What happens if you marinate steak too long

Home Cooking. Log In Sign Up. Marinating Beef Flank Steak. Can you marinate meat for too long? Go for it, or Wait? Want to stay up to date with this post? Salt and sugar both break down muscle fibers to some degree in the same way a brine does , but acid is the real culprit in this scenario.

We like a little bit of tenderizing with meat, but when your chicken thighs are exposed to lemon juice, lime juice, yogurt, or vinegars for too long, the texture of the meat turns from tender to mushy and stringy , two words that have never been used in tandem to describe something pleasant.

Soy-marinated pork gets a juicy kick from a quick marinade. At the heart of this this whole overexposure is a common misconception about marinating. In fact, a marinade will never really penetrate much past the surface of the meat—and that's OK! The purpose of a marinade is to be the first thing that cooks when the meat hits the pan or grill. Pop the package of marinating steak in the freezer and freeze it for up to three months. Marinate tough steaks like flank, skirt, sirloin and round to tenderize the meat.

Most marinades call for 24 hours, but the U. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service notes that you can marinate for up to five days. Place the flank steak in the marinade, press out any excess air from the bag, and seal tightly. Using your hands, massage the marinade around the meat to ensure it is evenly covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Moral of the story: If you've got the time, salt your meat for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking.

If you haven't got 40 minutes, it's better to season immediately before cooking. Cooking the steak anywhere between three and 40 minutes after salting is the worst way to do it. Skip to content May 29, Joe Ford.

Salt in your marinade is as important as other flavors. Typically, too much salt drains your ingredients moisture. This makes your meat dry and unappetizing. Some people use a little marinade to soak their meat. But even if they do it for days, nothing will be accomplished. Usually, the ratio should be a pound of meat to half a cup of marinade. With this ratio, the outcome will be far better even if you soak for a few hours. There is a science in the marinating process.