How to marinate meat for roasting

A well-marinated meat ensures the success of a recipe, as this culinary technique gives the meat an appetizing appearance, a lot of softness, juiciness and a delicious flavor. For this reason, this method is widely used in the culinary world, in order to give personality to any dish. Every good chef or aspiring cook has a good repertoire of marinades up their sleeves, depending on the meat to be cooked and the recipe to be interpreted.

If you want to know the secrets of a good marinade, you can explore all the classic and innovative marinades that we bring to you in the same article. Whether you want to prepare chicken, pork, beef, fish or other types of meat, we invite you to read on and discover how to marinate meat for roasting!

What is marinating meat?

Although cooking is an art, it is undoubtedly very important to know the techniques and tricks that are part of the culinary world, as these determine the final quality of our dish.  For this reason, there are certain essential details about marinating meat that you should know, so you will get the most out of this type of preparation.

Marinating is a culinary method in which a food soaked in an aromatic mixture is soaked for a certain time (from a few hours to weeks), in order to achieve a smoother texture, a more accentuated flavor and an enveloping aroma. This culinary technique creates new layers of depth in the flavor of the meat, enhancing the tasting experience.

Types of marinade

This cooking technique has many variants, depending on the liquid ingredient used in the process, the best known are:

• Escabeche: the food is immersed in vinegar, it is a method widely practiced in Spanish cuisine.
• Ceviche: Lemon juice (or other acidic food) is used for marinating, this style is very common in Latin American cuisine.
• Adobo: arises from the combination of vinegar and paprika (whether spicy or sweet), this type of marinade is widely used on meat.

What is the marinade for?

Since adobo is probably the most popular marinade, we will explain more about it.  The technique of marinating food originated in Spain and was later adopted by other countries (Philippines, Peru, among others). The basic marinade contains oil, vinegar, salt, and paprika, however paprika can be substituted with many variants such as oregano, garlic, or other vegetables. Everything will depend on the type of meat that you want to marinate and the way in which it will be prepared, be it roasted, baked, grilled, or others.

Now, if you are wondering how to marinate meat for roasting can help improve your recipes, because this technique, apart from providing an exquisite flavor and aroma to food, provides the following benefits:

• It tenderizes the meat when the cut is not tender or does not have very good quality.  This effect happens thanks to the acidic element that the marinade contains.
• Eliminates the strong flavor of game meat. In this case, the acid ingredient is also responsible for softening its “brave” taste.
• Enhances the flavor of food, especially meat.
• It preserves the moisture of certain foods during cooking, as it seals the product. In meats, it helps preserve its juices while cooking.
• It also works in canned meat and pickles.
• It serves as a base for sauces. If your intention is to prepare a sauce, forget about reusing the remains of a marinade, since the juices of raw foods can contain pathogens.  The ideal is to “start from scratch”, preparing a marinade exclusively for the sauce.
• You can place it on the table to dress. If you want to provide your guests with the marinade that you used on the meat, prepare two separate portions, the one that you will use to marinate the meat and the one that you will place on the table. Do not use leftover marinade.
• It is used to paint the food during cooking.

You can learn more tricks to enjoy soft, smooth meats with an incredible texture by visiting our article in which we explain in detail how to tenderize meat.

Marinade Ingredients

Behind each recipe, there is a formula where the ingredients and the measures form a perfect balance with reactions and results. Marinade preparation is no exception. Its essential elements are oil, spices and an acid touch that can be courtesy of citrus fruits, vinegar, wine, among other ingredients. Sometimes vegetables are also added.

But what is the function of each ingredient in the marinade formula?

• Wine, lemon juice or vinegar is the ingredients responsible for providing acidity, an essential element to soften meat. This phenomenon occurs thanks to the fact that the acid has the ability to coagulate proteins and partially pre-cook the meat. In this way, it softens beforehand, greatly favoring the roasting of certain pieces of meat. In addition, it enhances its flavor and softens the intensity of game meats.
• Garlic, onion, spices(usually paprika) and aromatic herbs (fresh or dried) are essential in any marinade. Its essential function is to aromatize food.
• The oil allows the meat to absorb the marinade and infuse it with its flavor, since the chemical components of the herbs and spices are soluble in fat. In addition, the fat allows reducing the acid and salty taste, balancing the taste of the mixture.
• Salt cures meat by drawing out moisture, thus substantially reducing the chance of it becoming tough during cooking.

