Why use marinade recipes? – Give me 5 good reasons

1. Taste

Probably the number one reason to use marinade recipes is flavor. Your freedom to choose ingredients to suit your taste makes it easy (see reason number 3) to customize the flavor.

The flavor comes from all the ingredients and can vary greatly. But, the options for herbs, seasonings, and spices are limitless when considering the possible combinations.

2. Softening

Marinade recipes do not actually tenderize meat. But, the acid in the marinade will chemically alter the muscle fibers, giving it that effect. Since acids can be vinegar, wine, beer, lemon juice, lime juice, etc., they also have a great influence on the flavor (see reason number 1).

This softening effect can also be caused by enzymes found in some foods. As with acids, enzymes also denature (break down) muscle fibers. These enzymes are found in foods like raw onion, fresh ginger, pineapple, and green papaya.

Another, even more powerful form of “tenderization” comes from fermented milk products like yogurt and buttermilk. It is the bacteria they contain, with their digestive qualities, that act on the meat to denature it. The meat seems to stay moister when used.

3. It’s simple

Marinade recipes are simple because they only contain acid, oil, and seasonings. OK… maybe some recipes can be quite long with all their ingredients (seasonings, spices and so on). Some people tend to overdo it (like some barbecue recipes).

But, it’s still very simple. Here is an example of a basic marinade recipe:

Blend all the ingredients and add the meat. Use a glass or non-aluminum container to prevent discoloration. All surfaces of the meat should be in contact with the marinade. So, turn the meat every 30 minutes. However, you may prefer to use a zippered plastic bag. This will allow all surfaces of the meat to be in contact with the marinade at the same time. You will also probably use less marinade.

Marinating times vary from a few minutes to 24 hours. A combination of factors determines how long the marinade should last. The type of meat, the size of the meat, the delicacy, the strength of the acid, and the temperature are a few things to consider.

Small pieces of fish in room temperature lime juice will only need a few minutes to marinate. A 10-pound beef brisket in soy sauce in the refrigerator may need to marinate overnight or longer.

4. Good for you

When meat is cooked at high temperatures, cancer-causing agents called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) can be produced. You may have seen it on the news at different times over the past few years. Using marinades can actually discourage HCA formation in grilled meats.

Of course, you also need to be careful and follow some basic food safety practices when using marinade recipes. Clean surfaces thoroughly and avoid excessive contamination. Discard any leftover marinade that has come in contact with the raw meat. And always marinate in the refrigerator.

5. It has been done for centuries

In ancient times, people tried different ways of preserving meat. If you remember from history class, refrigerators didn’t work back then (there was no place to plug them in).

They tried salt, sun, and other ways to dry out the meat. They tried oils, and maybe even accidentally, acids of different kinds. People started using spices (probably also by accident) to improve the flavor. Worcestershire sauce is one of the results of those early attempts to preserve food.

Today, marinade recipes are pretty standard (acid, oil, seasoning). But that is far from saying “they are all the same”. You have the power to make them taste however you want. Remove, add, or adjust ingredients to suit your taste. You’ll get better with practice (you really will). Take advantage of all those centuries of experimentation and give it a try. Get yourself another drink and create a marinade.