Marinating Myths

[jodyrah]

I've noticed over the years that marinades don't penetrate much. They do add a good surface taste though, especially in grilling.

I've always heard to be careful marinating shrimp or fish... that the acid in the lemons "cooks" it.

I have a quickee "marinade" (is it a marinade if it's only five minutes?) of lime juice, minced garlic, EVOO and salt and pepper for shimp... throw them on the grill.... oooo it's good and quick. I boil whatever marinate is left in the pan and have it on the side for dipping.

I use a similar recipe, 1C oil, 1/2C fresh lemon juice, 1T zest, couple T's fresh chopped marjoram or oregano,lots of garlic and a minced hot chili along with s&p. I toss on some parsley when they come off the grill. Like you, I boil the marinade and serve it in ramekins for dipping. I read recently that this is unsafe. Oh well.

[Low-N-Slow]

...I boil the marinade and serve it in ramekins for dipping. I read recently that this is unsafe. Oh well.

Without any web research, I would guess this to be a subject of controversy with supporters on both sides. Logically, if the marinade was unsafe to consume even after boiling, it would mean the bacteria responsible for food-borne illness would have had sufficient time to produce the amount of toxin necessary to cause illness. The bacteria themselves are not the cause of food-poisoning, but rather the waste they produce. The toxin is not neutralized by heat. Following that logic, it would then imply that the meat soaked in the marinade would also be unsafe, as the heat of cooking wouldn't kill the toxin present there, either.