The turmeric-lemongrass version is perfect for fish, shrimp, tofu, and chicken.
Not only is marinating the ideal way to build flavor, it’s also a relatively simple, hands-off endeavor. Since it’s the season for outdoor cooking, New York City–based recipe developer Laura Rege devised three nutrient-rich marinades that can work for poultry, meat, tofu, seafood, vegetables, and more. She recommends using a glass or ceramic dish for the process, as aluminum and copper can react to acidic ingredients by changing color or giving off a metallic flavor. A general guideline is a half-cup of marinade for every pound of protein or vegetable and then refrigerating per the timeline below:
Lean meats like chicken, lamb chops, and pork: 30 minutes to two hours (longer for dark meat, shorter for white meat)
Tougher cuts like flank steak, ribeye, and leg of lamb: one to four hours
Whole chicken: two to four hours
Fish, tofu, and shrimp: 15 to 30 minutes (longer for fattier fish like salmon and tuna, shorter for white fish, which have delicate proteins)
Vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, squash, and onion: 30 minutes to one hour
Turmeric-lemongrass marinade
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Sardinian lemon, herb, and caper marinade
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Spiced yogurt marinade
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