Marinade for chicken – you should definitely pay attention to this
Marinade for chicken
Not only on the grill in warm weather, but also on cold winter days in the : The tender meat of a chicken is a classic that always goes well. With good preparation, the preparation is not that time-consuming and can be enjoyed wonderfully at the family table, at parties or even just for two. Here we clarify the most important questions on the subject: Marinating chicken meat.
What is a marinade?
In the past, before refrigerators existed, meat was pickled to preserve it. This practical and useful method has become a real passion for meat lovers. Before eating, the chicken can be bathed in a mixture of different spices, oil, honey or acid.
Soaking time and ingredients can vary greatly here. The poultry meat takes on the flavor of the sauce and gives it an aromatic flavor. In addition, oil makes the meat nice and tender.
What preparations are necessary?
Even if it often has to be done quickly, you need patience when marinating. Preparation is half the battle here, because if the meat is too short in the marinade, the taste will hardly be convincing. The chicken should be marinated in the sauce for about 2 to 4 hours.
Compared to other types of meat, you save time here. The flavor needs to “leak” into the meat, this works best when the chicken is in an airtight container completely surrounded by the sauce. A glass bowl is better than plastic here, as the smell can be removed later and no microplastic can be detached and absorbed by the food. If necessary, the chicken can be easily scored with the tip of a knife and spiked directly with herbs or garlic.
What goes in?
With or without salt?
When it comes to marinating, there are a few tricks that make it taste even better, but opinions differ when it comes to salt. Although you can find recipes that use salt in many cookbooks, some cooking experts advise creating a marinade that is acidic but not salty.
Seasoning with salt draws water out of the meat and makes it dry. If one does not want to do without the white gold, it is advisable to sprinkle the food with it just before consumption. At the same time, others also advocate incorporating salt into the marinade and using exactly the process of removing the salt. Because when the meat juices run out, they mix with the marinade and are then picked up together. Every meat lover has to decide for themselves what is right or wrong. The best solution is to just try it out.
Classic or extravagant?
Usually, a marinade is prepared from the “herbs of Provence”. Rosemary, thyme, marjoram and oregano create a very classic and familiar taste. Paprika seasoning is also often found in pre-packaged chicken meat.
But how about something completely different? Oil gives the meat a certain juiciness and makes it tender. But not everyone wants to bathe their flesh in oil. A wonderful alternative is a marinade made from oriental spices and herbs and yoghurt or buttermilk. With a squeeze of lemon juice, the meal becomes an exotic dining experience. Sweet marinades with honey or maple syrup can also be wonderfully combined with fruity mango. Despite all the joy of experimentation, one should not overdo it with the mixtures.
Buy it or make it yourself?
With your own spice mix, you always have the option of preparing the flavor individually and not having to resort to a standard product from the supermarket shelf. More and more people suffer from intolerances and have problems with the additives in finished products.
With home-made food, you always have a precise overview of what you are eating. But the main advantage is that you can quickly and easily see whether the meat is fresh or not. Pickled chicken prevents you from doing a smell or color test. Old meat looks gray and quickly smells unpleasant. With meat that has already been processed, this is no longer recognizable. With this in mind, we wish you a good appetite and lots of fun trying it out.
