Marination

Marination soaks food, most often meat, poultry or fish, in a seasoned liquid called a marinade before cooking, for anywhere from a few seconds to several days depending on the food and the result wanted. A marinade typically combines an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, citrus juice or wine with oil, salt, herbs and spices, though some marinades instead use an enzymatic ingredient like pineapple, papaya, yogurt or ginger to tenderize. The acid or enzymes break down proteins at the meat's surface, which lets the meat absorb more liquid and become juicier, and marination is used both to build flavor and to soften tougher cuts, though leaving food in a strongly acidic marinade too long can start to break the surface down in an undesirable way.