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Ginger Beer and Mustard Pork Chops

3.8

(5)

Ginger Beer and Mustard Pork Chops on a white and blue platter
Photograph by Scott Semler, food styling by Mieko Takahashi, prop styling by Emma Ringness

We love quick-cooking, thin-cut boneless pork chops, but they can often skew dry. Not here. When marinated in a simple blend of Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and ginger beer, the lean cut becomes remarkably tender and bursting with spicy-sweet flavor, all thanks to that latter ingredient. Though ginger beer may seem like an unexpected addition, its acidity and sugary sweetness make it an ideal marinade, breaking down tough muscle fibers and glazing it in a thick, glossy coating. (Don’t confuse ginger beer for ginger ale, though; the latter is too sweet for this marinade.) Served with a peppery arugula and sliced shallots, these pork chops are the ideal low-effort, high-reward recipe.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    30 minutes (plus 2 hours for marinating)

  • Yield

    6–8 servings

Ingredients

10 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup honey
¾ cup ginger beer
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more
1½ lb. boneless center-cut pork chops (¼"–½" thick; about 10)
Vegetable oil (for grill)
1 cup (lightly packed) baby arugula, divided
1 small shallot, thinly sliced, divided
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix together 10 garlic cloves, finely grated, 1 cup Dijon mustard, 1 cup honey, ¾ cup ginger beer, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 Tbsp. freshly ground pepper in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag or large baking dish. Add 1½ lb. boneless center-cut pork chops (¼"–½" thick; about 10) to marinade and turn to coat. Seal or cover; chill, turning occasionally, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

    Step 2

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate with vegetable oil. Remove pork chops from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag or dish; discard marinade. Grill pork chops, turning halfway through, until charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a baking sheet and let rest 5 minutes.

    Step 3

    Scatter ½ cup (lightly packed) baby arugula and ½ small shallot, thinly sliced, over a platter. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and season with flaky sea salt and pepper. Arrange pork chops on top of greens, then scatter remaining ½ cup (lightly packed) baby arugula and remaining ½ small shallot, thinly sliced, over pork chops. Drizzle more olive oil over and season with more sea salt and pepper.

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