5 Best Juices to Make Homemade Marinades

In culinary arts, grilled meat, fish, vegetables or even tofu will become much more attractive thanks to the marinade.

More than just flavoring, sauces also help soften foods, add moisture, and aid in the cooking process to achieve the perfect crispy exterior.

Little known secret: fruit juice is a great ingredient for making homemade marinades.

Here are five juices chefs recommend:

Lemon and lime juice

Vinegar is often used in marinades because not only does it add a sour taste that enhances the flavor, but the acidity in vinegar also helps break down the meat's structure, making the dish softer and easier to enjoy.

The good news is that acidic fruit juices like lemon and lime have a similar effect, but are more pleasant and delicious.

While lemon juice may make you wince at the sour taste, it’s not as “shocking” as vinegar. Instead, it has a mild sweetness and a fresh fruity flavor. Lemon juice is versatile, blending with most other fruit juices and going well with almost any marinade.

Lime juice is similar, but has a bolder, slightly bitter, more pronounced flavor. It is often paired with tropical ingredients and goes particularly well with fish, white meats, and vegetables.

Whatever you choose, don’t forget to use the grated zest. This is the most flavorful part of the lemon, and will help to bring out the best in your dish. Also, balance the sourness with a little sweetness. Honey, brown sugar, or any other sweetener will work. The sweet-sour combination will give your dish a delicious flavor.

Passion fruit juice

Passion fruit marinade brings a light, fresh and sweet feeling. (Source: Getty Images)

Passion fruit is one of the favorite fruits to prepare, not only because of its sweet and sour taste, but also because of its bright yellow color and characteristic crunchy black seeds.

Try making a passion fruit marinade for fish, chicken, pork, or light vegetables. Be sure to choose mildly flavored proteins rather than red meat or meats with strong flavors. Passion fruit marinades are light, fresh, and sweet.

You just need to add a little honey to balance the sour taste, combined with lemon juice, minced shallots, mustard, salt and pepper.

You can use pure bottled passion fruit juice or squeeze it yourself from fresh passion fruit, enjoy the crunchy seeds that create a new feeling and eye-catching appearance.

A fun little tip: passion fruit juice can also be a great base for salad dressing, giving the dish a unique and appealing look.

Pineapple juice

Have you ever felt numb lips or a burning tongue after eating pineapple? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. The cause lies in bromelain – an enzyme in pineapple that breaks down proteins. In other words, when you eat pineapple, the pineapple is “eating” you. However, don’t worry too much, because bromelain is quickly neutralized by saliva.

Because of its ability to break down collagen, bromelain also tenderizes meat, making pineapple juice a top meat tenderizer and a great ingredient in marinades. Plus, the natural sweetness of pineapple means you don’t need to add sugar or syrup to your mix.

Pineapple juice is versatile, refreshing, and easy to pair. It pairs well with pork ribs, fish and seafood, light vegetables, tofu, and poultry.

Pomegranate juice

Many people are familiar with the formulas used. pomegranate concentrate for marinating or coating dishes. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't use 100% pure pomegranate juice in marinades.

The difference is: pomegranate sauce is typically sweeter, less acidic, and more concentrated, while pomegranate juice retains its natural tartness. Both offer similar flavor nuances, but it's up to you to decide what you want to use them for.

Sweet pomegranate sauce: goes well with salmon or root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets...)

Pomegranate juice is sour and refreshing: suitable for beef, chicken, lamb, rabbit or many other vegetables.

Pomegranate juice not only brings an attractive red color but also creates depth of flavor, making the dish luxurious and rich in taste sensation.

Orange juice

Orange juice isn’t just a morning vitamin C booster or a great ingredient for champagne, it can also be a great ingredient in marinades. Thanks to its acidic nature, orange juice helps tenderize meat by breaking down proteins, creating a pleasantly tender texture.

Unlike the harsh sour taste of lemon or lime, orange juice has a milder flavor but still retains its freshness and natural sweetness, creating a balance when combined with meat.

Orange juice also pairs well with fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or even cardamom. For a fresher taste, add honey and mint. And don’t forget black pepper, which adds a slight spice while also balancing out the sweetness of the orange juice.

Thanks to its balance of light sourness, sweetness and fresh aroma, orange juice is a versatile choice in the kitchen, from light vegetarian dishes to rich grilled dishes./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/5-loai-nuoc-trai-cay-tot-nhat-de-lam-nuoc-xot-uop-tai-nha-post1057649.vnp