Learn how to master the basic building blocks of a successful marinade.
How to Make a Marinade
A fantastic grilled dish, like grilled marinated ribeyes, starts with a fantastic marinade—but too many people begin with bottled sauces and dressings. The result: Every steak tastes the same. Why follow the crowd when it’s so easy to make your own marinade? There are three basic elements that go into a great marinade; once you know how they work together, you can create your own delicious blends for your own signature dishes.
The Secret to a Homemade Marinade
So, what are the basic elements? Simple:
- Fat
- Acid
- Flavor
There’s also a fourth—sweetness—that gets its own separate honorable mention, but let’s start with those three.
Fat
For fat, read oil. You want your marinade to get on all the surfaces of your meat. Oil holds everything together, clings to the meat and ensures even coverage. Oil also becomes infused with the flavors that you add, so the flavors cover the entire cut of meat, even if the individual flavor elements clump.
When it comes to your oil, don’t be tempted to overspend. The appeal of most of the expensive oils is the delicacy of their flavor—and that won’t stand up to the heat of the grill. Go with basic extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil. Learn which oil is best for your next recipe.
Acid
Acid is one of the flavors our Test Kitchen experts use to take a dish from good to great. You can use vinegar, citrus juice, wine or dairy. Dairy is actually one of the only acids that will tenderize meat; otherwise, keep in mind that marinade is about flavor.
An acid—whether it’s lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, beer or sour cream—adds a bright, tangy note to your marinade. When mixing up the base, you’ll need about 3 parts oil to one part whatever acid you’re using—pretty much the same ratio as for a homemade vinaigrette.
Flavor
Seasonings and spices come next. It’s tempting to throw everything into a marinade, but too much spice can kill your dish. Choose a few central ingredients that will complement each other and enhance the flavor of whatever it is you’re marinating. Here are some food and spice pairings every cook should know.
When adding your seasonings, remember to go light on the salt. Salt pulls out moisture from meat and poultry, and the longer it sits in a too-salty marinade, the more likely to have a dry piece of meat when you’re done.
Sweetness
You can also play around with sweetness, adding ingredients like honey, molasses or sugar. Sweet marinades can make a lovely crunchy, caramelized crust. Just remember that sweet will burn more quickly than not-sweet, so keep an eye on your grill.
Directions
Making a marinade is simple. In a bowl, whisk your fat and acidic ingredients together. Add your choice of seasonings. Then, place you meat in a zip-top bag, pour in the marinade and seal it up. Shake to coat all sides of the meat. Place in the fridge until ready to grill.
How Long to Marinate Different Meats
Just like how the techniques for cooking different meats vary, so does the marinating time.
Chicken: For best flavor and texture, it’s recommended to marinate chicken for 5 to 6 hours.
Beef: Beef needs a bit longer. It’s recommended to marinate beef for 12 to 24 hours.
Pork: For best flavor and texture, marinate pork for at least 1 hour and no more than 24 hours.
Lamb: Marinate lamb for at least 6 hours and no more than 24 hours.
Tips on How to Make a Marinade
Once you’ve built your marinade, it’s pretty clear sailing. But there are also a few rules that you should remember.
Add Herbs
As with so many other cooking processes, fresh herbs are great for this—basil, mint, rosemary, sage. Choose an herb or herb mix that goes well with the meat you’re flavoring. Use a full handful, and chop it up to release the flavors. Need some advice on what goes with what? Check out our guide to cooking with fresh herbs.
Add Garlic
Technically, garlic belongs under “flavor.” But it really deserves its own category. Garlic is good. More garlic is better. Depending on how much bite you like your food to have, you can use anywhere from a couple of cloves to a whole head of garlic and get great results. Garlic is magic food, and it belongs in practically every marinade. Onions are a good addition too, as are shallots. So don’t be shy!
