A good marinade for grilled food makes the meat juicier, tastier, and more flavorful. Whether you're marinating chicken, pork, beef, or vegetables, a few simple ingredients are often enough: oil, acid, spices, and something sweet to balance the flavor.
Here we go through how to succeed with a marinade for grilled meat, how long meat can sit in marinade, and how to easily marinate meat in a bag before the barbecue evening.
What can you put in a marinade?
A marinade usually consists of four parts:
Oil, acid, seasoning, and sweetness. For grilled meat, marinades that contain garlic, soy sauce, herbs, black pepper, and a little sweetness such as honey or sugar often work well. For chicken, lemon, yogurt, honey, and milder spices work especially well.
Simple marinade for grilling
This is a simple basic marinade that works for both beef, pork, and chicken. It works just as well for pork tenderloin and pork neck as for chicken breast, strip steak, or tenderloin. Try it yourself!
Ingredients:
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1 dl rapeseed oil or olive oil
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2 tbsp soy sauce
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1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
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1 tbsp honey
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2 garlic cloves, crushed
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1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
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1 tsp paprika powder
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1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
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Black pepper
How to do it:
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Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or directly in a plastic bag.
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Season with black pepper to taste
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Add the meat and make sure the marinade coats it well.
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Toss it around so everything gets coated in marinade.
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Leave it in the fridge until it's time to grill.
Feel free to take the meat out a while before grilling so it's not completely fridge-cold when it goes on the grill. Feel free to brush on a little extra marinade during grilling with a marinade brush.
Frequently asked questions about marinade for grilling
How long can meat sit in marinade?
A regular piece of meat should sit in marinade for 2-8 hours to get enough flavor and have time to become tender. For larger cuts of beef such as chuck roast, the meat may need to marinate for up to 24 hours for the marinade to penetrate properly.
Can you marinate meat for too long?
Yes. If the meat sits too long in an acidic marinade, the texture can become soft or almost grainy on the surface.
Can you use the same marinade for meat and chicken?
Yes, the same basic marinade can often be used for both meat and chicken. However, the flavors can be adjusted somewhat depending on the ingredient. Chicken works well with lemon, yogurt, and milder spices, while beef and pork often pair well with soy sauce, garlic, herbs, and a little sweetness.
Which oil should you use in a marinade?
Neutral oil often works best for meat marinades. Feel free to use rapeseed oil or sunflower oil so the flavors don't get overpowered.
Which soy sauce works best in a marinade?
Japanese soy sauce works for both meat and chicken and makes the meat tender. Chinese soy sauce also works well, but gives a more barbecue-like flavor and a darker color.
Does meat have to be marinated before grilling?
No, meat doesn't have to be marinated, but if you do it, you'll get more flavor and the meat will be juicier.
Can you brush marinade onto the meat while grilling?
Yes, but preferably use marinade that you've set aside separately and that has not come into contact with raw meat. Brush on a thin layer during grilling for extra flavor and a nice finish.