Marinating Basics

• Marinades contain oil, an acid such as vinegar, lemon juice, or tomato juice, and seasonings. Marinate covered food in the refrigerator for a period of time to add extra flavour. (Refer to "Marinating Math" for guidelines.)
• Use glass, stainless steel, plastic, or disposable aluminum bowls or pans to marinate foods. Do not use untreated aluminum pans, as they react to the acid in the marinade. Heavy-duty sealable plastic food storage bags are also good choices. You don't need to use utensils to handle the meat - simply flip the bag. However, bags are not recommended for delicate fish such as salmon.
• The marinade does not need to cover the food. As a rule of thumb, allow 1/4 to 1/2 cup marinade for every 1 to 2 lb. of food. Turn a few times to distribute the marinade.
• If you are planning to marinate for a short period, make the marinade a couple of hours ahead of time and refrigerate so the flavours blend better.
• Fish and seafood should be marinated up to a maximum of an hour because their delicate texture may break down and become mushy, due to the acidity of the marinade.
• For safety reasons, always discard marinade in which raw meat has been soaking. Do not use this marinade for basting. Make extra marinade for basting and dipping.

Marinating Math

Tip: If using a combination of meat and vegetables, marinate in separate containers.

Marinade Mates

For a quick and tasty marinade, try Kraft Vinaigrette Dressings. They contain oils and acids to tenderize meat, plus the spices and seasonings have already been added. All you have to do is pour.

• Chicken/beef: try marinating in Kraft Signature Collection Balsamic Vinaigrette or Sun-Dried Tomato and Oregano Vinaigrette Dressings.
• Fish: try Kraft Zesty Italian or House Italian Dressings.
• Vegetables: try Kraft Roasted Red Pepper & Parmesan Dressing

Saucy Solutions

If you don't have time to marinate, another way to add flavour to your grilled fare is with barbecue sauce. (We don't recommend using both sauce and marinade together.) Brush sauce on meat during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time to avoid burning. Divide the sauce using one part for brushing during grilling and the other for serving at the table. Try some of our secret recipes to spice up your sauce:

• Start with 1 cup Kraft Barbecue Sauce and then stir in add-ins.
• Spicy-Sweet: 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
• Berry It Up: 1/4 cup Kraft Red Raspberry Jam or your favourite flavour of jam
• Thai: 1/4 cup Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter and 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
• Southwestern: 1/4 cup honey and 1 minced, seeded jalapeno pepper

Grill Gadgets

Be sure to keep these handy helpers close at hand when you're barbecuing:

• Long-handled grill tongs to keep your hands safe
• Basting Brush - essential for applying barbecue sauce while grilling.
• Meat Thermometer - to check the internal temperature of meat and ensure it's fully cooked.

Recipes

Caribbean Chicken Kabobs
Chicken Satay
Grilled Fish and Peppers
Grilled Steak & Parmesan Salad
KRAFT Spicy Steak Marinade
Maritime Salmon
Sizzling Beef & Vegetable Kabobs