Marinating time depending on the type of meat

Time plays a vital role in marinating meat. Each meat has its own marinating times, depending on the type, the amount of acidity that we use and the temperature. If we do not comply with the proper time, we can change the texture and flavor unfavorably

Calculate the marinating time of your recipes according to the following variants:

• If you apply more acidity: less time.
• The larger the size: the longer.
• If you use higher temperature: less time.

Also, you can calculate the time depending on the type of meat you want to marinate:

• Red meat:3 or 12 hours. For tender cuts, simply marinate for 15 minutes to 1 hour. On the other hand, if the meat is tough (such as game meat); marinate it for 6 to 24 hours or more in the fridge.
• White meats:1 to 3 hours.
• White meat fish (such as hake):between 20 minutes and 1 hour.
• Fish with dense meat (swordfish, opal, anchovies and tuna):from 1 to 8 hours.

How to marinate chicken for roasting?

Poultry especially benefit from marinades, as their flavor is enhanced, aromatized and the meat is much juicier. If you marinate a whole chicken, the average time is 12 hours, however three days is ideal.

On the other hand, the breasts or the wings need much less time, 3 or 4 hours will suffice. So if you plan to prepare some delicious chicken breasts or other poultry, check out these delicious marinades and you will know how to marinate meat for a barbecue or grilling.

Fine herbs

This sauce or broth is perfect for chicken breasts; however it is also ideal for pork loin and turkey fillets. It will give you 8 steaks. The ingredients are:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. (flat) dill
• 1 tsp. (flat) thyme
• 1 tsp. (flat) parsley
• 1 tsp. tarragon
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and olive oil.

To prepare it, just follow these steps:

1. Place the spices (dill, thyme, parsley, tarragon) in a bowl (avoid copper or aluminum containers).
2. Pour the olive oil until they are completely covered, stir very well.
3. Add the garlic cloves (peeled and whole), bay leaves and salt.
4. Let stand at least 3 hours in the fridge.
5. After this time, place the (breast) fillets on a high tray and pour the reserved sauce (adobo) over them.
6. Impregnate each piece very well and repeat the rest (in the fridge), now with the breasts impregnated in marinade, for 2 hours. Once the time is up, reserve until cooking.

Chimichurri or Creole

This marinade is very popular in Latin America. This type of marinade is useful to spread chicken or beef (before and during cooking) and to place it on the table available to diners.  These are its ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. (flat) oregano
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp. ground chili pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 100ml of oil
• 20 ml of wine vinegar

To prepare it, you will need to leave it to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Follow these steps and it will yield you for 8 steaks:

1. Crush the bay leaf and the garlic cloves.
2. Mix them together with 100 ml of oil (preferably olive oil) and 20 ml of wine vinegar.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything very well.

Marinated on the grill

This beer marinade is perfect for chicken breasts. Find the following ingredients and prepare it:

• 1 tamarind pod
• ½ red bell pepper
• ½ onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. green pepper
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 4 or 5 cayenne peppers
• 1 tbsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 300ml lager

To prepare this marinade, you will need a resting time of at least 4 hours. Yield for 200 grams, you just need to follow these steps:

1. Open the tamarind pod, remove the seeds and reserve the pulp.
2. Chop the onion and pepper julienne, set aside.
3. Use a bowl to mix all the ingredients, except the vegetables.
4. Submerge the chicken in the marinade, impregnate it very well with the mixture and place the reserved vegetables on it.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, take it to the fridge and wait the indicated time.

Marinade for wings and breast

Wings are one of the pieces of chicken with more flavor and personality. Accent them with this perfect marinade for wings and breasts. These are the ingredients you need:

• 1½ tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 level tsp. cumin
• 1 level tsp. curry powder
• 30 ml of white wine
• Olive oil and salt to taste

This marinade needs about 4 hours of rest. Simply mix all the ingredients, dip the meats in the marinade and keep them covered in the fridge.

