Why You Should Marinate Pork Chops In Ginger Beer

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Ginger beer has been a favorite in the culinary world since the 18th century, when it was created in Yorkshire, England. Today, it's most famously used as a cocktail mixer for drinks like the Moscow Mule and Dark 'n' Stormy, but it's also popularly used for medicinal purposes, like helping with digestion and as a remedy for nausea. It turns out, ginger beer can actually make your dinners more exciting, too. The next time you have pork chops on your menu, try marinating them first in some ginger beer.

For starters, ginger beer has a unique flavor. It's sweet and tart with the kind of heat that can only be found in fresh ginger; it's a unique kind of spice that's not necessarily hot, but almost sharp. It's much more potent than what you find in ginger ale, and this is just one thing you should know about ginger beer. The acidity and carbonation in the drink break down tough muscle fibers, tenderizing pork chops beautifully. Finally, the sugar in ginger beer will naturally caramelize when exposed to the grill or a skillet, imparting a delicious flavor and appetizing color. It's best to plan ahead with this type of marinade, because the longer your pork chops sit in a ginger beer marinade (up to overnight), the better your results will be. Like other marinades, a ginger beer marinade is best when it's combined with other flavors, like minced garlic, soy sauce, lime, herbs, chili, and sesame oil.

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It's worth noting that ginger beer doesn't just perk up pork chops; it's excellent for flavoring ribs and pulled pork as well. And, if you love how your ginger beer-marinaded pork turns out, keep your recipe handy, because this pre-treatment is also perfect for chicken, seafood, and beef. 

Similar to pork, the marinade will give otherwise bland chicken tremendous flavor, especially if you're cooking it on the grill where it will get nice and caramelized. It's also great for chicken wings. If you're using it for seafood and your marinade includes a citrus juice or vinegar, you don't want to keep it in the mixture for too long, as the juice can start to cook raw fish after a while, making it mushy.

As far as beef goes, you can marinate your steaks, flank meat, skirt cuts, roasts, and even add ginger beer to corned beef. We found that Fever Tree brand was the best in our ranking of ginger beers. In fact, a soda like this is the best non-alcoholic substitute for beer in recipes, including beer-battered fish and beer can chicken.