Marination
Process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned , often acidic , liquid before cooking . The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine ( aqua marina or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. The liquid in question, 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 . [1] In addition to these ingredients, a marinade often contains oils, herbs , and spices to further flavor the food items.
It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat . [2] The process may last seconds or days. Marinades vary between different cuisines .
Marinating is similar to brining , except that brining generally does not involve a significant amount of acid. It is also similar to pickling , except that pickling is generally done for much longer periods, primarily as a means of food preservation, whereas marinating is usually only performed for a few hours to a day, generally as a means of enhancing the flavor of the food. [ citation needed ]
Tissue breakdown
In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, which allows more moisture to be absorbed and results in a juicier end product; [2] 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. [3]
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 [4] unless rendered safe by boiling directly before use; otherwise, fresh or set-aside marinade that has not touched meat should be used. [5] 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. [5] [6]
Cancer risk reduction
Cooking animal muscle proteins at high temperature can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs). [7] According to the National Cancer Research Institute such substances present a heightened risk of cancer exposure. Marinating animal muscle proteins can reduce this risk by as much as 95% by creating a barrier to high-temperature cooking. Marination times necessary to reduce the formation of HCAs may be as short as 20 minutes. [ citation needed ]
See also
- 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
- ↑ Corriher, Shirley (September 1999). "Marinades Add Flavor but Don't Always Tenderize" . Fine Cooking . No. 34. Taunton Press . ISSN 1072-5121 . [ pages needed ]
- 1 2 Filippone, Peggy Trowbridge. "Marinade Science - How Marinades Work" . About.com . Retrieved 28 November 2012 .
- ↑ Camas, Joanne (August 31, 2010). "Marinating Meat Then Freezing It" . Epicurious .
- ↑ "American Institute for Cancer Research" . Good Food/Good Health . 2007-06-11. Archived from the original on 2008-03-11 . Retrieved 2008-02-02 .
- 1 2 Food Safety and Inspection Service . "Kitchen Companion: Your Safe Food Handbook" . USDA. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012 . Retrieved 28 November 2012 .
- ↑ Rombauer, Irma S.; Becker, Marion Rombauer; Becker, Ethan (1997). Joy of Cooking (1997 Hardcover ed.). New York: Scribner. p. 84. ISBN 0684818701 .
- ↑ S.-W. Choi, J.B. Mason, Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition) 2003
Cooking
techniques
|
|||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dry |
|
||||||
Wet |
|
||||||
Fat-based |
|
||||||
Mixed medium | |||||||
Device-based | |||||||
Non-heat | |||||||
See also | |||||||
Poultry | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Livestock | |||||
Game | |||||
Fish | |||||
Shellfish
and
other seafood |
|||||
Insects | |||||
Cuts and
preparation |
|||||
List articles |
|
||||
Ethics and
psychology |
|||||
Alternatives | |||||
Related
subjects |
|||||