Marinating a steak is important because it adds so many extra flavors that take your steak to the next level. How long you can marinate a steak is not only a matter of time but also many other factors that affect the quality of your steak. There are many types of them, from different types of meat, each with its own requirements for marinating time.
Steak is not uncommon for experienced chefs or food lovers. However, when eating this dish, you need to understand what a steak is and some technical terms. Therefore, this section is intended to help you gain a deeper understanding of steaks.
Speaking of steak, are you thinking of beef steak? You can also say that you got it right. However, steak is not only beef but all types of meat. This meat is usually cut across the grain and left on the bone.
As we have said, steaks can be prepared from any kind of animal. But here we will talk about typical steaks that you can buy and serve, and we will not disassemble unusual meat.
Why should steaks be marinated?
Before diving into the purposes of marinating steaks, you should understand the definition of marinating. Marinating is the technique of preparing a fragrant liquid for soaking food before cooking. And this liquid is called marinade.
Since ancient times, people have known how to marinate meat in brine. The word “pickle” comes from the French word “marine” (pickle).
Pickling serves two purposes. Firstly, it gives the meat an additional taste. While some cuts of meat may not be of the highest quality, marinating them will greatly enhance their flavor. Secondly, this process makes the meat more tender by adding more moisture to it.
Detailed comparison of marinades
A marinade is a liquid mixture made up of oil, seasonings, and often acidic ingredients. There are three main types of marinades: sour, fermented, and dairy. Let’s learn about each of the characteristics of the marinade.
Sour marinade
It is usually made from vinegar, wine, soy sauce, or, most commonly, citrus juice. Too much acidity will cause the meat to become tough. Because after a while, soaked in an acidic liquid, the bonds of meat proteins will shrink and push out the water.
Enzymatic marinade
Mango, papaya, or kiwi are often used to make an enzymatic marinade. These enzymes break down the connective tissue within the muscle fiber and collagen. Leave the steak in the enzymatic marinade too long and it will become tender.
Milk-based marinade
Kefir and yogurt are often dairy-based marinades. The amount of acid contained in them is small enough so that it does not damage tissues, like acidic ones. Calcium in milk activates enzymes in meat and breaks down tissues, tenderizing the meat.
Different types of steaks require different marinating times.
There is a lot to talk about when it comes to beef steak. Probably everyone knows what a beef steak is. But did you know that there are so many types of them?
How long can you Marinate Steak? – Different Steaks
Why do marinating times vary for different steaks? This is just because the consistency of each kind of meat is distinct. Let’s find out how long you can marinate a steak for each of them in this section.
Here’s the time for each type, which includes chicken, pork, fish, and lamb. Using this table, you can determine how long it takes to marinate each type of meat.
Chicken steak
The surface of a chicken steak is less firm than a beef steak. Therefore, it is not necessary to soak the chicken in the marinade overnight, like some thick beef steaks.
Recommended minimum marinating time for chicken steak is 2 hours. While 2 days is enough to preserve flavor and texture, 24 hours of marinating is ideal.
Pork steak
For pork, it’s a little different, as there are pork chops and pork steak. These are all pieces of pork but from different parts. Pork chops are made from the loin, and steaks are made from ham and shoulder. The difference between the two is that the former is leaner and contains fewer calories and fat. On the other hand, steaks have a marbling that gives them more flavor and tenderness.
Although both of these cuts are slightly different, there is always room for additional flavors and tenderness. For pork steaks, the recommended minimum marinating time is 30 minutes. For pork chops – 1 hour, and the maximum marinating time for both types is 24 hours.
Fish steak
Fish steaks, cut perpendicular to the backbone, are usually made from large fish such as tuna, swordfish, or salmon. If you are cutting calories, fish steaks are your choice.
A marinade with acidic ingredients such as lime or lemon can partially cook the fish if you leave it too long.
Fish steaks will make another dish called ceviche – seafood marinated in lime juice.
Because of this, the ideal marinating time for fish steaks is very short, 1 to 2 hours. And the maximum time is 24 hours.
Lamb steak
One dairy-based marinade that pairs well with lamb is Greek yogurt. The acid in yogurt enhances the delicious taste and reduces the unpleasant lamb flavor that many fear.
What makes lamb steak special is that the longer it marinates, the more delicious it becomes. The minimum time required to marinate a lamb steak is 2 to 4 hours, and in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.
Related Post: How long can you marinate chicken?
What to do if you marinate a steak for too long?
Many people think that the longer a steak marinates, the tastier it will be. However, this belief is completely wrong. This not only affects the taste and texture of your steaks, but it is also dangerous to consume such foods.
Over-marinating ruins the texture and flavor of the steak.
Marinating a steak for several days will backfire. As noted in the previous section, the acidic and enzymatic ingredients in a marinade can begin to break down the fibers of the steak. The result is a soft (or tough) steak with excessive flavor.
How to store a marinated steak?
What if you accidentally cooked too much-marinated steak and you can’t cook it all in one go?
Store your steak in the refrigerator
To avoid bacterial contamination, the marinade and steak must be placed in an airtight bag. The ideal temperature for your refrigerator should be around 1-4°C. Do not open the sealed bag too many times before cooking.
This way you can keep the steak for 1 to 2 days. After this mark, the steak can no longer be eaten.
How long does a steak keep in the freezer?
You can freeze all types of steaks including raw, cooked, and marinated. Their shelf life in the freezer is completely different. See the table below for how long they can stay in the freezer.
Raw steak
Raw steak lasts a very long time in the freezer. You can store it for up to 12 months. Its shelf life depends on the freshness of the steak and storage conditions. Raw steak lasts much longer if it is fresh and properly stored.
Cooked steak
Dealing with steak leftovers is one of the most important issues. Fortunately, there is a solution. Freezing a cooked steak will help you retain its flavor for a long time, which is very tempting. It can be safely stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Failed to load image
Marinated steak
Freezing a marinated steak makes it even more tender and flavorful. So this is a great idea. How long this can last depends on how well and how long you have marinated your steak. Steaks with less seasoning last much longer than others.