Marinating Tips for Success | Cook's Illustrated (2024)

FAQs

Marinating Tips for Success | Cook's Illustrated? ›

Use Lots of Flavorings and Seasonings: In tests we've found that a high concentration of salt in a marinade (and we use plenty) can inhibit meat from absorbing the flavors of other ingredients, unless they're included in copious quantities (i.e., 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and at least a tablespoon of chopped herbs, if ...

The rule -of-thumb ratio for marinades is 3-to-1, three parts oil and 1 part acid. For example, you would mix 1 cup oil (olive, canola, or vegetable) and ⅓ cup acid such as a vinegar, lemon or lime juice or other citrus, or wine. You also need to consider what you are marinating.

To craft a good marinade, the key ingredients you'll need are salt, acid, oil, and a touch of sugar. Salt is crucial as it helps to tenderize the meat or vegetables by breaking down their fibers, allowing them to absorb the marinade's flavors more deeply.

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices). These elements work together to transform the taste and texture of your dish in different ways.

Don'ts of Marinating

Don't add too much salt. Too much salt drains moisture from the meat, causing the meat to dry out and preventing flavors from absorbing. Don't re-use marinades or use them as a sauce. Marinades are in contact with raw ingredients; therefore, the marinade could contain harmful bacteria.

The marinade ratio we suggest is three parts fat, one part acid and one part seasonings. "None of the seasonings are supposed to overpower—they're supposed to work in harmony," says Killeen.

A great marinade is carefully balanced and made of three basic components – acid, fat and seasoning. Acids, such as wine, vinegar, citrus juice, buttermilk, and enzyme-rich fruits like papaya or pineapple, work to soften the meat's surface by weakening proteins allowing for slight absorption of flavoring.

When marinating, allow the sauces to sink as deeply as possible into the meat. A general rule of marinade-to-meat ratio is one-half cup of marinade per pound of meat. Times vary depending on the type, cut and size of the meat. Denser meats such as pork and steak can marinate for 24 hours or even longer.

How to marinate properly? ›

Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt and wine weaken collagen and protein in meat. Once the proteins are broken by acid, one loose protein can bond with another and trap liquid in the meat, making it juicy and tender. Yay!

Acids. These ingredients tenderise meat by unravelling its proteins – this softens the surface and allows flavours to be absorbed. Acids include vinegar, wine, sherry, citrus juice, yoghurt and buttermilk. Yoghurt and buttermilk tend to keep foods moist, while a citrus-based marinade can “cook” raw fish.

Soaking your meat in marinades helps add flavor while making your meat tender. However, depending on how thin you have cut your pieces of meat, the marinade may fail to penetrate all that deep. In such cases, poking holes in your meat will help all the ingredients fully absorb and not remain on the surface.

Spices you can add to enhance flavor; Blackened seasoning, Lemon Pepper or Lemon Herb seasoning, Herb Grill seasoning, Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, Fresh rosemary sprigs, fresh dill, fresh basil Leaves, fennel, sage, thyme, marjoram, oregano, celery salt.

Do not marinate in a metal container since the acidic mixture can react with the metal. Use a plastic or glass container and cover with plastic food wrap. Turn meat occasionally so all sides are coated evenly with the marinade.

The marinade ratio we suggest is three parts fat, one part acid and one part seasonings. "None of the seasonings are supposed to overpower—they're supposed to work in harmony," says Killeen.

In general: Meat: Marinate meat for at least 30 minutes to a few hours for better flavor. Thicker cuts can benefit from longer marinating, even overnight. Vegetables: Vegetables like tofu or mushrooms can be marinated for 15 minutes to an hour for good flavor absorption.

A general rule of marinade-to-meat ratio is one-half cup of marinade per pound of meat. Times vary depending on the type, cut and size of the meat. Denser meats such as pork and steak can marinate for 24 hours or even longer. A lighter meat like chicken can marinate between 2 hours and 24 hours.