Late spring and summer are the time for picnics with barbecues and barbecues in nature, by the fire, with the aroma of fried meat, with camping romance and country gatherings. How to properly marinate meat so that the kebabs are juicy, appetizing and healthy?

Why marinate meat

Marinating softens even the toughest meat, making it tender and juicy. In addition, pickled pork, chicken, beef and lamb cook faster due to the salt and acid in the marinade - lemon juice, vinegar, or alcohol. Thanks to the rich bouquet of spices and seasonings, the meat becomes tastier and more aromatic, acquiring an original and unique taste.

However, meat is marinated not only for grilling and baking in the oven, but also for frying in a pan. The fact is that the marinade forms a film on the surface of the meat, due to which it does not burn, and the meat juice does not flow out during frying. Nutritionists also say that pickled meat is absorbed by the body much better, and this is especially important if we cook kebabs for children.

Cooking the marinade

Marinating meat is a creative and spontaneous process, so you can use whatever spices you like and feel are right for that particular meat. Any spices and dried herbs, various sauces, vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, honey, syrups, alcoholic beverages, kefir, yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, tomato paste and fruit juices (mainly pomegranate, apple, tomato, grape, lemon or orange). The main thing here is to take into account that too much acid can lead to dry meat.

You can also add herbs, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers and other vegetables to the marinade. Sour berries and pieces of fruit - pineapple, kiwi, papaya and citrus fruits give a pleasant taste to the marinade. Before marinating, be sure to try your marinade - if it tastes good, the meat will be tasty too!

How to marinate meat at home

Defrost the meat, rinse it well, remove any unnecessary parts such as films and tendons. You can marinate the meat whole or cut it into pieces, it just takes less time to marinate in the second case. Pierce the meat with a fork to soak it better, put it in the marinade bowl, stir well and make sure all the pieces are soaked in liquid and covered with spices. Place a lid on the dishes and refrigerate. The duration of marinating varies from half an hour to 3 days, it all depends on the composition of the marinade, the quality of the meat and the size of the piece. Do not leave the dishes warm as the marinade can turn sour.

How to marinate meat for baking: secrets and subtleties

If there are acids in the marinade - vinegar, dry wine or sour juice, do not keep the meat in it for more than 2 hours, otherwise it will dry out. Marinated meat is ready for baking in the oven and on the grill; it does not need any preliminary heat treatment, as a result of which the product loses its juice and becomes dry.

Any dish that contains no metals is suitable for pickling: they oxidize under the influence of acids, so the shish kebab turns out to be tasteless. As for the composition of the marinade, this is a matter of taste, however, it is believed that pork, chicken and duck go well with sweet marinades.

How to properly marinate pork for barbecue

Cut the pork into small pieces and brush with Dijon mustard, then submerge it in the marinade. A classic pork marinade is usually made from vegetable oil, vinegar and chopped herbs; the marinating time is 6-8 hours.

Pork marinated with soy sauce, vegetable oil and cumin - in this case, it is enough to marinate the meat for 3-4 hours. If you want to cook pork in a special way, make a lemon marinade with the juice and rind of lemon, fresh mint, olive oil, and oregano. You can marinate pork in a spicy pomegranate marinade. To do this, you will need 200 ml of pomegranate juice and red wine, 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 5 tbsp. l. lemon juice, 2 heads of finely chopped onions, black pepper and suneli hops. Mix all the ingredients, dip the pork pieces in the marinade and refrigerate for several hours.

How to properly marinate beef for barbecue

How to marinate lamb for barbecue

For lamb, a semi-sweet red wine marinade is ideal, into which you can chop finely chopped garlic and leeks. Young sprigs of pine, wild garlic and anise will complement the taste of the marinade, but most importantly, do not add dry wine to the marinade, otherwise the lamb meat fibers will be too loose. Leave the pieces of meat in the marinade overnight, but no more. When preparing the lamb for marinating, leave the fat in - this will have a positive effect on the taste of the kebab.

