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Why You Should Marinate Your Pork Chops In This Classic Soda

Even if you've already made them a hundred times, pork chops always seem like they should be easier to (successfully) prepare than they are. What was once, and most famously, known as the other white meat, is notably lean, that absence of fat making pork chops particularly vulnerable to dryness. Many people also believe that any presence of interior pinkness is the doorway to the danger zone, even though a little rouge is fine, as long as pork chops reach a temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. But when facts meet notions, pork chops can finish with the dreaded toughness that's practically synonymous with this particular protein. Some solutions visit another part of the pig, wrapping pork chops in bacon to reintroduce moisture. Others dive into a salt water brine. And one more turns down the soda aisle.

Like pork's erstwhile slogan, marinating swine in sweet, sticky root beer might conjure images of late-night '90s infomercials. But similar applications appear not only for those made-for-TV moments, but by celebrity chefs and home cooks alike, because it's a relatively cost-effective, low-effort way to achieve a better chop. And it works similarly to the some of the properties in a marinade you'd make at home.

How root beer can improve your pork chops

Ancient urban legends about what cola can do to coins aside, a root beer soak will begin to tenderize your pork chops in a way that more or less mimics what citrus would have done in a scratch-made marinade. Like with that fresh lemon you might have otherwise squeezed, you'll need to let the soda sink in for a couple of hours. Just pop it and the meat in an airtight container to rest in the refrigerator before dinner.

Root beer will also bring a little sweetness that you might have otherwise sought from brown sugar. So, between those two components — a bit of acid and a dose of sugar — you're pretty close to an any-night kind of marinade. You might still want to add a bit of spice with something like red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper are also compulsory before you grill or sear your marinated pork chops. And make sure to check for food doneness with a proper meat thermometer like ThermoPro's digital model. All the flavors in the world can't mask the impenetrable texture you'll incur when accidentally overcooking your meat.

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