Orange and beer marinade

In this case, we’re adding orange to a delicious beer marinade that will go great with chicken. These are the ingredients you need:

• 2 tbsp. orange zest
• 1 can of beer
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp. basil
• 4 garlic
• 1 dash extra virgin olive oil

This marinade will need to rest for about 6 hours in the fridge. To prepare it, follow these steps:

1. Sauté 4 garlic cloves in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Add the lemon zest, the beer, the 2 bay leaves and the basil.
3. Stir very well while you cook the preparation for 5 minutes.
4. After the time, let the marinade cool to room temperature.
5. Finally, pour it over the chicken, take it to the fridge and spread it again every two hours.

Mustard marinade

This mustard marinade is packed with flavor and perfect for whole chicken and turkey breasts. Do not hesitate to try it, these are the ingredients:

• ½ cup of mustard
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste.

To marinate rotisserie chicken with this mustard marinade, you’ll need to let it sit for at least 5 hours. Preparing the marinade is easy; you just have to integrate all the ingredients until the mixture acquires a pasty consistency, then, impregnate the breasts with the preparation and reserve.

Marinade with curry and cumin

This type of marinade contains strong flavors and essences that are perfect to enjoy with wings and chicken breasts. These are its ingredients:

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 2 garlic
• 1½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. curry sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Do you already have all the ingredients? To have it ready, you will have to let it rest overnight. These are the steps you must follow to prepare:

1. Finely chop the green pepper, the onion, the tomato and the 2 garlic cloves.
2. Place them in a bowl; add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Impregnate the chicken with this preparation.
4. If you feel like it, you can add a touch of white wine and reserve.

Sherry wine marinade

If you have a weakness for dishes marinated in wine, you can’t stop trying this sherry wine marinade. These are the ingredients you need:

• 1 onion
• 1 splash of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. parsley
• black pepper to taste
• 1 glass of sherry

This marinade with wine will be ready after letting it rest for about 5 hours. To prepare it, do the following:

1. Finely chop the onion and parsley, set aside.
2. Pour the oil into a frying pan, when it is hot enough, begin to poach the onion.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir very well, until they are completely integrated.
4. Let the mixture cool and then spread it on the meat, before placing it in the fridge.
5. Every 2 hours or every hour, brush the meat again with the mixture.

White wine and apple marinade

Finally, we suggest a white wine and apple marinade that is exquisite. It is ideal for whole breasts or minced chicken and turkey meat. These are the ingredients with which you can make it:

• 4 garlic
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ grated apple
• 1 cup of white wine
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 splash of olive oil.

Follow the steps below to prepare it and then leave it to rest for at least 5 hours.

1. Grate the garlic and fry them in a pan with the olive oil.
2. Stir until they acquire a golden color.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook for 5 more minutes, over low heat and stir.
4. Once cooking is complete, allow the marinade to cool to room temperature.
5. Pour the sauce into a container, impregnate each piece with the mixture, cover it and refrigerate.
6. Brush the meat again every hour, this way it will acquire much more flavor.

Tip: Avoid using copper or aluminum containers when marinating any food.

Marinades for roast pork

Pork sometimes benefits more from curing in salt, like that done on sausages, than from marinating. This is because if the pork is marinated for more than 24 hours, the meat can take on a mealy texture. However, below this time, it can give you a smooth texture and unrivaled spicy flavor. If you have wondered how to marinate meat for charcoal grilling when it comes to pork, here we tell you!

Spicy oriental marinade

If you have a special place in your heart for spicy recipes, this spicy oriental marinade is perfect for you. It’s perfect for pork or poultry! These are the ingredients you need to make it:

• 3 tbsp. soy willow
• 1 garlic
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 grated orange (peel)
• ½ tsp. chili or ground chili peppers
• 2 tbsp. mustard
• 2 tbsp. of honey
• ½ cup of white wine

Follow these steps to prepare it and let it rest for 5 hours in the fridge:

1. First of all, finely chop the garlic, ginger and coriander; also grate the orange peel, reserve everything.
2. Pour the soy sauce, the reserved ingredients, the chili (or ground chili), the mustard, the honey and the white wine into a bowl.
3. Stir very well, until all the elements are integrated.
4. Finally, leave the meat submerged in this mixture.

Andalusia Marinade

With an exotic touch that we know you’ll love, you can’t stop trying this delicious Andalusia marinade, ideal for grilled or baked chops. These are its ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 200ml olive oil
• 2 lemons (the juice)
• Curry, paprika, salt and black pepper to taste.