Since lamb is a fairly fatty meat, marinade with ginger is ideal for it. To do this, mix 3 tbsp. l. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. salt and sugar, ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, 1 tbsp. l. cumin and chili, half a chopped onion and 2 pieces of grated ginger. The result is sure to impress you.

How many housewives, so many marinade recipes. If you have your own secrets on how to marinate chicken, as well as pork, beef or lamb for barbecue, share the recipes with us. Happy and tasty picnic for you!

7 ways to make beef soft

How to marinate beef for tenderness?

There are many ways to cook beef. This is healthy and tasty meat, but it does not always turn out soft from housewives. If you have a couple of hours before cooking, you can marinate the beef for tenderness according to our recipe. And below I will tell you how to cook beef soft and without marinating.

Beef marinade (for softness).

Method 1. Marinated beef with vinegar.

For 1 kg of beef. Cut the meat into pieces or a whole piece. We marinate for 1 hour.

• 1 onion (cut into half rings)
• 3-4 tablespoons vinegar 9%
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ground pepper to taste
• half a glass of water and a little sunflower oil
• ATTENTION! do not salt the meat - marinate without salt! We'll add salt while cooking.

Leave the beef in the marinade for 1.5-2 hours. Next, beat off the meat with a hammer and cook according to the recipe.

Method 4. Beef marinated in beer.

For 1 kg of beef. We take:

Salt and pepper. Knead the meat or brush and marinate in the refrigerator in a saucepan or bag for 1 hour. Then fry over a fire or in a frying pan. The beef will turn out to be unusually soft!

Method 5. Marinated beef in sea buckthorn juice.

Even not very successful beef can be cooked very soft and juicy. Cut the beef into steaks, palm-sized pieces 2 cm wide and then fry.

• 1 glass of sea buckthorn juice
• salt, pepper to taste

Salt and pepper the meat and put it in a bowl. Pour the meat with 1 glass of sea buckthorn juice (sour, best). We soak the meat for 40-60 minutes. Then heat the pan with a little sunflower or olive oil. Fry on 2 sides for 5 minutes, to form an appetizing crust. Then close the lid, reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer until tender, about another 40 minutes. Turn the pieces over once, in the middle of stewing.

The beef will come out very juicy and soft! And sea buckthorn juice will add a unique touch to your dish!

Method 6. Marinated beef with kiwi.

In general, acid is needed for the softness of meat. But vinegar, if overexposed, can backfire and the meat will become tough, like a sole.

Marinade for 1 kg of meat.

• kiwi - 2 pcs. peel and grate
• We will cut 1-2 onions into half rings
• salt and pepper the marinade

Parsley goes well with beef. Spread the marinated meat well, put in a container with a lid and refrigerate for 2 hours. Next, cook according to the recipe, in chunks or in a large piece in the oven.

The meat will become deliciously tasty and tender!

Method 7. Marinated beef with tomato (tomato marinade).

For 1 kg of beef. Cut the meat into pieces or a whole piece. We marinate for 1-2 hours.

Make a marinade:

• tomato paste 2 table. spoons
• garlic 4 cloves pass through a press
• 2 medium onions cut into half rings
• sweet pepper 1/2 pc. chop into small cubes or thin strips
• pepper with black and red pepper
• add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 pinch of hops-suneli
• and finely chopped herbs (parsley, basil, thyme)

Coat the beef with marinade, put in a saucepan or container with a lid and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

How to cook soft beef.

It will take time for the beef to turn out soft, for example in goulash. We defrost the beef "on our own", no defrosting in the microwave. Cut the meat into pieces and rinse. Put the meat in a frying pan or stewpan and pour enough water to cover the meat. DO NOT SALT!(unless otherwise indicated in the recipe, for example, you can add salt with sea buckthorn juice when pickling) Simmer for 1 hour on low heat. Next, we cook according to the recipe.

