Pictured Recipe:Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., R.D. and beloved former Test Kitchen manager atEatingWell, adds that “Marinades work particularly well on tough cuts of meat that will be cooked for long periods of time.”
You can mix and match ingredients to vary your marinades and fit your preferences. With a little extra time and planning, this formula will help you make your proteins and veggies even more delicious.
How to Make Perfect Homemade Vinaigrette Every Time
How to Make a Marinade from Scratch
Any marinade can be broken down to a ratio of fats to acids, along with seasonings like herbs and spices (also called aromatics). “Acid tenderizes and allows for the flavorings to absorb,” explains Killeen.
Most marinade recipes will call for acid in the form of citrus juice (commonly lemon), vinegar or wine. Fats are usually added to marinades in the form of oils, although coconut milk or yogurt may also be used. They help distribute the seasonings evenly over whatever you are marinating. Typically, marinades contain more fats than acids—this prevents whatever you are marinating from getting mushy or over-tenderized, essentially cooking in the acid. The longer a food marinates, the stronger the flavor will be, but Killeen says to beware that over-marinating in an acidic marinade can compromise the texture of the protein. This is particularly true with delicate proteins like fish.
Because of the acidic nature of marinades, always marinate in a glass, ceramic or stainless-steel container. (Do not use aluminum containers.) The marinade ratio we suggest isthree parts fat,one part acidandone part seasonings. “None of the seasonings are supposed to overpower—they’re supposed to work in harmony,” says Killeen. Examples of specific ingredients to use are below for each category.
Three parts fat
One part acid
One part seasoning
How Long to Marinate
Timing and temperature are two important factors when marinating. Especially for things that will be soaking for over an hour, it is crucial to keep the food refrigerated so it stays safe. Marinating for too little time can diminish the amount of flavor the meat can absorb, but going for too long can mess with the food’s texture.
Killeen advises that, if you are short on time, cut meat into smaller pieces. “Sliced beef only needs to be marinated for 10 minutes, but a whole piece of meat needs hours”
Here are some suggested times for marinating different foods:
Flavor Suggestions
Once you have the basics of making a marinade down, it is a perfect opportunity to get creative with flavors. “Because I learned first how to make Chinese food, the basis of a sauce and marinade were always based on the five flavors: salty (soy sauce), spice (five-spice powder, chile or pepper), sour (rice vinegar or rice wine), sweet (hoisin, sugar, honey or jam) and bitter (garlic), so I always use all of these when I cook,” explains Killeen.
Here are some pairings we atEatingWellgo back to again and again for their delicious flavor. The amounts below are based on the ratio above, and they are guidelines, so feel free to play and see what suits your palate. But, in general, use more fat than acid. The flavor profiles of the marinades below may be used on many different types of proteins, so there is room for experimentation. We’re sharing our best recommendations.
The measurements are based on one pound of protein. When using dry herbs instead of fresh, use one-third of the amount. For example, 1 teaspoon dried parsley to replace 1 tablespoon fresh parsley. Dry and ground spices (including spice blends) are potent as well, so we recommend using them similarly to dried herbs, depending on the potency level desired. Use salt at your discretion, but we advise 1/4 teaspoon per pound of protein when called for in the marinade.
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