Marinade Basics

Marinades have become more and more popular, giving meat a unique and hearty flavor. Most grilled meat is marinated with a rub, a mop, vinegar, lemon based, or wine marinades. Marinades are also another way of tendering a meat. The usual goal is to flavor the meat.

TIPS

Use a glass, stainless steel, ceramic bowl that is non-reactive.  The container should be large enough to hold one layer of meat. You don't have to submerge the meat, it can be turned a few times.

Poultry needs marinades for 1-3 hours in the refrigerator or left sitting out. If it is cold, let it rise to room temperature before grilling. Fish should marinade for 15-30 minutes.

Marinades can be used to baste the meat while on the grill. If the sauce contains tomato or sugar, wait to baste it until the end cooking time to prevent charring. Be careful of flare-ups which are caused by oils or butter, add lightly and move the meat around the grill, ready to close the grill at anytime. Listed below are some basic marinades perfect for grilling your meat.

Herbs~ Fresh herbs are preferable to dried. However, if you can not get fresh, dried are just as well. Do remember, dried herbs are stronger and require less. If you substitute dried for fresh, use ½ teaspoon crushed for (¼ teaspoon powdered) for every tablespoon of fresh. Replace dried herbs after a year and keep in small, tightly sealed packages. The flavor can be intensified by rubbing between your fingers or crushing. 
 

Be sure and check out some of our Marinade Recipes