Editing Marination

{{Short description|Process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking}}
[[File:Chicken marination.jpg|thumb|275x275px|Raw chicken marinating]]
'''Marinating''' is the process of soaking foods in a [[Seasoning|seasoned]], often [[acid]]ic, liquid before [[cooking]]. This [[sauce]], called the '''marinade''', can be either acidic (made with ingredients such as [[vinegar]], [[lemon juice]], or [[wine]]), or [[enzymatic]] (made with ingredients such as [[pineapple]], [[papaya]], [[yogurt]], or [[ginger]]), or have a neutral [[pH]].<ref name=finecooking>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.finecooking.com/articles/marinades-flavor-tenderize.aspx |title=Marinades Add Flavor but Don't Always Tenderize |pages= |last=Corriher|first=Shirley|date=September 1999 |number=34 |magazine=Fine Cooking |issn=1072-5121 |publisher=[[Taunton Press]] }}{{pages?|date=August 2022}}</ref> In addition to these ingredients, a marinade often contains oil, salt, [[herb]]s, and [[spice]]s to further flavor the food items. It is commonly used to flavor foods and to [[tenderizing|tenderize]] tougher cuts of [[meat]];<ref name="homecooking_about_com">{{cite web|last=Filippone|first=Peggy Trowbridge|title=Marinade Science - How Marinades Work|url=http://homecooking.about.com/od/specificdishe1/a/marinadescience.htm|publisher=About.com|access-date=28 November 2012}}</ref> the process may last seconds or days.

Marinating is similar to [[brining]], except that brining relies on the action of salty [[brine]] rather than the action of acids or enzymes.<ref name="WaPo1">{{cite news |author=Benwick, Bonnie S. |date=November 14, 2007 |title=Wet Brining vs. Dry: Give That Bird a Bath |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111300427.html |access-date=2018-04-07 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Marinating is also similar to [[pickling]], except that pickling is generally done for much longer periods of months or even years, primarily as a means of food preservation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Elkus |first1=Grace |date=3 January 2023 |title=How Do You Know When It's Time to Throw Out Pickles? |url=https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/do-pickles-go-bad |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=Epicurious}}</ref> Conversely, marinating is usually performed for a few hours to a day, generally as a means of enhancing the flavor of the food or tenderizing it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=University |first=Utah State |title=Tips on Marinating Meat |url=https://extension.usu.edu/archive/tips-on-marinating-meat |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=extension.usu.edu |language=en}}</ref>

Marinades vary between [[List of cuisines|different cuisines]]. The French word {{Lang|fr|marinade}} derives from the verb {{Lang|fr|mariner}} "to pickle in sea brine", and ultimately from the Latin noun {{Lang|la|mare}} "sea",<ref>{{Cite web |title=marinade {{!}} Etymology of marinade by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/marinade#etymonline_v_9616 |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=www.etymonline.com |language=en}}</ref> suggesting that marinades may have evolved from an ancient brining tradition or may have initially used sea brine as an ingredient.

==Tissue breakdown==
[[File:Korean BBQ-marination-01 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Beef marinating for a [[Korean barbecue]] dish]]
In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, which allows more moisture to be absorbed and results in a juicier end product;<ref name="homecooking_about_com" /> however, too much acid can be detrimental to the end product. A good marinade has a balance of acid, oil, and spice. If raw marinated meat is frozen, the marinade can break down the surface and turn the outer layer mushy.<ref>{{cite web |last=Camas |first=Joanne|url=https://www.epicurious.com/archive/blogs/editor/2010/08/marinating-meat-then-freezing-it.html |title=Marinating Meat Then Freezing It |work=[[Epicurious]] |date=August 31, 2010 }}</ref>

Often confused with marinating, [[macerating]] is a similar form of food preparation.

==Safety considerations==

Raw [[pork]], [[seafood]], [[beef]] and [[poultry]] may contain harmful [[bacteria]] which may contaminate the marinade. Marinating should be done in the refrigerator to inhibit bacterial growth. Used marinade should not be made into a sauce<ref>{{cite web | title = American Institute for Cancer Research | work = Good Food/Good Health | date = 2007-06-11 | url = http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=11857 | access-date = 2008-02-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080311081539/http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=11857 | archive-date = 2008-03-11 | url-status = dead }}</ref> unless rendered safe by boiling directly before use; otherwise, fresh or set-aside marinade that has not touched meat should be used.<ref name=USDA>{{cite web|last=Food Safety and Inspection Service|author-link=Food Safety and Inspection Service|title=Kitchen Companion: Your Safe Food Handbook|url=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Kitchen_Companion/index.asp#contents|publisher=USDA|access-date=28 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205160834/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Kitchen_Companion/index.asp#contents|archive-date=5 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>  The container used for marinating should be glass or [[food safe plastic]]. Metal, including pottery glazes which can contain lead, reacts with the acid in the marinade and should be avoided.<ref name=USDA /><ref name=joy>{{cite book|last=Rombauer|first=Irma S.|title=Joy of Cooking|year=1997|publisher=Scribner|location=New York|isbn=0684818701|edition=1997 Hardcover |author2=Becker, Marion Rombauer |author3=Becker, Ethan |page=84}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Barbecue sauce]] – flavoring sauce used as a marinade, basting or topping for barbecued meat
* [[Ceviche]] – dish of marinated raw fish
* [[Saikyoyaki]] – a method of preparing fish in traditional Japanese cuisine by first marinating fish slices overnight in a white miso paste from Kyoto called ''saikyo shiro miso''
* [[Vinaigrette]] – sauce made from oil and vinegar and commonly used as a salad dressing

==References==
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{{Cooking Techniques}}
{{Meat}}

[[Category:Marinades|Marinades]]
[[Category:Cooking techniques]]
[[Category:Culinary terminology]]