork chops are a favorite at our house, and we’ve figured out the perfect marinade for a flavorful chop. Rosemary Lemon Pork Chop Marinade uses only a handful of ingredients to pack in the flavor.

I love grilling all types of meat, but grilled pork chops are one of my favorites. Grilling pork chops can be tricky. I’m sure you’ve had a tough pork chop in your day, and there’s nothing appetizing about a tough, old piece of meat.

What’s the trick to grilling pork chops without drying them out?

One way to ensure a moist pork chop is to marinate them before grilling. Using a marinade is twofold. First off, a marinade is a way to flavor your meat, and secondly, marinades contain some type of acid or acidic ingredient to break down the tough meat fibers and make them more tender.

Rosemary Lemon Pork Chop Marinade Recipe

This Lemon Rosemary Marinade for pork contains lemon juice, a very acidic ingredient that is the key to a moist chop.  Other types of acidic ingredients often used in marinades are vinegar, buttermilk, wine and tomatoes.

I found this recipe for rosemary pork chops in an old church cook book from Waynesburg Christian Church. The original author used this lemon marinade for lamb chops, but I converted it to a lemon pork chop marinade. With that being said, Rosemary Lemon Lamb Chops would be awesome too!

Rosemary Lemon Marinade Ingredients

• Fresh or dried rosemary
• Fresh or dried sage
• Garlic, crushed
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Black Pepper

How to Make Pork Chop Marinade with Lemon Rosemary

Step by Step Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine and whisk rosemary, sage, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. (If desired, add the lemon zest too.)
2. Cover pork chops with marinade. Massage rosemary lemon marinade into pork chops.
3. Let marinate for a minimum of 3 hours. Can be marinated overnight.
4. Grill pork chops according to your liking on an outdoor grill.

For the full ingredient amounts for lemon rosemary pork chops, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

If you are on the market for a new grill, check out my favorite Traeger Grill/ Smoker. I bought mine in 2011, and it is still working great. I use it as a grill or a smoker, or I add extra flavor to my meats by smoking for a few minutes after grilling.

Recipe FAQs

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice packs the most flavor, but bottled lemon juice can be used if desired.
• Use either fresh or dried rosemary.  For fresh rosemary, use 1 tablespoon, and for dried, use 1/2 tablespoon.
• The same applies for sage. Use 1 teaspoon fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage.
• Fresh garlic is a powerhouse of flavor, and I always recommend using it if possible. With that being said, jarred, minced garlic could also be used.
• A mild tasting oil such as canola or soybean could be swapped in for olive oil, if desired.
• A large resealable bag works great as a vessel to marinate meat.  Remove the air, and seal tightly.  Massage meat occasionally.
• Lemon Rosemary Marinade is great for lamb chops too.
• Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry items and kitchen gadgets.

Should you pierce pork chops before marinating?

Piercing pork chops before marinating can help the marinade penetrate deeper into the meat, resulting in more flavor. However, be mindful not to over-pierce the chops as it can lead to the meat drying out during the grilling process.

What goes with grilled pork chops?

Grilled pork is the perfect base for an assortment of side dishes. Here are our some of our favorite side dishes to serve with grilled pork chops.

• Healthy Air Fryer Zucchini
• Perfect Microwave Asparagus
• Sauteed Kale with Apples
• Creamed Peas and New Potatoes
• Tomato Cucumber Salad with Dill Dressing
• Simple Sour Cream Cucumbers
• Buttermilk Mac and Cheese 
• Slow Cooker Campfire Potatoes
• Cinnamon Stewed Apples
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Kentucky Southern Squash Casserole

Easy Grilled Meat Recipes

3 Ingredient Steak Marinade

Grilled Pork Shoulder Steak

Easiest Grilled Chicken Ever

Grilled Flank Steak Salad

Beef Marinade