Homemade Marinade Recipes for BBQs
Homemade marinade recipes may not be quite as easy as
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes
or Homemade BBQ Rub Recipes, but don't be fooled into thinking they are
hard to make. They will however usually call for a few special ingredients. But, all the marinade recipes listed on this page can be made
in about ten of minutes if you have the correct ingredients.
You can make a homemade marinade in a matter of minutes but you need to plan ahead if you want use a marinade. This is true of
store bought marinades as well. This is because, marinades are usually best if you can let the food soak in it overnight.
The extra effort pays off though by infusing your food with a delicious taste. Marinades are most commonly used with foods
like beef, pork, fish and chicken.
It is very important to note that if you plan
on using the marinade as a baste, you must set a portion of it aside before you begin marinating. The baste may not get hot enough
while cooking to kill any harmful bacteria growing in it. You can also boil the marinade after it has been in contact with any meats
but this sometimes has undesired effects on the marinade.
This first homemade marinade recipe is for an Italian style marinade. It goes great with any type of meat but is especially good
on beef or chicken.
Homemade Italian Style Marinade Recipe
- 1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Oregano (Dry)
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- Black Pepper, to taste
Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and you are done.
You can replace the garlic powder with a clove of pressed garlic if you like.
Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cooking.
Be sure to turn the meat occasionally. This will help the marinade soak evenly into the meat. A good idea is to place the meat
and marinade into a large freezer bag. In this way, you just have to flip the bag over to stir things up.
Our next homemade marinade recipe is for a lemon pepper marinade. This marinade is best with chicken or fish.
Homemade Lemon Pepper Marinade Recipe
- 1/2 Small Onion (Minced)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Fresh Rosemary (Chopped)
- Black Pepper, to taste
Simply mix the ingredients in a bowl and you are done. You may replace the garlic powder with a clove of pressed garlic instead.
You might also try adding half a tablespoon of honey to sweeten this marinade up a little bit.
Place the meat and marinade in a freezer bag or a covered bowl and
refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight for the best results. Be sure to occasionally flip the meat so the marinade
soaks in thoroughly. This marinade is also quite good to use simply as a baste, especially if you only want a light taste of
lemon and pepper.
This next homemade marinade recipe is for a steak house style marinade. This marinade is best with pork and beef, especially ribs and steaks.
Homemade Steak House Style Marinade
- 1 Small Onion (Minced)
- 5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1-2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Use one teaspoon of liquid smoke for a mild smoky flavor or use two teaspoons for a stronger smoky flavor.
Simply mix the ingredients together in a pot and shimmer on low heat for 5 minutes. This will help bond the flavors together.
Allow the marinade to cool before placing it and the meat in a freezer bag or sealed container. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours
and flip the meat occasionally. This marinade makes an excellent baste, as well.
If you are not familiar with liquid smoke, you should be able to find it in most grocery stores in the BBQ sauce section.
It is almost always used in smoky flavored BBQ sauces and many restaurants use it to give their food a smoky flavor.
This final homemade marinade recipe is for a spicy hot marinade. This marinade goes well with just about any type of meat but
it is especially good with chicken, pork and ribs.
Homemade Spicy Hot Marinade
- 1 1/2 cup Beer
- 1/2 cup Cilantro (Chopped)
- 3 Garlic Cloves (Pressed)
- 1/2 cup Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
You should use a blender or food processor to mix the ingredients until they are well combined. Place the marinade and meat in a
freezer bag or sealed container. Allow to marinade for at least 3 hours. This marinade will be especially good if you allow
the meat to marinade overnight. Don't forget to occasionally flip the meat. Use this marinade as a baste to add some extra flavor
when cooking. You may also want to add some extra Tabasco sauce and chili powder depending on how hot you like your food to be.
Homemade marinades are pretty easy to make and they allow you the flexibility to make slight changes to the recipe in order
to customize the taste to exactly what you like. After making a marinade a few times you may discover that you have invented
something totally new and delicious.
Hopefully you have found these recipes useful and your nextb BBQ will be a huge success because of it. If you looking for
specific recipes, you might try looking through
the Picnic Recipes section on our sister site.
You might also want to check out our article on
Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipes.