You can salt the meat after 1 hour of marinating. So that it absorbs the salt.
Meat prepared in this way will definitely be soft.

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(module Marinades for meat)

Have you ever dreamed of cooking the most tender meat with a fragrant and crispy crust on the outside? Indeed, most of us know how to cook meat, but does it turn out just the way we always dreamed of?

But it’s very simple! The first rule of delicious meat is to soften it before cooking, and there are two ways: coating and marinating.

Marinating meat

Did you know that plain sea water has been used as a marinade for a long time? The ancient Romans soaked both meat and fish in it before cooking. They did this to soften the meat, to give it taste, as well as for disinfection. Residents of the southern countries preferred wine vinegar, and in the east, spices and herbs were added for the same purpose.

There are, of course, more radical ways to marinate meat. So, you can, as in some tribes, try to put meat in an anthill and then, known to all chemists, and to ordinary people, formic acid will soften the meat and make it much more tender.

Of course, all of these methods are pioneers in pickling. Today we use more complex mixtures: salt together with various other spices and spices, because pickling meat before cooking is half the success in preparing a delicious dish.

What to marinate meat

Of course, even now the main ingredient in any mixture of marinades is acid, it not only softens the meat, but also allows it to more easily absorb the rest of the spices. Marinade, moreover, in addition to a pleasant piquant taste, saves the meat from burning during its preparation.

It is important to remember that the more acid you use, the less time it takes to marinate directly.

But as an acid, you can use many different products:

• Vinegar, apple cider or wine;
• Various juices (pineapple, lemon, grapefruit, pomegranate and apple);
• Dry wine (for fish it is, of course, white, as well as for chicken and pork loin, but for beef it is red);
• Fruit (fresh pineapple or kiwi)
• Soy sauce;
• Kefir or natural yogurt.

Marinade based on fermented milk products is not so harsh and gives the dish a more delicate taste.

The pickling process in any of the ways lasts from an hour to a day.

Condiments and spices

In addition to acid, the marinade should always contain spices and herbs:

• Various peppers (white for fish, black for meat, paprika, curry and red);
• Onion and garlic;
• Anise;
• Fennel;
• Rosemary;
• Dill;
• Bay leaf;
• Juniper berries - these can give the meat a very unusual flavor;
• Mustard;
• Ready-made spice mixtures.

The main thing is not to overdo it with spices, mixing more than 3-4, you may lose the peculiarity of each of them, and the taste will not turn out so bright.

Important subtleties

Vegetable oil is added to the marinade so that the meat does not lose juice during the marinating and cooking process. If desired, oil can be replaced with mayonnaise, and all spices dissolve well in both.

Greens are also added to taste, but not chopped! Just imagine how you will extract finely chopped greens from meat after marinating. The same applies to onions and garlic, they are cut quite large, preferably in rings. However, you can grind them together into a gruel, then there will be no need to further cleanse the meat from such a marinade.

A variety of marinades are suitable for pork, beef and, on the other hand, for poultry, a strong variety of ingredients can lead to coarsening. For marinating poultry, it is best to use honey and citrus fruits, you can also add mustard. Lemon or white wine is perfect for marinating fish; you can also add onions and vegetable oil to taste.

Crabs, shrimps and other seafood are not marinated before cooking, only lightly sprinkled with oil or lemon juice.

It is also worth knowing that salt is not added to the marinade for meat, this can condense it, therefore, already fried meat is salted. And vice versa, the marinade for fish is always salted, otherwise it simply crumbles when frying!

The meat is marinated in the refrigerator or in another cool place.

Coating meat

Like marinating, daubing can make the meat more tender. They use the same ingredients, the only difference between pickling and coating is that the meat is coated with marinade just before cooking.

Pickling utensils

Suitable for marinating are ceramic, stainless steel or glass dishes. This choice is due to the fact that the dishes should not react with food that is pickled and the acid of the marinade.

