How-to: Marinades
In the last few weeks, I have found myself in the unusual position of cooking for one. I went to the store to get chicken thighs, and I bought the smallest package possible, the one with 8 thighs (this is America!). Knowing that I would eat 8 thighs, the next questions are: how do I keep them fresh? After I eat 4, will I get tired of the flavor? This is the type of conundrum marinades are perfect for.
Simply put, marinading a meat means to submerge it in a solution several hours before cooking, that will get absorbed by the meat and will tenderize it. The result is a flavor that will come from inside the meat, rather than from outside of it.
Before the how, why use a marinade?
It adds variety to your food: Yes, you can eat chicken every day, if you eat balsamic vinegar one day, curry the next day, and korean BBQ the one after.
It extends the freshness of your meat: The acidic parts of a marinade will begin to cook the meat. I notice that it keeps it fresh for at least one or two more days.
It is cheap and easy to make: Once you have some staples in your pantry, you can put together a marinade any time, or you can take a shortcut and use any salad dressing.
It simplifies cooking for different tastes: Let's say you are grilling for 20 people with very different tastes. Pick 2 or 3 marinades and grill your meat all together.
What goes into a marinade?
Fat: According to The Spruce Eats, "Fat is an important component in marinades because it helps transfer fat soluble flavors into the meat." It also helps the cooking process; I usually don't add any fat when I cook the meat. Most commonly, I use olive oil, as it has a delicious flavor, but you can also use canola oil, or even yogurt.
Acid: It tenderizes the meat and starts to cook it. The typical example is ceviche, where fish gets fully "cooked" by lemon juice. You should always keep these in your pantry: soy sauce, blasamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard.
Spices: This is what will make a real difference in the flavor of your meat. Most marinades will have garlic and/or peppers. Curry powder works great as a marinade. Honey or brown sugar adds specific flavor
What else do I need to know?
When figuring out ratios, imagine you are putting together a salad dressing, it works about the same.
The marinading time will depend on a number of factor, but a minimum of 1 hour is recommended.
Make enough marinade to coat the outside of the meat, no need to fully submerge it. Use a container with lid or a zip-top bag to help coat all around the meat.
Always add salt, unless your acid is soy sauce.
Here are some marinades to get started
Italian balsamic chicken: Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and parsley.
Orange ginger pork: Corn oil, soy sauce, orange juice, ground ginger and garlic.
Korean BBQ chicken: Sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chili pepper flakes.
Grilled salmon: Vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and water.