The Best Ways to Tenderize Pork Chops

Nobody wants to bite into a tough cut of pork—and thanks to tenderizing techniques like brining, using a meat mallet, applying a dry rub, marinating, and using meat tenderizer, you don’t have to. We’ll walk you through all the tried-and-true tenderizing methods out there, so you can give your next pork dish a culinary glow-up.

How do you make pork soft and tender?

Soak your pork in a salt-based brine before cooking it using your desired method. Pork chops need to soak between 12–24 hours, an entire pork tenderloin needs to soak for 6–12 hours, and an entire pork loin requires 2–4 days of soaking. Rinse the brine from the meat after the brining period is complete.

Section 1 of 6:

Salt Brine

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1
Calculate how much water you’ll need to brine your pork. Lay out your pork in a cooking dish and cover it up completely with cool water. Then, take out the pork and transfer the water to a large measuring cup (or cups) to see how much water you used. Set aside the water for later.^{[1]
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- Make sure the pork is totally submerged before you transfer the water.
Make your brine with water, sugar, and salt. Fill a large pot with 1 c (240 mL) of water and set it on the stovetop. Once the water starts boiling, stir in a ¾ cup (150 g) of sugar and a ¾ cup (216 g) of salt, letting both dissolve.^{[2]
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Pour the mixture into the measured water and refrigerate it. If you didn’t pre-measure the water, use 1 US gal (3.8 L) of cool water. Then, refrigerate the water and check its temperature periodically—you don’t want to brine the pork while the mixture is still warm.^{[3]
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- Want to give your brine a little more flavor? Add in small amounts of your favorite seasonings, like fresh sections of herbs, cinnamon sticks, whole vanilla beans, or coriander seed. Feel free to experiment; for instance, a ½ cup (100 g) of sugar per every 1 US qt (0.95 L) of water can give your pork a nice browning effect when it cooks.
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Combine the pork and brine and refrigerate it for at least 12 hours. Different cuts of pork require different soaking times. Here’s a quick run-down of how long you should brine your pork in the refrigerator:^{[4]
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- Pork chops: 12 to 24 hours
- Pork tenderloin (whole): 6 to 12 hours
- Pork loin (whole): 2 to 4 days
Even if you aren’t quite ready to cook your pork at the end of the brining period, take a moment to rinse off the extra salt from the meat. Feel free to stash your brined pork in the fridge after rinsing, or simply cook it right away.^{[5]
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Section 2 of 6:

Baking Soda Brine

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Mix up a solution with baking soda and water. Weigh your pork cut (or cuts)—for every 12 oz (0.34 kg) of weight, stir 1 tsp (6 g) of baking soda into ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of water. Transfer this mixture to a sealable plastic bag or large container—anything that’s large enough to fit both the baking soda solution and the pork cuts should be fine.^{[6]
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- Alternative: If you’re working with a larger cut of pork, simply lightly coat the outside of the meat with baking soda and place it in a sealed bag or covered container. Let it refrigerate for 3 hours, and then rinse off all the baking soda before
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Submerge the pork for 15 minutes before rinsing it off. Use clean water to rinse the remaining solution from the meat. Now, you’re ready to cook your tenderized pork however you’d like!^{[7]
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- Did you know? Baking soda-based tenderizing is a popular method sometimes applied to Chinese cuisine. It’s also known as “velveting.”

Section 3 of 6:

Using a Meat Mallet

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Hit the pork repeatedly with a meat mallet to tenderize it. Slide your pork into a plastic bag, or use wax paper (or plastic wrap) to sandwich the cutlets. Then, whack the meat down to a thinner width using a meat mallet. Tools like rolling pins, saucepans, cutting boards, and even regular hammers can work in a pinch.^{[8]
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- Meat mallets help to break up the inner fibers of the meat while also helping thin it out. Flattening the meat gives it a consistent width without, which allows for a smoother, more consistent cooking experience.^{[9]
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Section 4 of 6:

Dry Rub (for Pork Chops)

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Apply dry rub and refrigerate the pork for at least 8 hours. Create your dry rub by combining 2 tsp (6 g) of salt, 1 tsp (2 g) of dried herbs, and ½ tsp (1 g) of black pepper. Blot each side of the pork chops so they’re totally dry, and then coat the meat with the seasoning. Chill the pork chops on a wire rack that’s stacked atop of a rimmed baking sheet, waiting between 8 and 24 hours for the meat to tenderize. After this, you’ll be ready to cook your pork chops.^{[10]
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- This recipe provides enough dry rub for 2 pork chops (about 2 lb (0.91 kg) of meat total, with each piece being about ³⁄₄ to 1 in (1.9 to 2.5 cm) thick).
- Dry rubs help remove moisture from the outside of the meat, while allowing the inner portion of the meat to stay juicy.^{[11]
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Section 5 of 6:

Marinating the Pork

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Mix ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of extra-virgin olive oil, 4 chopped cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp (39 g) of dark brown sugar, 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of lemon juice, 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of spicy brown mustard, 2 tsp (2 g) of dried thyme, 1 tsp (2 g) of onion powder, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of white wine vinegar, 1 tsp (3 g) of mesquite-flavored seasoning, ½ tsp (0.5 g) of dried parsley flakes, ½ tsp (2.5 g) of kosher salt, and ½ tsp (2 g) of black pepper together and transfer them to a large, sealable plastic bag. Then, partially slice open each pork chop horizontally (almost like you’re opening up a textbook). Slip the pork chops into the bag of marinade, close the bag, and let it chill between 6–8 hours.^{[12]
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Teriyaki marinade Combine ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) of soy sauce, ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of red wine vinegar, ³⁄₄ c (180 mL) of olive oil, 2-3 tbsp (30-45 g) of minced garlic, 1 tsp (2 g) of black pepper, ½ tsp (1 g) of ground ginger, 4 US tbsp (59 mL) of honey, and 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of Worcestershire sauce together, pouring the mixture into a sealable plastic bag. Then, take a fork and poke the entire surface of the pork. Place the pork into the bag, seal it up, and let it marinate for at least 8 hours. Before cooking, let the marinated pork get to around room temperature.^{[13]
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- This marinade works well for around 2 lb (0.91 kg) of pork. Feel free to adjust the recipe for your needs.
- You can also add 2 tbsp (24 g) of powdered meat tenderizer to the marinade, but you don’t have to.

Section 6 of 6:

Using Meat Tenderizer

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Sprinkle meat tenderizer over the surface of the pork while it’s damp. Pour a tiny bit of water over the pork’s surface—just enough to make it damp. Then, lightly coat the meat with tenderizer (about 1 tsp/small spoonful of powder for every 1 lb (0.45 kg) of pork is a good rule of thumb). Indent the surface of the pork with a fork, and then cook it (using your desired cooking method) right after.^{[14]
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- If your pork is exceptionally thick (like a pork tenderloin), wait around 30 minutes after applying the tenderizer and piercing the meat to start cooking.
- Try to space out your fork indents so they’re about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) apart.

Community Q&A

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Can I brine or marinate meat that has been previously frozen?

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Absolutely. You can even put the frozen piece of meat into the brine or marinade before it's completely thawed. Just give it time to totally thaw out and absorb the marinade/brine before cooking.

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I bought a case of rib tips. After cutting the tips into portions, there is a lot of lean, tough meat left. What can I do to tenderize it?

Community Answer

Either grind it or slice it thin and marinate it Chinese-style for Chinese dishes. Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sherry, garlic, and corn starch make a great marinade.

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How do I tenderize pig feet when I don't have vinegar?

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You can use pickle juice, it has plenty of vinegar in it.

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