Transform your beef, chicken, or pork with this bold and flavor-packed Best All-Around Meat Marinade! Bursting with fresh herbs and simple, everyday ingredients, this marinade does double duty—infusing rich, savory flavor while tenderizing even the toughest, budget-friendly cuts.
If you’re looking for more homemade recipes, try my Homemade Greek Salad Dressing, Homemade House Seasoning, and Red Wine Vinegar.
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Grilling is hands-down one of my favorite ways to create bold, delicious flavors, especially when working with budget-friendly cuts of meat. But here’s the secret that takes it to the next level: an incredible marinade. My all-purpose meat marinade is a flavor-packed blend of garlic, fresh herbs, and the perfect mix of acids, like tangy balsamic vinegar and a touch of honey. These ingredients not only infuse the meat with rich, mouthwatering flavors but also work their magic to tenderize even the toughest cuts.
One Marinade, Endless Possibilities: Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Thoroughly Tested – This recipe is one I’ve used for many years to create delicious meals using whatever meat is on sale that week at the grocery store.
- Quick – I think this really is the best steak marinade and you can whip up in just minutes.
- Double the Recipe – This mix keeps really well in the fridge so you can double or triple the recipe and then use it when needed.
What You’ll Need For The Ultimate Marinade
- A good marinade has two main ingredients: oil and vinegar. This one uses olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Lemon juice and zest also help to tenderize the meat and add a fresh flavor boost.
- For seasoning, you’ll need fresh garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, pepper, and salt. It’s important to use fresh herbs for this recipe.
- Honey is added for a little bit of sweetness. It’s also an acid, so it’ll help tenderize the meat further.
Recipe Variations
- Soy Sauce: If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, you can also use a low-sodium soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Just taste and adjust the salt as needed.
- Dried Herbs and Seasoning: Fresh herbs are always best, but in a pinch, you can use dried spies like Italian seasoning, basil, parsley, onion powder or garlic powder.
- Add Dijon: A bit of Dijon mustard adds a nice zing if you don’t have lemon zest.
- Citus Options: orange juice or pineapple juice are great options instead of lemon.
Step By Step Directions
- Mix Everything: Add everything to a jar and shake well until blended and emulsified.
- Marinade: Pour the marinade over the meat, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Cook: Grill your meat for the best flavor! Make sure to let your meat come to room temperature before cooking. This allows even grilling with no cool spots.
What’s the Best Way To Cook Marinaded Meat?
I find that it’s best to cook the meat either on a grill pan or outdoor grill. A marinade tenderizes the meat and flavors it but high heat also helps break down the proteins to make cuts of beef, or pork tender and juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find it best to marinade most meat for an hour. Tougher cuts can be left for up to 2 hours, but not longer. The high levels of acid will soften the meat too much if left to marinade any longer.
The marinade can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container.
This means the muscle fibers in the meat are not broken down fully. The meat either needs to marinade longer or needs more liquid to fully coat the meat.
How To Use Meat Marinade
This marinade is delicious for pork chops, chicken, steak, and so much more. It’s perfect for making Easy Grilled Flank Steak, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, and Grilled Lemon Chicken. It’s even good on veggies! Any of these would be delicious to serve with a Mediterranean Pasta Salad or Roasted Broccoli.
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More Homemade Sauces
If you tried this Flavorful Meat Marinade Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon fresh oregano
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a jar with a secure top. Shake until well blended.
- Pour over meat, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Turn meat occasionally to coat.
- Meat can also be place in a plastic bag and placed in refrigerator.
- Heat grill to medium high heat. Take pork chops from marinade and place on grill. Place on the grill and cook until the pork chop releases from the grill, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.
Nutrition
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