photo by D’arcy Norman

Say goodbye to bottled marinades, and make your own. Marinades add a kick of flavor to meat, seafood and poultry. Don’t let the season stop you. You can fire up your grill any time of the year. When you bring your fresh, packaged meat home, you can repackage it into a freezer bag of homemade marinade and freeze it. Be sure to label the bag so you remember what it is. When you’re ready to cook, simply thaw it. Your meat will marinate as it thaws. Once thawed, discard the marinade and grill or bake your meat as usual.
Here are a few quick-and-easy recipes to get you started.

Teriyaki Marinade

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and heat until the sugars dissolve. Let cool before using. Makes enough to marinate three to four pounds of meat or chicken. — Kim, Florida

Honey-Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped

In a large glass bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto the chicken while cooking. Add chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least two hours. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken. — Lisa, Minnesota

Shrimp or Poultry Marinade

3 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of cayenne or black pepper

In a glass bowl, whisk all ingredients until well blended. Pour over chicken or shrimp, and refrigerate overnight. Grill or broil in oven. — Carolyn, Georgia

Spicy Brown-Sugar Rub

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne

Mix together all ingredients, and store in a plastic container. Use 1 tablespoon per pound of meat. Rub in with an equal amount of oil at least an hour before cooking. Use on steaks, ribs and chicken.
To use as a marinade: Stir together one part mix, one part canola oil and two parts juice (apple, pineapple, orange, lemon, lime or even wine). Brush onto shrimp or steak kabobs. — Constance, New Jersey

Hawaiian Marinade

1/2 cup soy sauce
2-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger

In a glass bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, and marinate chicken or pork for at least an hour. Remove meat from marinade, and grill or bake. — Misty, Indiana

Lemon-Garlic Marinade

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
dash of pepper

In a glass bowl, combine ingredients, and pour over chicken. Refrigerate for at least one hour. — Brenda, Missouri

What is your favorite marinade?

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