To have your chops with Andalusia marinade, you just have to let them rest for 1 hour (at least). Follow these steps and enjoy:

1. Inside a mortar, crush the garlic cloves and add the olive oil, unify both very well.
2. Then, use a bowl to mix the mortar mix with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Stir very well, until they are completely integrated into the preparation.
4. Dip the chops in the sauce and reserve in the fridge.

Bourbon Marinade with Herbs

The combination of Bourbon whiskey and herbs make this marinade an incredible experience. It is ideal to prepare with pork ribs. These are the ingredients needed to make it:

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp. bourbon whiskey
• 1 splash of white wine
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 2 tbsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. oregano (use sage or thyme)

Prepare it by mixing all the ingredients in a container and seasoning afterwards. Leave it in the fridge overnight before roasting.

Marinated for Moorish skewers

The Moorish skewers are a delicious alternative to enjoy pork, chicken or beef with a juicy flavor. To prepare the marinade for these skewers, look for these ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• 3 threads of saffron
• 1 slime (the juice)
• 2 tbsp. paprika (serve spicy)
• 1 pinch of black pepper
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. coriander
• Salt and half a cup of olive oil.

To prepare it, follow the steps that we detail below and then let them rest overnight in the fridge.

1. In a bowl, crush the garlic cloves and add both the cumin and the saffron (toast it preferably).
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cover each piece of meat completely with the sauce.
3. Cover them in a container, reserve and refrigerate.

If you’re looking for more options, here’s another tasty marinade recipe for grilled pork.

How to marinate beef for roasting?

Veal is a highly valued young meat for its very soft texture and melts in the mouth. This type of meat is favored more than short marinades, preferably between 2 to 4 hours, even a day at most. If you apply a long marinade, lasting more than a day, the meat can take on a sticky texture and a flavor reminiscent of canned meat.

In case you want to marinate it, the most recommended cut is the skirt, since it can be marinated between 2 to 4 hours. Here are some ideas for you to learn how to marinate meat for delicious Sunday barbecues and enjoy with your family. To taste!

Marinated for veal and other red meats

On any barbecue or grill, this marinade for beef does not fail! To prepare it you only need the following ingredients:

• ½ red bell pepper
• ½ onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of oregano.
• 3 tablespoons of oil for every 2 tablespoons of the mixture of the previous ingredients
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar following the same proportion
• 1½ tbsp. of water in the same way
• salt to taste

To prepare this beef marinade, follow the steps below and let sit for at least 1 hour.

1. Say the bell pepper and onion, then place them in a bowl.
2. Then, crush the garlic with a mortar and add it to the bowl.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and the salt at the end, to correct it if necessary.
4. Submerge the meat in the bowl, impregnate it very well in the sauce and reserve it in the fridge.
5. After time, drain the meat and cook it.
6. A recommendation: if you want the meat to be much juicier and more attractive to the eye (with better color), apply the remaining sauce during cooking, as if you were painting the pieces of meat.

Soy marinade and perils sauce

This marinade is perfect for lean cuts of meat and chicken livers. They will be a hit at the table! The ingredients are:

• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup Perris Sauce
• ¼ cup of Dijon mustard.

These are the steps you must follow to prepare it and then let it rest for about 2 or 4 hours in the fridge.

1. Crush the garlic cloves in a mortar or finely chop them.
2. Inside a bowl, pour the garlic and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Marinate the meat with this marinade and wait for the stipulated time.

Tip: Remember: whenever you prepare a marinade or impregnate any food with it, you should cover it with plastic wrap or place an airtight lid on it, before refrigerating it.

How to marinate sheep, goat or came lid meat for roasting?

Sheep meat (young lamb or paschal lamb, suckling lamb, among others), goat meat (goat, goat) and came lid meat (camel) stand out for their tender texture and very pronounced strong flavor. For this reason, this type of meat does not like mild seasonings, since they are not perceived. For that reason, it is recommended to use seasonings with a lot of presence such as mint, rosemary, bay leaf, pepper, cumin and ginger.

What combinations could you make to marinate these meats? Thousands! For example, you could combine bay leaf, rosemary, pomegranate juice, and tamarind juice. It would be a delicious marinade for meats! And what sauce would suit them best? These meats go very well with sauces based on white or red wine.

