Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Marinate

Técnica

Também chamado de
marinade

To marinate is to soak food in a seasoned mixture, the marinade, to gain flavor and turn more tender before cooking. The marinade usually combines an acidic ingredient such as lime, vinegar or wine with fat such as olive oil, plus salt, garlic, herbs and spices. It is the secret of teriyaki chicken, well-seasoned barbecue meats and ceviche, in which the fish firms up and gains flavor in lime juice.

Characteristics

A good marinade has three roles: the acid or salt softens fibers, the fat carries seasoning aromas into the food, and herbs and spices give personality. Time varies with the ingredient: fish and seafood need minutes to a few hours, chicken a few hours, and tougher meats can spend the night in the refrigerator. Marinades always work under refrigeration, never at room temperature, and in glass, stainless steel or food-grade plastic containers, as acid reacts with aluminum pans and leaves a metallic taste.

Uses in the kitchen

Marinating suits chicken for the grill, oven or griddle, barbecue meats and skewers, fish and shrimp for ceviche, stews and grilling, plus vegetables such as eggplant and bell pepper for antipasti. Teriyaki chicken, for example, rests in soy sauce with ginger and garlic before cooking, soaking up its signature sweet-sour flavor.

Variations

  • Acid marinade: with lime, vinegar or wine, classic for ceviches, escabeches and chicken. Too much acid overcooks the surface and changes texture.
  • Dairy marinade: yogurt or milk, common for chicken and meats, which tenderize without harshness, keeping meat juicy.
  • Dry marinade: a rub of salt, sugar, paprika and herbs with no liquid, forming a tasty crust on the grill.
  • Ceviche: a short cold marinade in which lime acid firms raw fish and skips the heat. Demands very fresh fish and extra hygiene.

Fun facts

Marinade that touched raw meat should not be reused as sauce without boiling for a few minutes first, for food safety. Shallow cuts in thick pieces help the marinade sink in, but too many holes let juices escape on the grill. And storing food marinating in a tightly closed bag, air pressed out, spreads seasoning better and takes less fridge space.

Marinate recipes

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