Soy Marinade

This wonderful combination of Asian flavors turns chicken or pork into a scrumptious supper with no muss, no fuss. Simply let the meat marinate at least one hour and as long as four hours, then grill.

PREP: 10 minutes

MAKES: about 1 cup

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13 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients.

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EACH TABLESPOON: About 30 calories, 1g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 1g total fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 530mg sodium

THE BEST WAY TO MARINATE

We love the ease of zip-tight plastic bags. Simply add the marinade ingredients, then the meat or poulty, and zip to seal. Squish the bag all around so the marinade covers the meat. Then put the bag on a plate in the fridge and turn occasionally. If you use a bowl or pan instead of a bag, be sure it’s made of a noncorrosive material (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) that won’t be affected by the acid in the marinade.

To avoid contamination, never let marinade in which you’ve soaked raw meat, fish, or poultry (or the dish it’s been in) come in contact with cooked food you’ll be eating. Play it safe: Discard marinade after using or boil it for 1 minute to make a sauce; never reuse it for marinating.

box If a recipe calls for basting with marinade, don’t baste during the last ten minutes of grilling, so there’s enough time for the marinade to cook through.

box Don’t marinate meat, poultry, or seafood longer than thirty minutes at room temperature. If the recipe calls for longer marinating, place in the refrigerator.

How long to marinate? For the best, fullest flavor, most meat and poultry need one to three hours; seafood, fifteen to thirty minutes. But timing also depends on the marinade ingredients: The more acidic the mixture—the greater the percentage of vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt—the less time needed to marinate. (Leaving meat or seafood in a highly acidic marinade for too long can alter the texture of the food and leave it unpleasantly mushy.)Marinades penetrate about ½ inch (from all sides), so don’t expect really thick cuts of meat to pick up flavor in the center.