Add This Sweet And Spicy Condiment To Pork Chops To Lock In The Moisture

Whether you're cooking a juicy pork chop on the stove, baking some thick-cut chops in the oven, or tossing them on the grill for epic charring, you may be looking for new and exciting strategies to marinate yours. Typical marinades that probably come to mind consist of salt, fat (like oil), acid (like lemon juice or vinegar), and whatever seasonings you prefer. But believe it or not, there's another acidic ingredient you can use that you probably have in your pantry: hot honey. While likely not the first idea for a marinade, hot honey not only infuses some spice into your pork, but it also acts as a tenderizer thanks to its ability to break down the fibrous elements of meat. When trying this out, look for raw hot honey over the regular kind, as the raw version has more of those important meat-tenderizing enzymes still intact.

When using hot honey in your marinade, whisking a couple of tablespoons into the rest of your ingredients is all you need. For ideal flavor and tenderness, you can let your pork chops sit in the marinade for about 2 to 4 hours, but if you somehow forget about them, they can safely sit in it for up to five days, according to the USDA.

While you may be concerned about burning the pork chops due to the sugars in the honey, that is only an issue when you pour the honey onto the meat right before grilling or searing. Since you're using it as a part of an overall marinade, it will penetrate into the pork rather than just sit on the top. If you're worried while grilling, start out with the meat on a cooler part of the grill, as the indirect heat will help to caramelize the honey, locking in moisture while avoiding burning the exterior.

Marinating with hot honey can open the doors to so many fun flavor combinations. For example, you can combine it with apple cider for an instant fall spin. We know this will work since pork and apples go together like peanut butter and jelly, but so do apples and honey, making this an even more epic combo. You can even go a step further and add a little pumpkin spice to complement the cider while infusing some warmth into the dish. If you want to take the heat of this spicy honey up a notch, you could also add some chopped chilies or red pepper flakes to the marinade. And when all is said and done, don't forget to pair your pork chops with a drink that elevates them even more, like a Kentucky mule.