This post may contain affiliate links.
This post may contain affiliate links.
These delicious Lemon Pepper Pork Chops are a perfect weeknight meal to whip up in no time. A simple lemon pepper marinade that adds lots of flavor and juiciness to this tender pork. It will be an easy family favorite dish everyone will love!
This post is sponsored by the Ohio Pork Council, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting pork farmers!
I love all things lemon and since lemon pepper chicken is one of my favorites, I thought I would test it on another favorite: pork chops! These juicy and delicious lemon pepper pork chops have already won over my family and will be a simple weeknight dinner you will love.
Partnering up with my friends at Ohio Pork to bring you this delicious pork recipe and you are gonna love it!
Why You Will Love These Lemon Pepper Pork Chops:
- Pork is a great source of protein! Eating 20 – 30 grams of protein per meal helps fuel your body and gives it the energy needed each day. That being said, every 3 ounces of pork has about 22 – 24 grams of protein.
- Easy to prep. Whip up the lemon pepper marinade and let the chops soak in it all day. Then you can pop them on the stove when you are almost ready to eat. It’s a simple dish to pull together and will go great with a number of side dishes as well.
- Supports local family farms. More than 3500 family farms in Ohio raise enough pork to feed about 25 million people. So when you buy pork at the grocery store or the farmers market, you are supporting Ohio farm families that produce that pork. I love this so much!
Recipe Ingredients:
- pork chops: our preference is bone in chops for these lemon pepper pork chops however, you can use boneless if preferred. The bone helps hold in moisture so as not to dry out your meat when cooking. As long as you keep a close eye on your meat though, you can still have juicy, delicious pork. Use approximately 1-inch thick pork chops. If you use thinner pork chops, they will just cook more quickly. Boneless will cook about 1-2 minutes faster than the bone in.
- olive oil: a great option for a marinade as it helps tenderize the meat due to its acidity. It will also bring a level of richness to the meat thanks to its strong flavor. Use a nice olive oil that you love.
- lemon: fresh lemon is basically the only way to go in this recipe. You will need the zest as well as the juice. Adding the lemons to the skillet toward the end of cooking also adds even more vibrant flavor to the dish.
- dijon mustard: use a classic dijon mustard for the best flavor
- honey: this will balance the lemon flavor so it’s not too sour.
- onion powder: just a touch adds a lot to the recipe
- garlic: minced garlic cloves are ideal for the most flavor
- soy sauce: another must in my opinion in this lemon pepper marinade. It balances all of the flavors so nothing is too sharp. The salt in the soy sauce will help act as a brine which will make for extra juicy pork chops. You can use tamari for gluten free variation.
- salt and pepper: you can salt as desired based on your own taste. The pepper is added to the marinade as well as the pork chops again just before cooking.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Marinate the pork: Whisk together all of the lemon pepper marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork chops in a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the pork and seal removing any excess air from the bag. Massage the liquid into the pork and allow it to completely cover the pork. For best results, marinate for at least 6-12 hours and for even juicier pork chops, 24 hours. You can marinate for up to about 3 days.
Cook the pork chops: Once you are done marinating your lemon pepper pork chops, remove them from the marinade. Discard leftover marinade. Cover the pork chops with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper.
Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Once heated, add olive oil and heat until glistening. Add the pork chops to the skillet evenly and allow to sear 3-5 minutes or until the chops begin to pull away from the pan easily. For golden brown chops, don’t touch them early.
Flip your pork and cook another 3-7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches just under 145°F. This can take longer for thicker pork chops. Check with your meat thermometer after 3 minutes and then every 2 minutes following as you do not want to overcook. Remove from heat and allow to rest and come fully to 145°F. You can add thinly sliced lemon to the skillet as well in the second half of cooking.
Lemon Pepper Pork Chops Recipe Tips:
- Make sure and have a meat thermometer handy. Pork chops should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F no matter what cooking technique you use! They’re safe to eat with a blush of pink, so the meat thermometer is the best way to determine doneness.
- Bring pork chops to room temperature before cooking for best results. This allows for even cooking. Allow the pork to sit out for about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Marinate your pork chops at least 12 hours for optimal results. If you are short on time, 2-4 hours is ok, but 12-24 hours will really make your pork chops tender and even more flavorful.
Other Possible Cooking Methods:
Grilling: To grill your lemon pepper pork chops, cooking will be very similar. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Place the prepared pork chops straight on the grill and heat 3-5 minutes, flipping and then cooking another 3-7 minutes or until the internal temperature is just under 145°F. Remove from heat and allow to rest for about 5 minutes to reach proper internal temperature.
Air Frying: Cook the pork chops about 10-12 minutes in a preheated 400°F air fryer. Flip halfway through. Remember the thickness of the pork chops will impact the cook time.
Storage Instructions:
You can store your lemon pepper pork chops in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if you have leftovers. Wrap tight in foil or store in an air tight, shallow container.
To freeze the cooked pork, allow them to cool completely first. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or foil and then transfer to a freezer safe bag and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Note that some of the juiciness tends to be lost when thawing and reheating but flavor should still be great and they shouldn’t be overly dry by any means.
Other Pork Recipes:
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Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 3-4 pork chops (bone in or boneless, about 1 – 1 1/2 inch thick), about 1.5-2 lb
- 1/3 c olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 1/3 c lemon juice
- 1 T lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 T honey
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1½ tsp pepper, separated
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Marinate the pork: Whisk together all of the lemon pepper marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork chops in a large ziplock bag and pour marinade over top, massaging into the pork. Marinate for at least 6-12 hours and for even juicier pork chops, 24 hours. You can marinate for up to about 3 days.
- After marinating, remove pork chops from bag and discard leftover marinade. Cover the pork chops with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper.
- Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) and heat until glistening. Add the pork chops to the skillet evenly and allow to sear 3-5 minutes or until the chops begin to pull away from the pan easily, making sure not to touch them before flipping.
- Flip the pork chops nd cook another 3-7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches just under 145°F. This can take longer for thicker pork chops. Check with your meat thermometer after 3 minutes and then every 2 minutes following as you do not want to overcook. Remove from heat and allow to rest and come fully to 145°F. You can add thinly sliced lemon to the skillet as well in the second half of cooking.
- Serve with your favorite sides and store any leftovers for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 30 months.
Notes
- Make sure and have a meat thermometer handy. Pork chops should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F no matter what cooking technique you use! They’re safe to eat with a blush of pink, so the meat thermometer is the best way to determine doneness.
- Bring pork chops to room temperature before cooking for best results. This allows for even cooking. Allow the pork to sit out for about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Marinate your pork chops at least 12 hours for optimal results. If you are short on time, 2-4 hours is ok, but 12-24 hours will really make your pork chops tender and even more flavorful.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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