The art of marinating makes yourself the tastiest marinades

The art of marinating makes yourself the tastiest marinades

Marinated bbq ribs with a nice sauce, slow-cooked from the oven. Marinated fillet steaks, delicious from the barbecue. And of course a marinated piece of salmon, perfect for grilling and finished with some fresh lemon wedges. Everyone knows some dishes that taste very tasty because of their marinade. Did you know that it is also very easy to make a marinade yourself?

Ingredients of the marinade

A good marinade always consists of several parts:

• • A fatty file, such as olive oil or sesame oil.
  • Herbs and other seasonings
  • Something that makes the meat tender

Usually an acid is added to break down the proteins in the meat, making it tender. This could be lemon juice, vinegar, wine or anything else. However, acid is not the only file that can be used to make meat or fish tender. Also certain enzymes found in fruits like pineapple or papaya can make meat more tender. The enzymes are often available in powder form. Loose pieces of fruit in the marinade generally do not contain enough enzymes to do their job.

Finally, certain types of dairy are also used to make meat tender. Both the acidity of some types of dairy and the calcium in dairy help to break down the proteins in beef, for example.

The art of marinating makes yourself the tastiest marinades

With these tips, your marinade always succeeds

There are a few things to look out for when marinate meat or fish:

Make sure you have the right marinade time. It varies by product how long you have to marinate it. In general, the rule is that the firmer the fish or meat, the longer it should lie in the marinade.

Pay attention to the shelf life of products. Normally, your chicken doesn’t leave outside the fridge for days. So don’t do this if you’re going to marinate it. Some marinades increase the shelf life of your products, but if you put it in the marinade for a little over a few hours it is better to put it in the fridge.

Don’t marinate in metal. The acid in the marinade can react with the metal of the bowl or bowl. The result? A nasty taste and possibly a piece of meat or fish that is harmful to your health.

Which extra flavor can you use?

The nice thing about a marinade is that you can vary it endlessly. It is therefore difficult to designate a ‘standard marinade’. Usually you see similarities between marinades from a particular kitchen. Oriental marinades find soy sauce, ginger and garlic, while in a wild marinade you’ll find bay leaf, pepper, onion and carrot.

For ideas for different types of marinades, check out our website,full of the best recipes!