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Marination, a pre-cooking technique typically used to tenderize or infuse flavour into proteins, is an effective way to enhance the flavour of your food by leaps and bounds. As one of the key and most widely used prep factors in cooking, marinating red meats, poultry or seafood usually require different treatment methods due to their different textures, compositions and cooking times. As an essential step in improving taste and keeping proteins juicy even after they have been cooked, dividing the secrets to marinating your red meat, poultry and seafood into broader categories creates a better understanding while you meal prep or are following a recipe.
Poultry
Marinating poultry like chicken, duck or turkey correctly is essential to infuse flavour, tenderize the meat and ensure that the fibres are tenderised, for delicious results. Before marinating your poultry, trim the excess fat and skin off from the poultry, to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat better. You can also make shallow incisions or cuts in the meat to help the marinade soak in better. A good marinade for poultry typically consists of acidic agents like yoghurt, citrus juice or vinegar, oil, herbs, spices and seasonings. Acidic ingredients in a marinade, such as lemon juice or vinegar, can help tenderize the meat but should be used in moderation as too much acid can break down the meat fibres excessively, resulting in a mushy texture.
Always ensure that your poultry marinates in the refrigerator and not at room temperature, since safe temperatures prevents bacterial growth and foodborne illnesses. The duration of this marination must happen for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, depending on the thickness of the poultry cut and your desired flavour intensity. Before cooking, remove poultry from the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off and pat it dry with paper towels. This helps to promote browning and prevent steaming when you cook the poultry, resulting in a more flavorful and caramelised outer layer.
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Seafood
Image Credits: Manettas Seafood Market
Since seafood has a delicate texture compared to poultry or red meats, most fish and shellfish do not need more than just a few minutes of marination. Start off with fresh seafood that is free from odours, discoloration or signs of spoilage. Marinate seafood in the refrigerator to ensure that it does not perish in the process and prevent bacterial growth. Marinate for not more than 15-45 minutes, depending on the type and thickness of the seafood. Tailor the flavours to complement the seafood while ensuring to avoid overpowering the delicate taste of seafood with excessive seasonings or acids.
Citrus juices and vinegar can quickly ‘cook’ seafood, causing it to become tough or chewy when marinated for too long. Keeping marinating times short, especially for delicate seafood like shrimp and fish and making sure that the seafood pieces in the marinade have enough space to be evenly coated is a great way to achieve desirable results. To infuse citrus flavour without over-marinating, consider using citrus zest in your marinade as it adds bright flavour notes without the excessive acidity.
Red Meat
Perhaps the toughest of all types of meats, red meats like lamb, pork or game meats like rabbit require an appropriate cut of red meat for a recipe. Tough cuts like shanks or steaks, benefit from longer marinating times to tenderize, while tender cuts, chops need a shorter marination to enhance flavour. Using a high-flavour but low-fat marinade typically works for red meat due to the presence of fat in its muscles that also caramelise when cooked, making it juicy.
Unless the cut of meat is intended to cook for longer, it is ideal to use ingredients like cumin, garlic, lemon juice, white onions and spice powders to add flavour. Consider salting the meat with kosher or sea salt just before cooking rather than including it in the marinade, as it can draw out moisture if applied too early, potentially resulting in dry and tough meat. Seasoning right before cooking also allows for better control of salt levels.
