A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it.
It’s important to marinate food in the refrigerator and not on the counter.
Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to 5 days.
If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, put aside a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it. Never reuse the marinade that the meat has been sitting in. Some say to make it usable you can boil it. I say don’t use it at all and you will eliminate any potential health risks.
Flat cuts of meat will benefit the most from tenderizing marinades. To be certain all meat is equally marinated, place the meat in a heavy zip-top bag and squeeze out as much air as possible, turning it often to be sure all surfaces benefit from the marinade.
A good marinade will have a delicate balance of spices, acids, and oil.
Acid, such as lemon juice, wine, or vinegar, works to tenderize the meat while balancing out sweet or spicy flavors in the marinade. The addition of sweet ingredients in the marinade can help form the caramelized, crispy coatings we strive for on our grilled meats.
