Is There Actually A Benefit To Using Meat Marinades?

Marinating meat is a method that, while not always used by at-home cooks, can improve your meals immensely. In fact, using the correct combination of marinade ingredients can make your dishes far more enjoyable, as marinating can both intensify the flavors and improve the texture of the meat. This was backed up by an expert when The Takeout had the opportunity to speak with Chef Alex Abreu of Yotel Boston, Vela Seaport, and Deck 12. During our discussion, we went over why marinating your meat can truly take your cooking to the next level.

Abreu was quick to point out the main reasons you should be marinating most of your meats: "I recommend it always when using the grill, the reason is because it cuts down the grill time. When you're using a tasty marinade (which I hope you are) it will make [the meat] tastier, and it breaks down some of the enzymes in the protein." This means that using a marinade has a tenderizing effect, giving the meat a softer, more succulent bite after it's cooked. When it comes to steak, although some cuts need marinating more than others, Abreu says that just about "every cut benefits from marination, outside of the VERY premium cuts."

So, how should you marinate your meat? Well, it all depends on what meat you're using and your own personal flavor preferences. According to Alex Abreu, "chicken is a little different from beef, but [you should] definitely add something acidic to balance out the salts and oils. Acid, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic: that's like the Holy Trinity."

Acid can be added in several ways, with lemon-lime soda being a popular marinade base in Korea and the Philippines. Pickle juice is also a handy ingredient when marinating meat, as it has a tremendous tenderizing effect.

When it comes to how long you should marinate your food, Abreu notes that "you don't want to leave things in too long. Once you have something in a certain amount of liquid you're no longer marinating, now you're brining."

The difference between marinating and brining is that, while a marinade is intended mostly to improve flavor, a brine is meant specifically to improve moisture and texture. "A marinade is something you want to cook the food in and you want the flavor to be part of the meat," Abreu clarifies.