Soy, lime and mint marinade

Here we leave you another marinade option, especially designed for lamb meat. The ingredients you need are:

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. soy willow
• 1 plain yogurt
• ½ cup lime juice
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh mint
• 2 tbsp. thyme
• Pepper and salt to taste

To prepare this marinade, just add all the ingredients in a bowl, beat them very well until the preparation emulsifies and use the sauce to marinate the lamb meat. Remember to cover the mixture and let it rest for about 8 hours in the fridge.

How to marinate fish meats for grilling?

There are many doubts about whether fish should be marinated or not. Some people say it’s unnecessary, as it doesn’t add anything to the flavor and can harm the texture of the meat. But the truth is that, if we take certain details into account, the flavor and texture of the fish can be improved.

The most important thing, in this case, is the maceration time, which should not exceed the requirement of the meat. This forces us to consider the fish, its type of meat, the size and the amount of acidity that we will add to the marinade.

As the meat of the fish is very porous, when macerating it, all the ingredients of the marinade (acids, oils, spices) achieve their maximum penetration in less time than other types of meat. In this sense, for white meat fish, a prolonged maceration time is not recommended (ideally a time of less than one hour), since it changes the structure of its protein, which is much more sensitive than other meats.

If it is a whole fish with skin, you should wait 1 hour until the spices completely impregnate it. On the other hand, fish with dense meat (swordfish, opal and tuna) can be marinated in a time greater than one hour, reaching even up to 8 hours of maceration.

The best oil to marinate fish is olive oil and, since we are talking about the secrets of how to marinate meat, we leave you the best species and herbs for the most popular marine products:

• Crab: chives and dill
• Prawns: chives, coriander, dill, tarragon and mint
• Seafood: basil, coriander, tarragon and mint
• Mussels: mint
• Hake: dill, tarragon, sage and thyme
• Pang: tarragon, mint, curly parsley, sage and thyme
• Salmon: chives, coriander, dill, tarragon, mint, curly parsley
• Tuna: dill, mint and curly parsley
• Cod: (chives, analog, mint, mint, sage and thyme),
• Dorado: (dill, tarragon, curly parsley and thyme)
• White fish: (chives, curly parsley and rosemary).

On the other hand, for the acid part of the marinade, you can use lemon, white wine or soy. For you to start practicing how to marinate fish, we leave you some ideas.

Marinated for dogfish

This marinade for dogfish has quite simple ingredients, but they will ensure a great flavor. You can read the ingredients below:

• 250 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 250 ml of vinegar (both oil and vinegar should always be placed in equal parts)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1 tbsp. paprika and a pinch of salt.

To marinate, let the meat marinate overnight in the fridge. The preparation includes the following steps:

1. Crush the garlic and reserve.
2. On the other hand, emulsify the virgin olive oil and the vinegar, beating them very well, also reserve.
3. Now, gather everything reserved, mix the ingredients very well until they are completely integrated.
4. Marinate the dogfish pieces.
5. Tightly cover the container where you marinated the fish.

Marinated for fish fillets

Give your grilled fish a spin by marinating it with this delicious marinade. These are the ingredients to use:

• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 liter of white wine
• ¼ liter of vinegar
• 1 splash of olive oil
• 1 pinch of salt

To prepare it, follow these steps:

1. Finely chop the onion and reserve.
2. Then, add the reserved onion, garlic and bay leaf to a bowl; Crush them, mix them and reserve.
3. On the other hand, add a splash of oil in a pan and fry the reserved ingredients.
4. When the onion begins to brown, add the wine, vinegar and salt.
5. Mix everything with a wooden spoon.
6. Apply fire, wait for 30 minutes and stir from time to time.
7. Leave the preparation at room temperature, until it cools.
8. Arrange the fish fillets on a tall tray (or a wide, deep bowl)
9. Proceed to impregnate the pieces very well.
10. Let it rest for 8 hours in the fridge, remembering to turn the fillets.

Do you want more ideas to prepare magnificent fish recipes? Do not hesitate to enter our marinade recipe for fish.

Tip: Small cuts are not recommended for grilling, as they dry out very easily, unless you want to play with the textures.

How to Marinate Game Meats for Grilling?

