Stuck in the juice

Nu-Guy

Sorry, I am stuck in the marinade mode. Question is, can meat marinade too long? Let's say it's been in the bag for 24 hours and you can't do the cook for at least another 10 hours, what to do? Pull the meat out of the bag and put it back in the fridge 'til you can do the cook?

Mike Oelrich

Nu-Guy,[p] I think it will depend on what you are using for marinade, and what you're using it for. If your marinade contains acids (vinegar, etc., which denature proteins and "cook" the meat) or enzymes (many store bought marinades contain enzymes that more or less "pre-digest" meat tissue -- also some marinade additions like pineapple juice also contain meat-tenderizing enzymes) you might not want to leave it in too long. The result would be a "mushy" texture for the enzyme marinade, and a tough texture for the acidic one. If you are using the marinade to add flavor, and don't have strong tenderizing agents in it, I wouldn't see a problem with leaving it in for a few extra hours. For one of the best short articles I've found on the science of marinating, see the link below.
[ul][li]Marinating Article from Fine Cooking[/ul]

Nature Boy

MikeO,
Thanks for that article. It is short and to the point. Makes a lot of sense. I have heard about marinating in buttermilk or yogurt. Sounds like the way to go. Do you use buttermilk in marinades?? Is it good with all meats??[p]Looks like some more experimenting coming up![p]Thanks
NB

Nu-Guy

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the link. Great information! Just to be safe, I pulled it (venison steak) out of the bag and put it back in the fridge. Can't cook it 'till the wife gets home later this afternoon. Unless I cheat a little....she's not a big venison fan anyway...ya, maybe that' what I'll do....

sprinter

Nature Boy,[p]Some of the best wings I've ever eaten, bar none, are marinated in Buttermilk and onions overnight. Then they are breaded and deep fried in a flour/spice misture. Awesome recipe. I've been meaning to dig it out, if you're interested I'll try and find it for you. Not done on the BGE, with the batter that is fried onto them cant see how to adapt it, but its still a great recipe.[p]Troy