Building Flavor
Marinating
letting flavor soak in before you cook.
Haley’s walkthrough is coming soon
She’s filming a short video for this one. Until then, her notes below have you covered.
A marinade adds flavor and, with a little acid or salt, helps keep things juicy. Balance and timing matter more than a long ingredient list.
Do this
- Build it from three parts: fat, acid, and flavor like herbs, spices, and garlic.
- Be generous with salt. A salty marinade seasons all the way through.
- Pat the food dry before it hits the pan or grill, so it sears instead of steams.
Watch out for
- Do not marinate delicate fish in acid for long. Twenty to thirty minutes is plenty before the texture turns mushy.
- Do not reuse raw marinade as a sauce. Boil it first, or set a little aside before it touches raw meat.
- Do not expect it to soak deep into a thick cut. Most of the magic happens on the surface.
Remember
Fat, acid, salt, and the right amount of time. Longer is not always better.
Recipes that build this skill
New recipes for this skill are on the way. In the meantime, the notes above will serve you well.
Ready to practice?
The fastest way to learn marinating is to cook it. Make something, tap “I Made It,” and watch this skill grow on your journey.