Spongy Chops

[Duke]

I marinated some fresh porkchops in AJ's favorite  (tip off) Kinders garlic. They were probably there for about five hours and grilled just fine and looked good until I took the first bite!   I noticed they were really spongy and while I was thinking about it my wife said, "these chops are chewey" so I went and spit it out and chucked them all in the can!  Does anyone have any ideas why they turned out this way? Too long marinating is my guess and there is some citrus in the marinade that may have broken them down too much. I don't think I will ever marinade chops again, but I have seen people marinade chops, pork steaks and CSR's. Could it be the meat?

Good thing I made some chicken to go with the meal, it saved the day.

[glrasmussen]

I can honestly say,,  I have never marinated chops, boneless or bone in. Curtis? Lime is slow and lemon will cook. I always dry rub pork. If it is store bought,  it is already loaded with sodium. That being said,  I would marinate, but only as long as it takes the coals to heat and finish with a drizzle of the marinate to char.

Greg

[Heyjude]

I agree, too long in the marinade.. Pork doesn't seem to take to it. 

[bob hope]

I Also have noticed this . My Wife had made what she calls poor mans Fillet Mignon( thick cut pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon ) and used a orange juice and lime juice with some spices marinade. I had left the pork in the marinade while we went to church 8 am, and didn't take them out to cook till around 1pm. when I cooked them the meat was mushy! I tossed them out and have never used marinade on pork again.

[Duke]

I Also have noticed this . My Wife had made what she calls poor mans Fillet Mignon( thick cut pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon ) and used a orange juice and lime juice with some spices marinade. I had left the pork in the marinade while we went to church 8 am, and didn't take them out to cook till around 1pm. when I cooked them the meat was mushy! I tossed them out and have never used marinade on pork again.

It sounds like you have the same routine as me. I like to grill after church and sometimes I will even throw on some sausages after the evening services. 

[Jeff]

I wouldn't be too quick to never try it again, but marinade it for maybe an hour only.   Most pork chops recipes I've seen that use a marinade say at least an hour.

[Troy]

the amount of time you can marinade really depends on the acidity of the marinade.

for highly acidic marinades, about an hour is typically good.

for non acidic marinades, you can go overnight.