Don’t overdo it
Leaving a piece of meat in a marinade too long does not make it tender—it makes it mushy. Keep in mind—the more acidic the marinade, the less time it should soak. Vegetables shouldn’t be left to marinate for more than 30 minutes, and just 10 minutes will do it for fish and soft veggies like zucchini and summer squash. Depending on the acid used, it can actually start to cook (or cure) fish and seafood if left too long, and soft veggies can absorb too much liquid and become mushy.
Keep it cool
If you cooked your marinade (not necessary, but sometimes it can help to blend the flavors), let it cool before pouring it over your meat. And while the meat is soaking, keep it in the refrigerator. If you want to speed the process of marinating beef, pork or lamb (which take longer to marinate properly), bring them to room temperature, coat them with the marinade, and then massage it in. But you don’t want to leave your meat sitting out at room temperature for hours. And on a related point…
Do not keep your used marinade
This is important. Once your meat is done soaking in a marinade, throw that marinade away—it is not safe to use. When you first make the marinade, divide it in half and save half to use for basting or making a pan sauce. Also check out how to make the best steak marinade.
Ditch the aluminum
Aluminum is a reactive metal and is not suitable for marinating. Always go for a nonreactive container: stainless steel, plastic or glass. A resealable plastic bag is great for marinating—it’s plastic, so it’s nonreactive, it keeps the raw meat safely contained, and it lets you turn the meat in the marinade without mess.
Try These Marinated Recipes to Get Started
Grilled Glazed DrummiesMy family prefers these mild-tasting chicken wings more than the traditional hot wings. They are great for any gathering. —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
These chicken wings are more mild than traditional hot wings, but still bring layers of flavor with a sweet and sour ginger, honey and soy sauce blend. Give yourself at least four hours for the drumettes to marinate. If you enjoyed this recipe, then you must try sweet and sour chicken.
Roasted Honey Mustard ChickenI love a good roasted chicken, and this one is easy and delicious. The marinade does its magic in the fridge until time for roasting. It’s fun to dress the dish up by season based on whatever vegetables are fresh at the market. —Kara Brook, Owings Mills, Maryland
You can't go wrong with honey mustard. This roasted chicken only needs to marinate for three hours. Toss any leftovers into what'll easily become your new favorite chicken salad.
Sticky Chicken WingsYou'll want to keep an extra stack of napkins nearby once people start reaching for these sweet and sticky wings. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite finger-lickin' good! —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
Sweet and sticky chicken wings are always a crowd-pleaser. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite worth the stack of napkins you'll need to get through them!
Sheet-Pan Lemon Garlic ChickenEveryone needs an easy meal. Try this sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes for a simple and tasty meal guaranteed to please the whole family. If you use fresh lemon juice, garnish each serving with a little lemon zest for bright flavor. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California
This sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes and a bright pop of lemon is so easy to make. No need to plan too far ahead: You only need to marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
Sheet-Pan Tandoori ChickenThis tandoori chicken recipe is easy for weeknights since it bakes in one pan, but it is also special enough for guests. The best part? There isn’t much to clean up when dinner is over! —Anwar Khan, Iriving, Texas
This sheet-pan marinated chicken recipe is easy to put together but tastes like a special occasion dinner. The chicken marinates all day in an aromatic blend of spices and yogurt. You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to make it milder or hotter.
Tropical Island ChickenThe marinade makes a savory statement in this all-time-favorite chicken recipe that I served at our son's pirate-themed birthday party. It smelled so good on the grill that guests could hardly wait to try a piece! —Sharon Hanson, Franklin, Tennessee
This overnight marinated chicken is perfect for summer. The ginger, garlic and soy sauce aroma alone will have you drooling! Sesame seeds add a satisfying texture.
Grilled Basil Chicken and TomatoesRelax after work with a cold drink while this savory chicken marinates in an herby tomato blend for an hour, then toss it on the grill. It tastes just like summer. —Laura Lunardi, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Tomato and basil is a classic combination for a reason. Serve this marinated chicken dish with pasta, potatoes or a green salad.
