Comments on: The Art of the Marinade: Making Inexpensive Foods Dazzlingly Tasty for Pennies http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: RuthM http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-707191 RuthM Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:00:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-707191 Comment #9 is incorrect. Whenever I’ve heard this subject brooched on Food Network Channel, none of the chefs recommend this practice. It’s an excellent way to get sick!

]]> By: MattL http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-705851 MattL Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:50:09 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-705851 I don’t think there really is a “cheap” way to eat mean often. Even if you buy it in bulk and flavor it with cheap marinade, you still are going to end up with higher medical bills (because of high cholesterol and other ailments). A good “cheap” alternative to meat is to switch to legumes, whole grains and other plant based foods. You can easily make a batch of rice and beans to feed a large family. With the right added veggies and spices, it can out flavor many meat dishes.

]]> By: MAC http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-686677 MAC Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:44:07 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-686677 Comment #40 is just wrong. Cooking will denaturize proteins that are meant to tenderize meat. Heat and acidity can denaturize proteins, which is why a high fever is bad for us.

The example we use in our first year biology lab:

Add some pineapple juice instead of water when you’re making jell-o, and it will never solidify (bromelain will denature the gelatin). Heat that pineapple juice up first (or used canned juice – which has been pasteurized) and you will get solidified jell-o. Why? The heat denatures the bromelain, and it won’t break down the gelatin.

There is a reason you marinade before cooking.

]]> By: mike http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-684651 mike Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:21:37 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-684651 @Jeff–Alton Brown used reserved marinade, not cooking jucies. You need to watch that episode again.

]]> By: Icarus http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-681021 Icarus Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:33:35 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-681021 Trent buys in bulk so he’s doing the pricing based on his total supply divided by the amount of marinades he gets out of the batch.

Also, about putting the used marinade on the food you are grilling — since you’re about to grill the meat, wouldn’t that kill any bacteria anyway?

I’ve also found that leaving it set overnight in the fridge works fine but I’ve only done it with chicken breasts. And I use salad dressings that I can get pretty cheap from Aldi’s.

]]> By: Susie http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680928 Susie Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:37:03 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680928 Cheap zesty Italian dressing is the most frugal, simple and tasty marinade. You can add any herbs or traditional flavorings to this “base” and it will work great. It has the acid and oils most marinade recipes call for. Try it!!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680805 Jeff Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:41:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680805 Please do not do this, as suggested by another commenter:

“Alton Brown suggested using half of the marinade pre-cooking, and then putting the cooked meat in the reserved marinade post-cooking”

Alton Brown was talking about the reserved *juices* from cooking…NOT the leftover marinade (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/skirt-steak-recipe/index.html). The only way you can reuse leftover marinade after it has been hanging around with raw meat for hours is to cook the marinade itself to get rid of the nasties. And even then, I wouldn’t recommend it.

AB would be *appalled* at the idea of soaking cooked meat in leftover marinade. He’s very serious about hygiene.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680767 Jessica Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:11:59 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680767 I LOVE your posts like this! Thank you so much. I look forward to trying several of these soon! :o)

]]> By: Matt http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680637 Matt Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:37:16 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680637 I can’t for the life of me understand why you’d use 1+ cups of olive oil for a marinade.

I agree with a previous poster about Italian dressing. That is an amazing marinade, especially for chicken!!

I agree with a different poster about dry rubs. A little olive oil, pat on the dry rub, and allowing it to set in a foil-bed for 5+ minutes after cooking gives an amazing taste, and even left juice sauce for topping.

But you put some good ingredient choices on here for marinade options. I’m trying a few of these myself :) Thanks!

]]> By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680214 DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:51:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680214 Great post!

Marinades and grilling over charcoal are the best ways to turn so-so meats into amazing meals.

]]> By: Sharon http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680168 Sharon Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:51:33 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680168 Safeway will give you free marinade, too. I assume Vons will as it is pretty much the same store.

]]> By: JT http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-680146 JT Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:25:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-680146 Great ideas, I love your food posts…thanks!

]]> By: Ellie http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-679281 Ellie Sun, 31 May 2009 13:32:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-679281 Hy Trent,
Still can not read the last words on each line of your articles. I love the articles, don’t like having to guess at every 20th, 21st and 22nd word of each sentence.
Could you check with your computer people about adding “show full page” option. That way, the “hot mail” accounts could read entire articles.
Thanks

]]> By: Kolla http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678646 Kolla Sun, 31 May 2009 01:32:35 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678646 Great post, now that grilling season is upon us, I will for sure try some of those out soon!

]]> By: Lisa http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678184 Lisa Sat, 30 May 2009 18:13:36 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678184 For an even cheaper marinade, check with the butcher at your grocery store. At my supermarkets (Raleys and Bel Air in California) they will put free marinade or rub on the meats you buy in their store. I do this with most meats I buy for bbqing and then just stick them in the freezer, pull them out, thaw in microwave and they’re ready to go!

]]> By: friend http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678081 friend Sat, 30 May 2009 15:46:39 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678081 as soon as i saw “tasty” in the headline, i jumped to the comments to see if there would be mean remarks. congrats to those who restrained themselves.

]]> By: chuck http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678072 chuck Sat, 30 May 2009 15:32:43 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678072 Unless you cook in the marinade, it won’t “tenderize” your meat. It can and will add a great deal of flavor. As far as tofu goes, you can buy the firm and freeze it and when it defrosts it looses most of the moisture giving you a more meat like texture. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Sandra http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678066 Sandra Sat, 30 May 2009 15:26:58 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678066 I would recomend that when you bulk buy the meat as you package it into smaller portions marinate it then. That way it absorbs as it freezes and as it thaws. Means that making dinner is much faster and if you’re not inclined to label every container just pull out surprise flavours!
Once a month (or 6 weeks, depending upon life and scheduling) my man and I go to Costco and then spend almost 3 hours making sauces and slicing/cubing our meat for the coming weeks. This dramatically reduces dinner preparations as we’re both commuters so we simply pull something out in the morning and let it thaw in the fridge all day.
Thanks for the recipes, we’ll be trying a few of them in about 2 weeks!

]]> By: Sandra Dee http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-678018 Sandra Dee Sat, 30 May 2009 14:01:10 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-678018 Those are great marinade ideas. I usually just stick with Italian dressing (which I get for only $0.08 matching coupons and sales)! I am definitely going to try some of these – especially the apple one and asian. Thanks for making me hungry! :)

]]> By: kleanchap http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/05/29/the-art-of-the-marinade-making-inexpensive-foods-dazzlingly-tasty-for-pennies/#comment-677987 kleanchap Sat, 30 May 2009 13:18:48 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3658#comment-677987 Love the marinating idea. My cooking typically get boring after recycling the same 4 recipes every month. I will try the above marinating ideas. Thank you.

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