You can even marinate meat in a plastic bag. Just choose a denser package, put in the meat with the marinade and shake it so that the meat is soaked. In this case, the air from the bag must be squeezed out and in this state put the bag in the refrigerator or any other cool place.

How to make meat juicy and tender: pickling rules

The marinade is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, so it cannot be reused. The used marinade should not touch cooking or cooked meat.

If you want to pour it on a shish kebab or cooking meat, then boil the marinade and only then use it.

Meat roasted over a fire is something special. At home, in the oven and even on an airfryer, you will never cook such a fragrant, toasted barbecue as on the coals of a fire built on the bank of a river in the nearest forest. And to make the meat soft and tender, marinades have been invented in the world.

Marinade is a mixture of spices, vegetable oils and natural products that contain acids. The marinated meat acquires a soft consistency and aroma due to the ingredients of the marinade. For pork, beef and lamb, marinades are made rich, while marinades for poultry and fish should be more delicate and tender. The tougher the meat, the longer it needs to be marinated. It is not recommended to put salt in marinades, as the hypertonic solution will simply "suck" all the juice from the meat, and the kebab will turn out to be dry. For the same reason, you should not make the marinade too "sour".

Amateur culinary experts often experiment with marinades, adding sometimes the most unexpected and even exotic ingredients to them, making the marinades sweet, pungent, sour or spicy. Ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, kiwi, mayonnaise, cognac, coffee, mustard, sparkling mineral water, yogurt, a variety of spices, pomegranate juice, onions, garlic - all of these can become ingredients in your marinade. But the marinade should not be too much. Since the meat will give its juice during the marinating process, the amount of liquid will increase even more - this must be borne in mind.

Do not use aluminum dishes to marinate meat. Usually the meat is marinated in a large enamel saucepan and even in a bucket if a large company is going to barbecue. But if such dishes are not at hand, it is quite possible to get by with an ordinary plastic bag, only a whole one.

The duration of marinating depends on several factors: the hardness of the meat, the time you have up to an hour "X", as well as the availability of the necessary products in the refrigerator. If time is running out, choose a recipe for a more "vigorous" marinade, and if you add onions to it, do not cut it into rings, as usual, but grate it. In such a marinade, the meat should be kept literally 2-3 hours, otherwise it will taste bitter.

The fish should not be marinated for long - 45 minutes is enough. Poultry meat does not require lengthy preparation. You can start grilling chicken kebabs within half an hour after placing the meat in the marinade.

If you cut the meat into large pieces, it will take longer to marinate. It is necessary to cut the meat across the grain so that the pieces do not "shrink" during cooking.

Dishes with meat should be placed in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator.

Barbecue marinade recipes

Traditional marinade consists of vinegar, chopped onion rings, black pepper and salt. It is this marinade that is usually used for shop kebabs that no one likes. The disadvantages of this mixture are that the vinegar must be measured with pinpoint accuracy, and the holding time should not be delayed, otherwise the meat will acquire an unpleasant aftertaste, although it smells great during the cooking process. But true connoisseurs of kebabs reject vinegar and never add it to marinades. The same, by the way, applies to mayonnaise.

Lemon marinade does not cause rejection among connoisseurs and is excellent for pork. And all you need is to add lemon juice of one or two lemons to the marinade instead of vinegar. The rest of the ingredients are classic - onions, vegetable (best olive) oil, black pepper and peas, bay leaf. As for the proportions, 2-3 onions, four tablespoons of oil and spices to taste will be enough for two kilograms of pork.

Coffee marinade does not involve adding acids to the meat at all. For the same two kilograms of spiced pork, 4 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil and chopped onion rings (4 pcs.) You will need 1 liter of hot, but not boiling coffee. With this coffee, the meat is poured, and then left to first cool at room temperature, and then marinate in the refrigerator. Keeping the meat in this marinade should be six hours. Your guests will never guess what gave the kebabs such tenderness and aroma.

Kefir marinade recently it has become very popular among lovers of a fragrant barbecue in the bosom of nature. To prepare it for two kg of pork, usually take a liter of low-fat kefir, spices and seasonings to taste, and four not too small onions. Onions can be cut into rings, or you can cut into cubes, then mix with meat and seasonings, and pour the resulting mixture with kefir. The dishes with meat should be shaken well and put in the cold for 4 hours. Kefir marinade is not bad for both chicken kebab and beef, just not too tough. A marinade based on yogurt is prepared in a similar way, but not sweet with fruit additives, but ordinary sour milk.

Mineral water marinade made even easier. For him, one and a half liters of well-carbonated mineral water, herbs, spices, a little salt and 3 onions are taken. Even the oldest beef turns into the most tender fillet after 4 hours spent in this marinade. But attention, do not add medicinal-table types of mineral water to the marinade: they have a peculiar taste and smell, which they will not hesitate to tell your kebab.

Pomegranate marinade love in the east. For its preparation, per kilogram of meat, take two glasses of pomegranate juice, several bunches of greens (cilantro, mint, basil), more ground pepper and one large onion. The meat is kept in such a marinade for at least 10 hours, or better for a day, but, of course, in the refrigerator. For lamb and pork, this marinade is almost ideal.

Wine marinade gives the meat a delicate aroma and makes it softer. However, not everyone likes the wine flavor. Nevertheless, for those who want to try marinating meat in wine, it is recommended to take a liter of dry red wine for the same two kilograms of beef or pork, three medium-sized onions, more black pepper and basil, or fresh. If you use white wine, your marinade will work for turkey too.

There are hundreds of recipes for kebab marinade. Soy sauce, honey, kvass, beer, tomato juice, mustard, balsamic and apple cider vinegar and anything else are added to the marinades. But now that the algorithm for preparing the marinade is clear, you can experiment with any ingredients, creating your own, unique and best marinade.

Sometimes the idea of ​​getting out into nature appears spontaneously. There is no time for preparation, but I really want to eat a delicious aromatic shish kebab cooked over a fire! How to quickly marinate pork skewers? Just for such a case - recipes for a simple quick marinade!

Before marinating pork “quick”, remember: no marinade will save the taste if you do not know the basic rules for making barbecue. All the nuances are important - from the choice of meat to the subtleties of frying!

1. For cooking barbecue choose the neck (s) of fresh pork. You can also cook a tenderloin, there will be no excess fat in such a kebab. Relevant.
2. Cut the meat in large pieces across the grain. A piece of meat for stringing on a skewer should be about 4-5 cm2. Pieces of meat that are too small are usually too dry.
3. For marinating meat do not use aluminum or other metal containers, this is harmful. Glass, enamel or special food containers are your allies. Finally, put in several one-in-one plastic bags for strength and marinate. Fast and convenient!
4. In the process of marinating meat, use chopped seasonings, dry spices. In principle, you can marinate in anything, but it is important that large pieces of seasoning do not remain on the meat during frying (they tend to burn, imparting an unpleasant taste). An exception is onion rings. If strung on a skewer, they should be thicker.
5. Do not grill kebabs over an open fire. The top layer of meat may char (taste bitter), and the inside may remain soggy. Contrary to the well-known adage that it is never hot raw, it is better not to risk eating raw pork.
6. Do not overcook the kebab. It is enough to turn pieces of properly, coarsely chopped meat 1 time per minute. If the coals occasionally burn to a fire, pour a little water over them. For juiciness, the kebab itself can be lightly poured with wine, beer, champagne or Coca-Cola at the end of cooking (especially if there are children in the company).

How to quickly marinate a kebab? Top 5 delicious pork marinades!

I offer simple recipes for marinating pork - the preparation time for meat takes up to an hour. As soon as the wood burns out, the kebab can already be fried!

