Before Grilling: Learn How to Marinate

Do you know how to marinate? It's true that anyone can buy some "marinade" at the grocery story and throw some meat into it for an unknown amount of time and then grill it. But is that really marinating? I hope to convince you in the next 10 minutes that marinating is more than just a prelude to cooking. It is a cooking method all its own, a process that will produce consistent reliable results that can help you be a better cook tonight. It's a procedure that will give you limitless opportunity for inventing great outdoor cooking recipes all summer long. Best of all - it's simple when you know the facts.

Marinate with a Mission

Marinating is done to add flavor, add moisture and to tenderize meat. Learning how to marinate will improve your cooking because it opens up a whole new level of creativity in cooking. There are limitless ingredients and one simple procedure. It makes for a very simple everday cooking solution that incorporates a seasonal favorite - grilling outdoors! The trick is to take your favorite meat and make up a marinade for it on the spot - based on what ingredients you have on hand and your desired flavor profile. The formula may always be simple and always be the same, but the variety of ingredients will ensure that you are never bored!

Proceed with Caution (but not too much!)

In learning how to marinate, a common mistake is to exaggeate the meat tenderizing properties of marinating and choose a lesser cut of meat as a result. Yes, marinating will provide SOME tenderizing - but only some. Like anything else you cook, it is always best to start with good ingredients and consider the end result you desire. Muscle tissue will absorb marinade better than fat tissue so using an overly fatty piece of meat will result in very little marinating actually getting into your product. Likewise, a tougher cut of meat and a thicker cut of meat will take longer to realize the moisturizing and flavoring effects.

There is a Method to the Madness (and to the Marinade)

For imparting flavor, nothing beats a great sauce! In most marinades, the essential ingredient is an acid (which acts as a slight tenderizer) but the type of acid you choose is completely open to your creativity and the type of dish you are making. Wine, lemon juice, tomato juice, balsamic vinegar, orange juice pineapple juice and margarita mix are all fairly common acids that work great in marinades. Fresh herbs and spices can add flavor to marinades and you've got lots of choices. When using herbs, remember that whole herbs release their flavor slowly so they work best for long marinades. If you are going with a quicker marinade, grind up the herbs before use to impart their flavor more quickly. Adding oil is also an option for imparting flavor, but keep in mind that the oil itself will not be drawn into the muscle tissue. Oil in this case is used solely for flavoring so if you use an oil, choose a flavored oil. Once you know the techniques of achieving the end result you desire, you can let your taste, imagination and your unique situation be the guide for making up your very own marinade recipe.

The only Reaction should be a Good One

We started the marinating process trying to add moisture to our product. We don't want to lose any moisture now so - always place the product you are marinating with the marinade in an air-tight container. This container should also be acid-resistant, meaning it won't react with the acidic ingredient and potentially make somebody sick. Glass, ceramic and stainless steel meet this criteria. Aluminum, copper and pewter do not - don't use them in marinating! Always store the container in the refrigerator for the entire marinating process. In these ways, you are ensuring food safety throughout the marinating process, which will vary in length depending on how much time you have and the cut of meat you are using. Finally, remember to always discard the marinade after you have finished marinating and never re-use the marinade during the cooking process because it has had raw meat soaking in it for a length of time.

What marinade will you make this weekend? Relax. You know how to marinate and you've got a whole summer of delicious experimentation ahead of you!

How to Marinate
Learn How to Marinate with videos and descriptions