Mary Berry's Marinade Tip To Ensure Meat Soaks Up As Much Flavor As Possible
Mary Berry may be anointed the Queen of Cakes, but it's her marinade tip to ensure meat soaks up as much flavor as possible that has us talking. The former judge from "The Great British Bake Off" shared with Love Food that when it comes to getting your meat to taste like all those ingredients in your marinade, there's one particular step you need to take before you marinate it: You should make tiny cuts in the meat and massage the liquid right into those cuts before letting it sit.
Berry's recommendation works exceptionally well on thicker cuts of meat, where all of those lovely juices would normally remain on the surface and never seep deep enough into your protein to flavor most of it. But in addition to adding layers and a depth of flavor to the meat, helping the marinade to reach further into the meat's fibers will help to make for a much more tender, succulent bite.
Things to consider when marinating
Of course, when you're contemplating whether or not to marinate, there are a few other things to consider besides the thickness of the meat. If you're using a marinade that has oil as a primary ingredient, don't expect your filet mignon or veal cutlets to absorb it. Even if you do follow Mary Berry's advice and make cuts in the meat, oil-based marinades tend to stay on the surface of your beef and chicken largely because the meat has a high water content. But acid-based marinades fare well with Berry's trick — the slits allow all those liquids and seasonings to really become a part of whatever you are grilling, baking, or roasting.
Additionally, when selecting a meat to marinate, go for a leaner cut over one that looks fatty. While you might normally associate fat with flavor, you don't want it soaking up all the flavors from your marinade that should be going directly into your meat. That said, you won't need as much flavor-adding fat when you use Berry's tip. In addition to the flavors imparted by the marinade, a lovely side benefit to using this hack is that when you cook the meat, you'll end up with some beautiful caramelization around the incisions, making for a lovely experience for your palate. You may never want to marinate without following Berry's suggestion again!