The Science of a Smart Marinade

The key isn’t specific ingredients; it’s specific types of ingredients, each with its own purpose. Here’s a breakdown of what each contributes. The amounts are guidelines based on 2 cups of liquid; the salt is based on a 60-minute marinating time (marinating for longer will make meat saltier). You can scale up or down depending on what you’re making.

• FLAVORFUL BASE: Flavors in the base season meat at the surface, and the water in that liquid dissolves water-soluble seasonings (particularly salt) so that they disperse evenly throughout the liquid and onto the food. Consider juice, wine, vinegar, or beer.
  Amount: 2 cups
  

• SALT: When it dissolves in water, salt separates into sodium and chloride ions that slowly work their way into the meat. Sodium ions season the meat; chloride ions prevent the meat’s proteins from tightening up too much during cooking so that it stays juicy.
  Amount: 1 tablespoon table salt or 2 tablespoons kosher salt per 2 cups of liquid. Be sure to factor in salt from salty liquids; for example, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce adds about 1/2 teaspoon of table salt.
  

• OIL: Oil dissolves fat-soluble flavors (such as those in spices and herbs) and disperses them throughout the liquid and onto the food. A thin coating also encourages the meat to brown evenly and can help prevent sticking.
  Amount: 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of liquid
  

• SUGAR: Sugar browns readily at relatively low temperatures (250 degrees), which makes it especially beneficial in a marinade where the added moisture can prevent meat from developing an attractive, flavorful crust before the interior overcooks. Any type of sweetener will work—from granulated sugar to honey, molasses, agave, or even fruit juice concentrate.
  Amount: 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of liquid
  

• ADDITIONAL FLAVORINGS: Herbs and spices are important for flavoring the outside of the meat, while a handful, including sugar, garlic, and the glutamates in items such as soy and fish sauces, tomato paste, and miso, will penetrate a little farther.
  Amount: This will range depending on the potency of the ingredients and personal taste. We recommend making a highly seasoned marinade because its flavors will diminish during cooking.
  

Since marinades are predominantly a surface treatment, you want to either choose a cut of meat with lots of surface area or slice, pound, or cube the meat to maximize it.

SLICING

BEST FOR: cutting thin strips, stir-fry meat

1. Place meat on plate and freeze until very firm, 15 to 30 minutes depending on cut.

2. Using sharp knife, cut against grain.

POUNDING

BEST FOR: flattening large cutlets and chops

1. Place meat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper on counter.

2. Pound evenly to desired thickness using meat pounder or bottom of heavy skillet. For bone-in cuts like pork chops, avoid pounding bone.

An hour is usually enough time for the seasonings to flavor the meat’s surface, while marinating for longer will allow the salt and certain seasonings, like sugar and glutamates, to migrate farther. Just keep in mind that a highly acidic marinade, such as those made with citrus juice or vinegar, will eventually break down proteins at the surface of the meat and cause it to cook up softer.

Unless a marinade contains sugar or other ingredients that encourage color development, we like to remove surface moisture to help the meat brown during cooking. Here are two helpful steps.

PAT THE FOOD DRY:

Use paper towels to wipe most of the marinade from the meat.

USE HIGH HEAT:

Grilling or searing over high heat quickly drives off any remaining moisture.

Instead of discarding your spent marinade, you can repurpose it as a sauce. Bring it to a boil for 30 seconds to kill off any harmful microbes, adjust the seasonings to taste (if necessary, dilute it to reduce the salt), and drizzle it over the cooked meat. This reinforces the flavors of the marinade, and there’s no need to make a second sauce for serving.