Today's Tip:   Meat Marinade Tips

Marinades are flavoured liquids, meats are soaked in to build flavour and, when used on tougher cuts, help tenderize.

To do the latter, the marinade must contain an acidic ingredient, such as wine, lemon juice, vinegar or yogurt, as they will help break down tough fibres in the meat.

Allow a 1/3 to 1/2 cup of marinade for each pound of meat.

Always marinate in a glass or non-reactive container as the acid in most marinades will react with metal containers and cause off-flavours in the food.

Always marinate meat in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Letting them stand at room temperature encourages bacterial growth.

Do not marinate steaks, chops or cubes of meat for more than 24 hours or they may become so tenderized that they turn mushy.

Larger cuts of meat, such as a beef roast, can benefit from longer marinating - up to 2 days. Pricking steals and large cuts with the tines of a large fork will help the marinade penetrate deep into the flesh.

Do not reuse leftover marinade that's been in contact with uncooked meat.