I was so grateful to find these 30-minute marinades because, y’all, as a new mom, I can hardly remember to thaw the meat I’m going to cook, much thaw it and lovingly marinate it for ten hours. We’re talking 30+ hours of prep at that point, and unless Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry are showing up for dinner, that’s probably not going to happen.
So as we roll into grilling season, I’m going to be leaning heavily on these 30-minute marinades for fabulous last-minute grilling recipes. And then reaping all the yummy benefits. Happy feasting, everybody.
Top image: 30-Minute Marinade for Steak | Girl and the Kitchen
Related: The best grilling recipes to kick off summer cookout season this Memorial Day and beyond.
I love how forgiving a good grilled or baked fish recipe can be for those of us who fail to plan ahead. And salmon’s soft, silky texture means that it needs a mere few minutes to get fully imbued with flavor. This Sesame Ginger Salmon 30-Minute Marinade at Damn Delicious is one of my favorites, and if Asian cooking is part of your repertoire, you should have the ingredients on hand. If not, any excuse to buy Sriracha and fresh ginger is a good one. Check her site for a terrific recipe.
I just want to take a minute to applaud Tiffany at Le Creme de la Crumb for giving us not one, but four chicken marinades that each require only 30 minutes. Plus, they come together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. They all look divine, but this Honey Chipotle 30-Minute Marinade is calling my name as the perfect early summer fare.
Related: 5 summery grilled chicken recipes that will make chicken for dinner exciting again.
Mila at the Girl and the Kitchen lays out an argument for why marinades are better suited to add flavor than to tenderize the meat. I’m really intrigued by her rationale (and also very happy to have an excuse to skip the day-long soak in the fridge), so I can’t wait to try her 30-Minute Marinade Recipe for Steak which she also swears is fantastic on veggies. She even has tips for making it in a Vitamix, so yay for no chopping!
Related: The very best recipes for grilling season and beyond.
Cookouts in the south tend to be fairly meat-centric, which is why seeing this gorgeous spread of vegetables from How Sweet Eats is making me so happy. I think it’ll persuade even the biggest carnivores to try some fresh veggies instead (beyond french fries) to accompany their hamburgers. I’ll be keeping this Marinated Grilled Veggies with Avocado Whipped Feta recipe on hand for weeknight detox dinners, too.
For me, it doesn’t get more summery than fruity salsa and steak tacos, and this Steak Taco 30-minute Marinade at Saltwater Daughters looks like the ideal take on that theme. Make sure you use freshly squeezed orange juice for the marinade rather than store-bought, which tends to have far less acid and far more sugar — not what you want in a marinade. It does require a few extra steps if you make the chipotle lime mayo to drizzle on top, but so worth it in my book.
