A simple marinade can elevate a plain serving of meat to a delicious dish. Keep a few basic safety principles in mind, then experiment with a variety of herbs and spices to find a combination you particularly enjoy. You can choose from fresh or dried herbs, and whole, crushed or ground spices.
Significance
Marinating meat serves two primary purposes. First, a marinade can tenderize the meat, making tougher cuts of meat more palatable. Second, a marinade adds flavor to the meat. Acidic ingredients--including vinegar, citrus juice and tomato juice--and salt serve both functions in a marinade, according to the Utah State University Cooperative Extension.
Types
The types and numbers of herbs and spices that can be used to marinate meat are limited only by your culinary imagination and palate. Stronger flavored herbs such as rosemary and garlic pair well with red meat, while more delicate herbs such as dill and tarragon add flavor to fish. Florida’s Pasco County Cooperative Extension Service recommends soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger for a classic Teriyaki marinade. If you are not particularly adventurous when it comes to culinary matters, you can purchase bottled marinades or use a bottle of salad dressing instead.
Safety
Marinate meat in the refrigerator for safety. The Utah State University Cooperative Extension warns against following the advice of older recipes that call for marinating foods at room temperature. This could provide a favorable environment for harmful bacteria to grow. To use a marinade as a dipping sauce, boil it for at least one minute to kill any germs, cautions Utah State. When marinating meat, use proper food handling procedures, including proper washing of hands and utensils. Choose glass containers over metal because glass will not react to the acidic ingredients in marinades, or choose a food-safe plastic zip bag for convenience and ease of clean up.
Time Frame
Thinly sliced meat can marinate in as little as 30 minutes to one hour. Thicker cuts of meat will require more time to fully absorb the flavors of a marinade and allow the tenderizing ingredients to do their work. Stronger flavored herbs and spices will flavor meat more quickly than more subtle herbs and spices, which will require more time to impart their flavors to the meat. The Utah State University Cooperative Extension service recommends that you do not allow meat to marinate longer than overnight.
Migraines
Marinated meat may trigger migraine headaches in some people, according to Medline Plus. If you suffer from migraine headaches, avoid meat that has been marinated with ingredients known to trigger migraines, including MSG and red wine.
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