Marinades Demystified: a Guide to Cooking

Cinzia Cuneo May 1, 2026 Eat Well, Health, Recipes

Chicken shish taouk skewers, teriyaki pork chops, honey marinated salmon … so many mouthwatering grilled dishes. What do these dishes have in common? They all require a marinade to add flavor and tenderize the meat. But beware, a poorly planned marinade can lead to disastrous results. Here, we’ll give you the basics for perfect marinades every time.

What is a marinade and why use it?

Essentially, it’s a liquid mixture containing various aromatics and often an acidic element, in which food is soaked before cooking. Its main purpose is to enhance the flavor of the food, but also to partially tenderize it by initiating the breakdown of fats. This can be achieved with acidic ingredients like vinegar, wine, lemon/citrus juice, yogurt, or with enzymatic components such as pineapple, papaya, or ginger. The breakdown of fats allows fluids and seasonings to penetrate the meat, helping it retain its moisture during grilling and preventing it from drying out too quickly. Of course, this can only work on the surface of the meat.

Another important reason to marinate meats with an acidic element is this: The intense heat from barbecue grills can cause carcinogenic compounds to form on the surface of food during cooking. An acidic marinade limits the formation of these substances.

How long?

Marinating should be done long enough to infuse flavor, but not excessively. The salt, along with the herbs, spices, garlic, and onion, gradually penetrates the surface of the food, giving it flavor. The acidic ingredient will tenderize the meat, but if left too long, it will change its appearance and give it an unpleasant sour taste. The suggested marinating times below take into account the hardiness of the food and its ability to withstand the intensity of the acidic ingredient. If the marinade is mainly composed of oil and aromatics, with little acidity, the marinating time can be longer.

• Red meats (beef, lamb, game): 4 to 12 hours
• Pork and poultry: 2 to 6 hours
• Fish and seafood: 30 to 60 minutes

Food safety

Marinade comes into contact with raw meat, fish, and seafood, and therefore absorbs bacteria from these products. Always discard marinade after use and do not use it to baste food during cooking. You should keep a separate portion, untouched by raw food, for basting or making sauces.

Try some of our marinade recipes:

French-Style Flank Steak

See the recipe >>

Asian-Style Marinated Salmon

See the recipe >>

Cilantro-flavoured Pork Chops with Mushrooms

See the recipe >>

See more recipes featuring marinades

Author

Cinzia Cuneo

Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!