Oven-Baked Pork in Soy Marinade

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you marinate pork in soy sauce? Gather the ingredients for the marinade. This is my go-to combination, but feel free to change it up — add or leave out whatever you like. What exactly goes into the marinade doesn't really matter, so use your own tried-and-true favorite if you have one.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the garlic and finely chop it with a knife. You can use a garlic press, or crush the cloves with the flat side of the knife instead of chopping. A mortar and pestle work too.

3. Step 3:

   

   Finely grate the lemon zest. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, and minced garlic. Add the lemon zest and dried herbs. Mix everything thoroughly.

4. Step 4:

   

   Rinse the pork, pat it dry, and cut it into slices about ½ inch (1 cm) thick. I used ready-cut slices of boneless pork loin.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pound each slice of pork well on both sides with a meat mallet. If there's a white membrane along the edges, cut through it in a few spots with a knife — this keeps the meat from curling up into a "cup" as it bakes.

6. Step 6:

   

   Lay the pounded pork in an appropriately sized bowl and pour the marinade over it, spreading it across all the surfaces. It's good if the pork is at least partly submerged in the marinade.

7. Step 7:

   

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. When the time is up, line a baking dish with parchment.

8. Step 8:

   

   Lay the pounded pork on the parchment and spoon the marinade over the top — it keeps the dish from drying out as it bakes. Try to pour it onto the meat rather than the paper. Put the pork in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) and bake for about 35 minutes. Then switch on the top broiler and brown it for about 10 minutes. Judge the exact time and temperature by your own oven!

9. Step 9:

   

   Serve the pork right away while it's hot, with any side dish. Enjoy!