The Skinny on Marinades
Marinades do two things: They add flavor to the exterior of your meat, and they season the inside through salt (think wet brine).
When used properly, they add depth of flavor to the simplest grilled, roasted or seared meats. When used incorrectly, they turn your food into mush. They can ruin the texture of good meat and actually cook proteins if left soaking for too long.
I repeat: Marinades should not be used to tenderize meat, they are strictly a flavoring agent - a great way to add some flavor to the outside of your food.
The rule of thumb when using marinades is to never soak your protein for longer than 12 hours.
Here are a few basic marinades. The beauty of these recipes is they are basic enough to act as a foundation. As they are, they are wonderful, but you can also pepper in a couple of your own ingredients as you see fit and “choose your own adventure.” Let this be the template upon which you create your own masterpiece.
Grilled Chicken/Meat
1 cup avocado or olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic or 2 teaspoon dried granular garlic
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce
zest of 1 lemon
Korean BBQ style Marinade
-Marinate for up to 12 hours
1 cup hoisin
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Game Marinade (venison, rabbit, bison, etc)
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tsp juniper berries
1 bay leaf
10 whole thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed black peppercorns
Simple Fish/Shrimp Marinade
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon juiced and zested
1 lime juiced and zested
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
3 tablespoons white wine
pinch of smoked paprika
Basic Teriyaki Marinade
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup avocado oil
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger