SouthWest Marinade

Southwest Marinade

Tender cuts are marinated only to add flavor, therefore need short marinating times of only 15 minutes to 2 hours. A highly acidic marinade for steak can actually toughen fibres in tender cuts, similar to overcooking a steak or roast.

A very easy steak marinade recipe that will add great flavor to tender cuts of steak. This is a great rib steak, beef tenderloin, t-bone steak and top sirloin marinade, but will also work nicely with, tender cuts of pork, such as pork tenderloin, boneless chicken breast and seafood, such as shrimp and fish fillets

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground pepper

Instructions For
SouthWest Marinade

Combine the marinade and meat in a resealable plastic food bag, press out as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 1 hour, turning the bag after 30 minutes to distribute beef steak marinade evenly. This is a great beef marinade

Marinating Tips

Best to marinade in resealable plastic food bag, a bag will help to cut down on clean up and allow you to turn, to evenly distribute the marinade.

You can marinade in plastic, glass, or stainless steel containers, covered with lid.

Don't marinade in aluminum containers or foil, a chemical reaction could spoil the meat.

Don't reuse leftover marinade for other food.

Don't use marinade from raw meat unless its boiled first for several minutes.

Always marinade in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.

Tenderizing marinades penetrate about 1/4 inch into the surface of the meat.

See More Great Marinade Recipes

Less tender cuts, benefit from a marinade with tenderizing ingredients (food acids or enzymes) and marinating times of 6 to 24 hours, more than 24 hours and the meat becomes mushy.

They work best on thinner cuts, under 3/4 inch, if you are marinating a large or thick piece of meat you will end up with a mushy exterior and an unaffected center. Thicker cuts can be marinated if you puncture with a fork to penetrate the meat, but this may give uneven results, with further undesirable side effects of allowing meat juices to be lost while cooking.