Many home cooks will put their meat in a plastic bag, cover it with marinade, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. The thinking behind this long marinade is that with enough time, the liquid will penetrate the entire piece of meat and infuse flavor evenly throughout the meat.
The results will be far better if you give your protein ample marinade to soak in, making sure all pieces of chicken or beef are covered in the dish or bag.
Combine balsamic vinegar, oil, sugar, soy sauce, rosemary, garlic, and red pepper in a zip-top bag to prepare Gordon Ramsay's Steak Marinade. Mix it well after adding a little black pepper. The steak should be covered in the marinade after being added to the bag and mixed. Put it in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours.
DON'T marinate in aluminum containers or foil, because a chemical reaction could spoil the food.
This being said, aluminium foil is ideal for wrapping meat and/or vegetables prior to barbecuing or baking--the foil will insulate the contents' moisture while cooking them through.
Wrapping Meats
After a cut of meat is finished cooking, gently wrap it with aluminum foil in a tent-like fashion. This will keep the meat warm after it reaches its peak internal temperature while resting.
Don't reuse marinades or use marinades as a sauce after cooking. Marinades are in contact with raw ingredients, which may contain harmful bacteria. Always discard your marinade after use. Don't marinate in metal containers.
Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.
Extra marinade can be stored in the refrigerator for grilling later in the week, but only as long as it hasn't touched raw meat. How Long: If you already have a tender cut of beef, only 15 minutes to 2 hours of marinating time are required to add flavor.
Not only will over-marinating potentially turn your meat into a mushy mess, but the process could also turn it into a rotten one, too. Federal food safety guidelines state that, if kept in the refrigerator for extended periods of time, raw meat is unsafe for consumption.
Place chicken breast into a glass container or gallon-size bag. Then, pour the marinade on top of the chicken, making sure it is covered. Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 6 hours.
Even on smaller pieces of meat, marinades really don't have much of an effect. Though marinating may be familiar and satisfying—you're getting ahead on prep and looking forward to a flavorful entrée to come—with just a few exceptions, the mixture won't do much more than coat the surface of the meat.
How to rest the meat. Take it from the heat and place it on a warm plate or serving platter. Cover the meat loosely with foil. If you cover it tightly with the foil or wrap it in foil, you will make the hot meat sweat and lose the valuable moisture you are trying to keep in the meat.
Too much salt
No salt can render food almost inedible, too much salt and you have the same result. In a marinade, it is better to err on the side of little to no salt. Salt pulls moisture out of flesh so you could wind up with a tough and dry piece of meat. Add salt while cooking instead.
Marinades do not penetrate the meat deeply. Most of the tenderizing effect of a marinade will occur on the surface. Piercing the meat before marinating will give the greatest tenderizing effect.
Always marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Some older recipes call for marinating at room temperature. DO NOT FOLLOW THIS PRACTICE. Marinating at room temperature causes the meat to enter the “Danger Zone” (between 40°F and 140°F), where bacteria multiply fastest.
Your best bet for achieving marination magic is to soak your chicken, pork chops or loins and steak at least 30 minutes, but never longer than overnight.
Is 30 Minutes Long Enough to Marinate Chicken? If you're marinating smaller pieces of chicken or cuts such as boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, 30 minutes is long enough to infuse the meat with flavor.
A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices). These elements work together to transform the taste and texture of your dish in different ways.
Remove Marinade Before Cooking: To prevent flare-ups on the grill and ensure properly browned meat when sautéing or stir-frying, wipe off most of the excess marinade before cooking. Keep just a little marinade on the meat surface to maximize flavor.
Salt is the easiest and the most effective of all marinades. At first the salt will draw moisture out of the meat (but the amount is negligible for the juicyness of the meat and the end result), but then it will penetrate the surface and arouse deeper and bigger flavors.
Pros of Wrapping
Wrapping your brisket either using butcher paper or foil cuts down the cooking time, and you have meat ready in a few hours. It keeps the meat moist and tender.
Aluminium is significantly more likely to leach into food, and at higher levels, in acidic and liquid food solutions like lemon and tomato juice than in those containing alcohol or salt. Leaching levels climb even more when spice is added to food that's cooked in aluminium foil.