Why You Should Put Oil In Your Marinades (Just Not Too Much)

Especially during this, our nation’s proud, protracted grilling season, it’s key to know the basics of a good marinade. For instance, did you know you can (and should) marinate your chicken in yogurt? Really, as satisfying as it is to grab raw meat and chuck it over a fire, the small step of marinating your proteins can yield better texture and more flavor. 

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And while, yes, there are a ton of delicious store-bought marinades out there just waiting to be shellacked onto bland cutlets, it’s both easy and helpful to understand the basics of the homemade marinade. Especially one ingredient you’ll see a lot of that’s actually often over-used: oil.

The Mechanics Of A Marinade

Ah, oil. The slick, slippery, under-sung star of most every successful and delicious recipe. It’s just three little letters, a delicious parade of glycerol and chain fatty acids―a clear(ish), viscous liquid with a stubborn dislike for water. And yet it has such a prominent place in our marinades. Why? 

Where puckish, frisky salt (easily) penetrates protein and acid actually semi “cooks” it, oil kinda hangs out, stays quiet, and keeps things orderly. Oil can never penetrate into the meat (remember how it hates water?), but it can delicately coat it, lock in moisture, and carry, even gently encourage, flavor. For example, garlic is barely water-soluble, but releases tons of flavor compounds in oil. (And yes, the flavor of the oil won’t be prominent, but it will linger―so choose wisely.)

Too Much Of A Good (Slippery) Thing

So yes, you will see oil in many, if not most, marinade recipes, largely because it distributes herbs and spices a kind of slippery bear hug. But just like a hug that lasts too long, too much oil can suffocate―in this case, the protein, acting as a barrier instead of a laid back carrier. (Imagine you’re trying to watch a movie, and the person in front of you…is holding up a giant Costco-sized bottle of vegetable oil. It’s like that.) 

And if you’re grilling (even though it’s a bit more expensive, too much oil in your steak or chops or chicken marinade can drip and singe and cause smoking―of the acrid, harsh, non-Burger King variety. Really, your best bet (besides understanding why the oil’s there in the first place) is to follow a recipe. FYI, the rule of thumb with anything acidic is simply three parts oil to one part acid. But (ideally), your marinating life takes meandering, magical twists and turns (also we vary up proteins, have more/less time, etc.). Don’t be afraid to tweak your marinade and have fun with it. Just, when it comes to oil, as with anything gluggable, never over-glug, and you should be all good.