How to Tenderize and Marinate Pork

Use ginger in your marinade to help tenderize pork meat.

In order to get the best possible flavor from pork, tenderize the meat and let it marinate in a seasoning for several hours. A good marinade can help tenderize pork as the spices and seasonings work their way into the meat, ensuring that it will be juicy and tender. A basic pork marinade can include soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil and spices. The salty sauces help preserve the meat while it's marinating and add additional flavor.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Pork cut of your choice
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. pepper
• ¾ tsp. ground ginger
• 3 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
• 4 tbsp. pure maple syrup.
• Bowl
• Large container with lid
• Spoon

1. Mix all the ingredients but the meat in a bowl. Stir well to get the vinegar and oil to mix.

2. Pour the marinade into the large container.

3. Poke the meat with a fork all over. This helps the juices more fully soak into the meat.

4. Place the pork in the marinade. Let it sit for 2 minutes to soak in the marinade. Then flip the meat over so the other side is coated with the marinade.

5. Put the lid on the container and chill the meat for 6 to 8 hours.

6. Take the container out of the refrigerator and throw away the marinade.

7. Let the pork sit in the container, still covered, until it reaches room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes).

8. Cook the pork according to your recipe.

References

• "Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures and Glazes"; Jim Tarantino; 2006
• "The Best Little Marinades Cookbook (Best Little Cookbooks)"; Karen Adler; 2000
• "Pig: King of the Southern Table"; James Villas; 2010
• "Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork: A Guide to Buying, Storing, and Cooking the World's Favorite Meat"; Bruce Aidells; 2004