Recipes and Cooking How to Cook Cooking Basics How to Marinate Foods for the Biggest Flavor Add flavor to your meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables by soaking them first in a marinade. Marinade is a liquid mixture that adds some zing to your food and also tenderizes tough cuts of meat. Read on to find out how to safely marinate food. By Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak, RD Instagram Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 15 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 10, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Marinades generally consist of cooking oil, an acidic liquid, such as vinegar, wine, tomato, or citrus juice (or a natural enzyme, such as ginger or pineapple), and flavorings, including garlic, molasses, honey, fresh or dried herbs, and spices. The acids help the marinade soften tough cuts of meat, while the oils moisten the meat and add flavor. Salt can also be used to season and tenderize the meat. Marinades should be thin in consistency so they can penetrate the meat to reach the desired flavor. The marinade penetrates about 1/4 inch into the surface of the meat. It won't reach the meat's interior, but the surface will be flavorful. How to Marinate Place the food to be marinated in a resealable plastic bag. Set the bag in a bowl or shallow dish in case the bag leaks. Pour the marinade over the food, seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Turn the bag occasionally, so the marinade is distributed evenly over all sides of the food. Don't marinate in a metal container because the acidic mixture can react with the metal. Use tongs to remove food from the marinade. Some of the marinade will stick to the food. Discard the remaining marinade. How Long to Marinate? Tender cuts of meat need up to 2 hours of soaking time. Less tender cuts of meat require 4 to 24 hours but don't overdo it. Meats and poultry marinated for more than 24 hours can turn mushy. Marinate fish for just a few hours; if left any longer, the acidic ingredients will begin to "cook" it and make it tough. Food should be cooked immediately after marinating. Marinating doesn't extend food's shelf life, which includes the day of purchase and thawing time. How to Marinate Safely These tips will help you marinate your food safely: Marinate foods in the refrigerator; don't leave them on the kitchen counter. Place them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent any possible leaks or spills onto the foods below.Don't return cooked meat to the unwashed plate you used to carry the raw marinated meat to the oven or grill. Marinated meat is still raw and should be handled accordingly.Never reuse marinades to prevent the risk of contamination that can lead to food-borne illnesses. Before adding marinade to the raw meat, set some aside for basting or as a table sauce. Recipes to Try Using Marinades: Marinade Recipes to Infuse Big Flavor Into Meats and Veggies Chicken in Avocado-Buttermilk Marinade Mustard-Marinated Flank Steak with Yam Fries Soy-Sauce Marinated Pork Chops Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit