Marinating is the process of soaking foods in aseasoned, oftenacidic, liquid beforecooking. This liquid, called themarinade, can be either acidic (made with ingredients such asvinegar,lemon juice, orwine) orenzymatic (made with ingredients such aspineapple,papaya,yogurt, orginger), or have a neutralpH.[1] In addition to these ingredients, a marinade often contains oils,herbs, andspices to further flavor the food items.
It is commonly used to flavor foods and totenderize tougher cuts ofmeat.[2] The process may last seconds or days. Marinades vary betweendifferent cuisines.
Marinating is similar tobrining, except that brining relies on the action of saltybrine rather than the action of acids or enzymes.[3] Marinating is also similar topickling, except that pickling is generally done for much longer periods of months or even years, primarily as a means of food preservation.[4] Conversely, marinating is usually performed for a few hours to a day, generally as a means of enhancing the flavor of the food or tenderizing it.[5]
The French wordmarinade derives from the verbmariner "to pickle in sea brine", and ultimately from the Latin nounmare "sea",[6] suggesting that marinades may have evolved from an ancient brining tradition or may have initially used sea brine as an ingredient.
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In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, which allows more moisture to be absorbed and results in a juicier end product;[2] however, too much acid can be detrimental to the end product. A good marinade has a balance of acid, oil, and spice. If raw marinated meat is frozen, the marinade can break down the surface and turn the outer layer mushy.[7]
Often confused with marinating,macerating is a similar form of food preparation.
Rawpork,seafood,beef andpoultry may contain harmfulbacteria which may contaminate the marinade. Marinating should be done in the refrigerator to inhibit bacterial growth. Used marinade should not be made into a sauce[8] unless rendered safe by boiling directly before use; otherwise, fresh or set-aside marinade that has not touched meat should be used.[9] The container used for marinating should be glass orfood safe plastic. Metal, including pottery glazes which can contain lead, reacts with the acid in the marinade and should be avoided.[9][10]
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