Filipino Chicken AdoboFilipino adobo is an easy-to-make weeknight staple. Its versatility and ease of cooking is one of the reasons chicken adobo is considered the unofficial national dish of the Philippines.
The chicken only needs to sit for 20 to 30 minutes to soak up all the flavors of the mildly sweet and tangy sauce. The vinegar helps make this marinated chicken extra tender.
Five-Spice Chicken WingsThese baked Asian chicken wings are tender, juicy and irresistible. They soak up complex flavors from an Asian-inspired marinade made with sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic and Chinese five-spice powder.
The overnight marinade is the key to these crispy five-spice wings. We recommend making extra sauce for dipping.
Slow-Cooked Mandarin ChickenOranges and olives are elegantly paired in this different but delicious dish. The chicken is marinated, then cooked slowly in a flavorful sauce, so it stays moist. —Aney Chatterson, Soda Springs, Idaho
This orange and olive chicken requires planning ahead, but most of the work is hands-off. Let the chicken marinate overnight, then cook it on low in the slow cooker all day. The end result is saucy and moist. It's perfect over rice.
Caribbean ChickenThis Caribbean chicken dish is a very simple recipe that uses easy-to-find ingredients, but its flavor profile is quite complex.
Flavorful Chicken FajitasSizzling chicken fajitas are super easy to make and full of flavor. The secret is in the skillet, which can go from stove to table for restaurant-quality presentation.
Need a meal in hurry? These one-hour marinated chicken fajitas are beautifully seasoned with just the right amount of zing. Serve them with a selection of toppings, like shredded cheese, sliced red onions and salsa.
Chicken SkewersNothing says summertime like a grill full of chicken skewers. Our grilled chicken kabob recipe uses a garlicky, lemony marinade to ensure the chicken turns out juicy, tender and flavorful.
Roasted Lime ChickenThe subtle citrus flavor infused throughout this moist and baked lime chicken makes the most-requested dish for family dinners. It's the ideal way to use fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley. —Kathy Lewis-Martinez, Spring Valley, California
This roasted chicken is sub-lime! You'll impress your guests but more importantly your tastebuds with this herby marinade.
Orange-Spiced ChickenFive ingredients are all you’ll need for this fast and extremely flavorful marinade. With one taste, it’ll become your most-requested chicken recipe! —Debra Stevens, Lutz, Florida
Chinese five-spice powder is your grocery store's best kept secret. So orange you glad you came across this overnight marinade recipe?
Apple-Marinated Chicken & VegetablesI actually invented this chicken with vegetables dish at a campground, so you know it's easy. Using the same marinade for the meat and veggies keeps it simple so we can spend more time outside and less time making dinner. —Jayme Schertz, Clintonville, Wisconsin
Apple juice and chicken? Sign us up! This marinade goes on both the chicken and the vegetables, so all you have to do is grill and enjoy.
Oven-Fried Chicken DrumsticksCrispy, crunchy and perfectly tender, this oven fried chicken legs recipe is an easy, mess-free way to make delicious fried chicken every time.
With a Greek yogurt, mustard and garlic marinade, you won't even be able to tell the chicken isn't actually fried. You can make the marinade and coat the chicken the night before, so everything is ready when it's time to cook.
Ranch-Marinated Chicken BreastsThe pub favorite pairing of ranch dressing and chicken comes home to your kitchen. With just a little prep time the night before, you can have these savory breasts ready in about half an hour! —Barbee Decker, Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Ranch and chicken is one of our favorite combinations. Use the leftover sour cream marinade for a zesty wrap—it packs more of a punch than you'd expect.
Grilled Basil ChickenThis cinch of a marinade gives the chicken lots of Italian flavor. Serve the chicken with a tossed green salad and garlic breadsticks, or put slices on a ciabatta roll along with lettuce, tomato and mozzarella cheese for a zesty handheld meal. —Lisa Moriarty, Wilton, New Hampshire
This light summer meal is perfect with grilled romaine. Make it the night before so it's ready for dinner.
Next Up: Make the best steak marinade.
