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

FAQs

What is the rule of thumb when marinating? ›

Not allowing enough time for the food to marinate can prevent the flavor from penetrating the food. The amount of time you need to marinate will depend on the cut of meat, but a good rule of thumb is 2-4 hours. For thicker cuts of meat, you may need to marinate for longer, up to 12 hours.

Making a mouth-watering homemade marinade isn't rocket science! You simply need to follow this simple formula: an acidic ingredient to tenderize the meat (think vinegar, juice, yogurt, or mustard), fresh herbs and spices for added flavour, and a fatty ingredient, such as oil or butter.

Four-, 8-, and 24-hour samples were more deeply seasoned (saltier) than all the other samples, with the 30-minute sample tasting least seasoned. There was visible caramelization and char on samples marinated for at least one hour, with 8- and 24-hour samples showing the most intense coloration.

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.

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).

Take a fork and prick some holes into the meat before marinating it so that the meat will absorb the sauce more easily. Using a knife works too, especially when you want to marinate bigger steak cuts. The meat should be covered evenly with the marinade from all sides.

Make a marinade with acidic components—such as citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, vinegar or soda—to help break down tough connective tissue and muscle fibers.

Place the food to be marinated in a resealable plastic bag. Set the bag in a bowl or shallow dish in case the bag leaks. Pour the marinade over the food, seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Turn the bag occasionally, so the marinade is distributed evenly over all sides of the food.

Marinades are usually 2 parts oil to 1 part acid (something like wine, lemon juice or vinegar), and some salt.

Which is the general guideline for marinating? ›

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.

Information. Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

Always marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Some older recipes call for marinating at room temperature. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS PRACTICE. Marinating at room temperature causes the meat to enter the “Danger Zone” (between 40°F and 140°F), where bacteria multiply fastest.

If you want to speed up marinating devise a way to pull a partial vacuum in the vessel or plastic bag that is being used to marinade and the meat or fish. By pulling that vacuum on the container you will remove the air that is trapped within the meat and it will in turn be replaced 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.

Based on the type of marinade you're using and the kind of meat, your food could marinate for 30 minutes or overnight. Beef and lamb are always up for a long, leisurely soak, but delicate meats like seafood and skinless chicken only need a minimal soak.

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.