Before I go on, I think it's fitting to disclaim that, for ease of reference, I will be using meat as my go-to reference when I refer to what is being marinated. I am not trying to exclude those that don't eat it, I mean I don't either, but, for the purposes of this article, it will just make things easier when I can just make one reference. Feel free to replace "meat" with whatever thing you would be marinating instead: tofu, vegetables etc.
So, the question, what does marinating do, why is it recommended to achieve optimum flavour?
Well, ladies and gentle people, that is exactly why; marinades bring bolder flavour to meals that wiukf otherwise wiukd have been just basic, maybe bland and wuite boring. Marinating tofu, meat, fish, poultry or even vegetables helps improve the flavour profile across the board. How, you may ask? See, a marinade, a seasoned liquid that is used to submerge foods in for a period of time, helps to achieve maximised flavour before cooking through the help of the powerful ingredients like acids, salt and oil that change the texture of the meat or vegetable in such a way that makes it easier to penetrate the surface and allow the flavour to reach even deeper areas through which the flavour can penetrate deep and work its magic.
This means you won't have to worry about cutting into dry chicken that only has flavour on the outside bacause with marinades you're in for a mouth full of flavour!
As already mentioned in my previous article, that I am SO sure you read, right? 👀, I said that marinades, the very basic ones at least , usually use the oil to acid, or an enzyme like kiwi fruit, papaya or mango, 3 : 1 ratio. The acid or enzyme in a marinade is imperative as it works on the meat’s tissue to break it down so it can be softer, tender and the flavour can get in a little deeper past the tough tissue.
The Acid
By this I mean lemon or lime juice, or any citric juice really, oranges work well too (ever made spicy sticky orange chicken?), vinegars like white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, even balsamic vinegar and/or an enzyme like kiwi. A little warning, just be careful with the acid, over exposure to acid may cause some of the leaner meats to fall apart and make cause the thicker cuts to be more like agents that melt in your mouth.
The Salt
Salt works by drawing the water out the meat through a process called Osmosis, and I know what you might be thinking.."what are we gonna do now with a dry piece of meat?" well, what then happens after that is what makes cooking so fun to me; whilst the protein gets broken down, the liquid from your delicious marinade) then get's reabsorbed into the meat so that the marinade can get in further and deeper into the cut. Your wonderful marinade with the help of the oil all its lovely herbs and garlic and spices get their chance to go deeper, beyond just the surface of the meat.
The Oil
Oil, an ingredient that often gets a bad rep actually plays such an indelible role in our marinade. This could be olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, yogurt, buttermilk, tahini or even mayonnaise. Oil does 3 wonderful things; 1. it helps carry the fat-soluble flavours deeper into the meat, 2. Acts as a moisturiser that helps seal in the moisture and lock in that flavour carried deeper. Lastly, 3. it acts as a mediator between the acid and the meat by balancing out the sharp acidity and ensuring that flavour profile doesn't over power your marinade; and in turn, your meat. Do please note however to please be careful with how generous you are with the acids (especially the vinegars and the lemons/limes).
The Spices, Herbs & Seasonings
This is where you can get as creative as you want to be! Because of how much freedom you have to make your own custom homemade marinade that allows you more control to make it the way you want with the level of sweet, spicy or smokiness you want and as healthy as you want it to be too. So what will it be, we have herbs, smoked paprika, mustards of all kinds, black pepper, ginger, garlic powder brown sugar or, better yet, can we do all of them? The answer is yes! Whatever flavour you're trying to achieve. Adding seasonings is one of my favourite steps in creating a wonderful marinade because , well: the FLAVOUR chef's kiss* Spices, herbs & seasonings bring a lot to the table so you might one to use one or two of them.
So, we have the acid that manipulates the texture the oil that, amongst other things, maximizes the moisture levels, but the seasonings and herbs; these ingredients, they help bring the flavour home. Seasonings, spices and herbs can together create a beautiful spice rub that our acids and oil, the other ingredients of our marinade, can help carry right into the deeper layers of the meat.
In conclusion, a successful marinade has the right balance of acid, oil, and seasonings. Following the basic 1 : 3 acid to oil ratio as a base when making your marinade with some creativity in your aromatics like garlic, shallots and spices and herbs like rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, cumin- can really help revamp your meals and add boldness to your lunch breaks or your family dinner time. Maybe submerging your meat in a seasoned liquid is a great idea after all!
Marinades generally make tougher cuts tastier from the flavour manipulation and enhancement you can achieve by adding whatever spices and ingredients you choose and makes leaner meats like chicken and fish softened and juicier, with the help of the oils and salts. With just a few pantry ingredients, you can infuse any meal with optimum flavour, turning what could have been just a boring dinner dish into a dinner to be remembered; add herbs, spice, smokiness or sweetness, the world is your (marinted) oyster!
