three basic marinades!

three basic marinades make cooking easy as 1-2-3!

It’s summer and so we grill.

We’re actually lucky enough to be able to grill year round, but we do tend to do so more in the warmer weather. It’s nice to keep the oven off and I feel (a little) less guilty seeing Mike outside with a cold beer than wearing a parka and gloves.

That said, I especially love being able to put whatever protein (steak, fish, chicken, even tofu) into a ziploc bag, add a marinade, and keep in the fridge while I go out for the day. Marinades add tons of flavor and can help break down tougher fibers in steak and chicken, so they’re more tender when they come off the grill.

I have three favorite marinades that I rotate on the regular, and since it’s Monday you know that they will all incorporate essential oils!

Essential oils are lovely to use in marinades because they are very concentrated – so you get a lot of flavor with only a few drops! For example, one bottle of Lemon oil contains the extract of 75 lemons, so you can imagine how much flavor you’d get by adding 2 or 3 drops to your dish.

Essential oils also come in handy if I don’t have a particular herb or spice on-hand, or if I just need a few tablespoons. This is especially true when it comes to herbs like cilantro or parsley.

All recipes are for 1 1/2 pounds of protein; adjust seasonings to your tastes and preferences. I take full advantage of packaged seasoning mixes too because – well, it’s summer!

Let me know if you make any, and tag me at @sherisilver on Instagram!

About the author

Sheri Silver

Sheri Silver is a New York-based food photographer and recipe developer who has been cooking and baking for over 30 years. She works with brands, authors and restaurants to create recipes that are as beautiful as they are foolproof - and every recipe on this blog has been made, tweaked and eaten in her own kitchen.