Tips for Safe Meat Marination - Nassau Foods, Inc (2024)

A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is soaked toenrich its flavor and tenderize it. To marinate means to steep food in amarinade. When meat is properly marinated, a tender meat burstingwith flavor will emerge. Consider these tips.

• A marinade consists of acid, oil and spices or flavorings. The Acidworks to soften and flavor the meat by denaturing it. When theproteins are denatured they create pockets in the meat where flavorenters. Acids also can help soften tough cuts of meat. Acids commonlyused include vinegar, tomato juice or citrus juice. Oils moisten the meatand add flavor. Red meat marinades often don’t include oil since themeat generally contains enough fat, however chicken and fish benefitfrom oil since they are leaner meats. Flavorings include fresh or driedherbs and spices, fresh garlic and ginger, salt, sweeteners such asmolasses and honey and Asian sauces.
• When marinating, allow the sauces to sink as deeply as possible intothe meat. A general rule of marinade-to-meat ratio is one-half cupof marinade per pound of meat. Times vary depending on the type,cut and size of the meat. Denser meats such as pork and steak canmarinate for 24 hours or even longer. A lighter meat like chicken canmarinate between 2 hours and 24 hours. Seafood marinating timesrange from 15 to 60 minutes. Be careful not to exceed marinatingtime since allowing food to soak too long can result in toughness.
• A marinade should be thin enough in consistency to penetrate themeat; otherwise, the flavor desired will not be reached. Keep in mindthat there is a difference between sauces and marinades.
• Marinating budget cuts of meat helps improve tenderness andflavor. A high quality cut of meat does not need to be marinated fortenderness, but can benefit from increased flavor. Much of the beef,pork, lamb, and poultry are bread leaner today. Marinades aid intenderizing these meats.
• Do not marinate in a metal container since the acidic mixture canreact with the metal. Use a plastic or glass container and cover withplastic food wrap. Turn meat occasionally so all sides are coatedevenly with the marinade. Another option is to place the meat in aplastic food bag, pour in the marinade, seal, and refrigerate. Turn thebag from time to time.
• For safety, marinate meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchenSome older recipes call for marinating at room temperature. Donot follow this practice. Marinating at room temperature causesmeat to enter the danger zone, between 40®¨F and 140®¨F, wherebacteria multiply rapidly. When a recipe calls for marinating atroom temperature, increase the marinating time, and leave in therefrigerator to achieve similar tenderness and taste results. Placemarinated meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent anypossible leaks onto foods below.
• Never serve cooked meat on the same plate that held raw meat.Bacteria in the raw juices can transfer to the cooked food. If usingmarinade for basting, prevent contamination by setting some asidebefore it touches the raw meat. If it has touched raw meat, bring it toa rolling boil in a sauce pan for one minute, stirring constantly, beforeusing it for basting.
• Use a meat thermometer to determine if meat is done. The USDArecommends the following minimum internal temperatures: Steak,Roasts and Fish, 145®¨F; Ground Beef and Egg dishes, 160®¨F; ChickenBreasts and whole Poultry, 165®¨F.