{"id":113472,"date":"2020-07-02T14:22:35","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T19:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=113472"},"modified":"2021-06-04T12:39:31","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T17:39:31","slug":"how-to-marinate-meat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/leisure\/food-drink\/how-to-marinate-meat\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Easy Marinades for Your 3 Favorite Meats"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

When I first started grilling, I would marinate and season the heck out of everything. If there were enough other flavors going on, I couldn\u2019t go wrong with the meat itself. Right? I figured the sauce would cover up my imperfect cooking skills. As the years have gone on, I\u2019ve become more of a meat purist, utilizing just salt, pepper, and a little bit of oil for most of my grilling. A perfectly-cooked piece of meat tastes great on its own with minimal doctoring needed. <\/span><\/p>\n

But every once a while, I still get a hankering for a sweeter, saucier cut of meat. That\u2019s where a flavorful, homemade marinade comes in. Something about it is just a little more festive, especially on a holiday weekend. It shows you\u2019ve put a touch more effort into the meal rather than just slappin\u2019 a hunk of meat on the grill.  <\/span><\/p>\n

A marinade is just a sauce that you soak a raw food in \u2014 it\u2019s usually a cut of chicken or steak, but seafood and veggies are common too. While I used to think the purpose of a marinade was to move its essence into the interior of the meat, I now realize it\u2019s primarily to coat the outside of the food and give it a flavor-packed, caramelized exterior. The liquid will certainly penetrate some, but it\u2019s never going to get all the way in. You\u2019re aiming for a crispy crust and a juicy interior (which is why you should never poke holes in your marinating meat; see below). <\/span><\/p>\n

While pre-made marinades abound in grocery store aisles, they\u2019re often too thick. A viscous, syrupy marinade won\u2019t penetrate the meat as well as something a little thinner. Those store-bought bottles are also expensive for what usually amounts to just 1-2 uses. Instead, whip up a homemade marinade; I\u2019ll bet you already have on hand most of the ingredients for the recipes I\u2019ll share below.<\/span><\/p>\n

General Guidelines for Successful Marinating<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Marinating<\/p>\n

Every category of food requires different marinating times. Too short, and you won\u2019t get the flavor as fully incorporated; too long, and the food will start breaking down in various ways and will end up with a mushy, unpleasant texture. In general, you should lean towards less marinating time instead of more (this is especially true with more acidic marinades which use a lot of citrus juice or vinegar). Remember, your goal is mostly about the exterior and the top layers of whatever you\u2019re cooking. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the timeline breakdown for your food groups: <\/span><\/p>\n