Recipe number 1: classic and great results

Preparing the marinade:

Add 1 tablespoon of salt and a mixture of ground peppers (red, black, white), 2-3 bay leaves to the chopped meat (per 1 kg). Optionally, you can add any dry seasoning - thyme, fenugreek, curry - in short, who prefers what. For those who do not really like spicy, focus on paprika or turmeric (they will give a beautiful color to the kebab).

Thoroughly mix the meat, spices and salt with your hands, and then cover with cool, clean water to lightly coat the meat. While the coals are burning, and this is 30-40 minutes, the meat will become juicy and soaked in seasonings. Nothing more, and a wonderful classic barbecue is guaranteed to you!

Recipe number 2: quick marinade with mayonnaise

Preparing the marinade:

Add 2 tablespoons of medium fat mayonnaise (30-50%) to the sliced ​​meat (per 1 kg). It is not at all necessary to add store-bought, you can make mayonnaise according to a home recipe. But since we need to quickly marinate meat, it is advisable to have mayonnaise in stock in advance.

It is not necessary to assume that there will be little mayonnaise, it is enough for us to slightly soak the meat with spices. For an excellent taste, add a mixture of peppers, Italian or Provencal dry seasonings, in a word, who likes what! Salt is a pinch!

Mix the meat, spices, mayonnaise and salt well with your hands. About half an hour is enough for it to soak before frying the kebab.

Recipe number 3: marinade with lemon juice

Preparing the marinade:

Add the freshly squeezed juice of one medium-sized lemon or large lime to the sliced ​​meat (per 1 kg). Many people tend to use vinegar in the marinade, but I recommend sticking with the healthier, natural option. It can be lemon, lime, kiwi or orange. These exotic fruits contain the necessary acidity in different proportions - choose what you like. Moreover, if there are children in the company - an orange flavor and a minimum of hot pepper!

Squeeze fresh juice without pulp into the meat, add 2 tablespoons of olive or other refined vegetable oil, a pinch of salt and a little dry seasoning to taste. Stir the meat and seasonings well. Basil, dry mint and oregano go well with such a marinade. Pungency to taste, use a mixture of peppers.

Recipe number 4: a delicious quick tomato marinade

Preparing the marinade:

Add a glass of tomato juice to the sliced ​​meat (per 1 kg). It can be made from fresh tomatoes (scroll 2-3 large juicy tomatoes in a meat grinder or blender). Ordinary tomato juice from a store is also suitable for marinade, pay attention to the label - the more its concentration, the better. For a quick tomato marinade, you can simply dilute 50-70 grams of tomato paste (at least 25%) in a glass of cool, clean water.

Thoroughly mix the meat with the tomato, add a pinch of salt and seasoning to taste and pungency. Onion juice is welcome (just juice!). Chop a couple of onions and squeeze out the juice, no pulp. Add to tomato marinade. Onion pulp is good to use for a longer marinade, when you have the opportunity to leave the meat overnight, about 10 hours. But when time is short and you need a quick way to marinate the meat, the onion pulp will not have time to absorb, but will only add an unpleasant bitterness to the kebab ...

Recipe number 5: original soy sauce and Coca-Cola marinade

Preparing the marinade:

Such, at first glance, an unusual combination of ingredients, has recently been widely used in cooking. And since we are considering quick ways to marinate meat for a shish kebab, it is this marinade that manages to "penetrate" the meat in 30-40 minutes!

For 1 kg of meat, we need 1.5-2 cups of Coca-Cola, 3 tablespoons of classic soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of odorless vegetable oil. Do not salt the meat, because there is enough salt in soy sauce! Squeeze out a couple of garlic cloves as well, and add a teaspoon of ground pepper (allspice or chili, you decide!). Dry thyme or oregano works well with this marinade. Mix everything well, and after half an hour the meat can be fried.

Take note of these simple recipes for quickly marinating pork for barbecue and try them in nature! Of course, do not forget about quality meat and proper frying. With these marinades, a delicious barbecue is guaranteed to you without any extra hassle! Bon Appetit!