Marinades

There are two main types of marinade: raw and cooked. Raw marinades are used for relatively tender foods that need only short marination, such as fish or chicken. Sometimes a raw marinade can be used to “cook” the food, for example the lime juice marinade used with fish or shellfish in South American seviche. The ingredients are simply mixed together and poured over the food. They are generally composed of white wine, lime or lemon juice, oil, herbs, pepper and onion. Raw marinades containing red wine are sometimes used to marinate red meats before broiling. Flavoring liquids such as soy sauce and fruit juices may also be used. In Middle Eastern cuisines, plain yogurt is used as an uncooked marinade base; its active enzymes act as a tenderizer, as do the enzymes in papaya juice. Cooked marinades such as red wine marinade give a stronger flavor, best for beef and game.