When it comes to game meat, marinating this food is more than a preference, it’s actually essential. Why? Because this type of meat has a very firm texture, even hard. This happens because wild animals develop great muscles and their meat is tight. For this reason, younger animals are preferred, especially females, as their meat is very firm, but not hard.

Another important point to consider is its intense and pronounced flavor, something that many call “bravo”. It is a highly coveted flavor by kitchen experts; however, the physical state of the animal (heat, stress) can transform its intense taste into an unpleasant taste. For this reason, to improve both texture and flavor, it is essential to freeze the meat before preparing it, marinate it and cook it very slowly.

When marinating game meats, it is common to leave them macerating for several days.  The usual ingredients for this type of meat are olive oil, red wine, sugar, salt, as well as some mild acid element (vinegar, citrus juices). Some of these ingredients are used to make a marinade and others to marinate.

Marinade for wild boar and roe deer

If you want ideas to marinate game meat, don’t hesitate to try this marinade recipe for wild boar and roe deer that yields 4 kilos of meat. You need the following ingredients:

• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• black peppercorns
• white peppercorns
• ½ bottle of white wine
• ½ bottle of red wine
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 head of garlic
• Salt
• Toilet
• 1 glass of cognac

Ingredients ready? Follow the steps that we give you now to prepare and marinate the game meat:

1. Wash the vegetables and then chop them (except the garlic, leave it whole).
2. Place the meat in a large, deep tray and season to taste.
3. Add the chopped vegetables, plus the white wine, red wine and cognac (or brandy).
4. Also place the aromatic herbs and spices (thyme, rosemary, white pepper and black pepper).
5. Finally, pour water over the mixture and the meat, an amount that covers all the meat.
6. Let stand for 24 hours in the fridge.

How to prepare meat for roasting?

We have already reviewed what a marinade is, the types of marinades that exist, what the marinade is for, the essential ingredients of the marinade and their functions, what can we miss? The keys to the perfect marinade! Yes, knowing certain tricks when preparing marinade can guarantee us an excellent mixture and consequently an exquisite dish. Learn how to prepare roast beef with the perfect marinade!

• Use the right proportion of fat, acid and salt. This formula consists of three parts oil to one part acid. Both items mixed together should cover the entire cut of meat.  Meanwhile, the salt should make up 2% of the total weight of the preparation, both the meat and the marinade, that is, approximately 1 tablespoon per ½ kilo.
• Follow the proper marinating time. This will depend on several factors such as the type of meat, the type of cut, its quality, its size and hardness. However, among these variables, there are two that are very recurrent: the larger and harder the piece of meat, the longer the marinating time will be.
• Apply the correct temperature. The most suitable temperature for marinating meats is cold, in the fridge. If you plan to leave a marinade at room temperature, let it be for less than 3 hours and in a cool place.
• Completely impregnate the piece of meat. You must achieve a uniform result, so you must completely cover the cut of meat, without puncturing it, so it will retain its own juices.
• Hermetically seal the mixture. Before putting the marinade in the fridge or leaving it at room temperature (but in a very cool place); It is essential to cover it with plastic wrap, in case the container does not have a lid. You can also discard the container and directly marinate the meat on plastic wrap, when finished, simply wrap it hermetically. Another alternative is to place the meat in a resalable plastic bag.
• Turn the cut while it marinates. It is recommended that every 1 hour or 2 hours, you turn the piece of meat, so it will marinate better. This works as long as you use a bowl or a tray, if you wrap the meat directly in plastic wrap, it does not apply.

Tip: Marinades are not for preserving meat, anyway if you don’t refrigerate the meat, bacteria grow.

What meats should be marinated?

Without a doubt, a good marinade improves almost any meat. However, in some cases, it is preferable to macerate the piece very briefly, so that the texture is not inappropriately altered. For this reason, some meats are marinated for very short periods (a few hours or minutes) and others for very long periods (even for several weeks).

Usually, the meats that take advantage of the marinade are usually the toughest cuts, insipid or with a very wild flavor. Bearing this in mind, the meats most favored by the marinade are poultry, game animals, rabbit, most of the pork, the toughest pieces of veal and non-suckling lamb.

It is interesting to mention that young meats, which usually have a much more tender and juicy texture, require little maceration time, only minutes or hours. Why? Because if you overdo it, the meat can acquire a sandy or sticky texture, in some cases.