Marinating

Marinating is a process in which raw meat or poultry is steeped for a time in a liquid such as soy sauce, rice wine or sherry and cornflour to improve its flavour and to tenderise it. Once marination is complete, the food is usually lifted out of the marinade with a slotted spoon before it is cooked.

In Chinese cooking, marinades vary: some foods are meant to be left in the marinade for a period (usually a minimum of 20 minutes); some are used immediately. Some need to be refrigerated; others can remain at room temperature. Marinades that require refrigeration do not need to be brought back to room temperature before cooking.