Rubs, Marinades and Brines

Updated

Collage of four dishes made with rubs and marinades: spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, smoked ribs, steak tips and carne asada

A good rub, marinade or brine does most of the work before the heat goes on. Here are the ones on our site: a beef marinade and a turkey brine to make on their own, and recipes built around a spice rub or a marinade, from spice-rubbed pork tenderloin and smoked ribs to steak tips, carne asada and Korean bulgogi.

Rub, marinade or brine?

  • Dry rub: a mix of salt, spices and herbs pressed onto the meat. It builds a flavorful crust and works in minutes or overnight. Best for pork, ribs, brisket and fish.
  • Marinade: oil, acid such as citrus or vinegar, and seasonings. It flavors and helps tenderize thinner, leaner cuts like flank steak and sirloin tips. Most need 2 to 24 hours; acidic ones should not go much longer.
  • Brine: salt (and often sugar) dissolved in water. It seasons deep into the meat and helps lean poultry and pork stay juicy. Always brine in the refrigerator.

18 recipes

Marinades and brines to make on their own

  • Butter and Lemon Beef Marinade2 hr 40 min total | About 1 3/4 cups, enough for 2 to 3 pounds of beef

    A cooked beef marinade of butter, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, garlic and parsley that flavors and tenderizes steak for the grill or broiler.

  • Turkey Brine16 hr 25 min total | Enough for one 12 to 16 pound turkey

    A simple wet brine of salt, brown sugar, orange, peppercorns, bay and rosemary that seasons the turkey all the way through and keeps the breast juicy. For a 12 to 16 pound turkey.

Recipes built around a dry rub

  • Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin40 min total | 4 servings

    Pork tenderloin coated in a dry rub of garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme, chili powder and a little cayenne, seared in a hot skillet and finished in a 450°F oven. Serves 4.

  • Cajun Grilled Pork25 min total | 4 servings

    Boneless pork chops or tenderloin coated in a quick homemade Cajun rub of paprika, cayenne, sage, black pepper and seasoned salt, then grilled. Serves 4.

  • Smoked Baby Back Ribs5 hr 20 min total | 4 to 6 servings

    Baby back ribs rubbed with a sweet and smoky spice blend, smoked low and slow, wrapped until tender and finished with a glossy barbecue sauce glaze. Serves 4 to 6.

  • Texas Smoked Brisket13 hr 30 min total | 12 to 16 servings

    A whole packer brisket rubbed with coarse salt and pepper, smoked low and slow over oak or hickory, wrapped in butcher paper and rested until tender. Serves 12 to 16.

  • Blackened Tuna with Mango Salsa3 hr 35 min total | 4 servings

    Lime-and-garlic marinated tuna steaks coated in a homemade blackening spice, seared in a hot skillet and served on a cool, fresh mango salsa. Serves 4.

Recipes built around a marinade

  • New England Marinated Steak Tips4 hr 27 min total | 4 servings

    Sirloin tips marinated in soy, garlic, brown sugar and Worcestershire, then grilled or pan-seared until caramelized. A New England pub favorite. Serves 4.

  • Spiced Marinated London Broil1 hr 30 min total

    London broil tenderized, generously seasoned with garlic, onion, seasoned salt and celery salt, glazed with ketchup and vinegar and Worcestershire, and barbecued to taste.

  • Carne Asada4 hr 35 min total | 6 servings

    Flank or skirt steak marinated in orange and lime juice with garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and cumin, grilled over high heat and sliced for tacos or plates. Serves 6.

  • Steak Fajitas2 hr 40 min total | 4 to 6 servings

    Skirt steak marinated in lime, garlic, cumin and chili powder, seared hot, sliced thin and served sizzling with charred peppers and onions and warm flour tortillas. Serves 4 to 6.

  • Beef Bulgogi (Marinated Ribeye)2 hr total | 4 servings

    Paper-thin slices of ribeye marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar, grated pear, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, then seared fast in a very hot skillet with onion and green onions. Serves 4.

  • LA Galbi (Grilled Korean Short Ribs)4 hr 35 min total | 6 servings

    Thin flanken-cut beef short ribs soaked in a soy, pear, garlic and sesame marinade for at least 4 hours, then grilled over high heat for just a few minutes per side. Serves 6.

  • Teriyaki Beef Steak12 hr 21 min total

    Flank or sandwich steak marinated overnight in soy sauce, sherry, honey and plenty of garlic, cut in thin strips, optionally wrapped around mushrooms, and broiled.

  • Chicken Inasal (Grilled Lemongrass Chicken)4 hr 50 min total | 4 servings

    Chicken leg quarters marinated in vinegar, citrus, lemongrass, ginger and garlic, grilled and basted with annatto oil until charred and juicy. A specialty of Bacolod; serves 4.

  • Tandoori Chicken4 hr 45 min total | 4 servings

    Bone-in chicken legs marinated in spiced yogurt and grilled until charred and juicy, with red onion and lemon. Serves 4.

  • Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs1 hr 32 min total | 6 servings

    Chicken breast cubes marinated in Greek yogurt with tomato paste, garlic, lemon, red pepper and sweet paprika, then grilled on skewers. Serves 6.

  • Herbed Beef Kebabs6 hr 50 min total

    Sirloin cubes and green pepper marinated 6 hours to overnight in an herbed mustard and vinegar marinade, grilled with mushrooms over slow coals, with tomatoes on their own skewers.

Common questions

How long should meat marinate?
Thin steaks and chicken pieces need 2 to 12 hours; most beef can go up to 24. Marinades with a lot of citrus or vinegar can turn the surface mushy after a day.
Can I reuse a marinade?
Not raw. Discard marinade that held raw meat, or boil it for at least 1 minute before using it as a sauce. Set some aside before adding the meat if you want extra for serving.
How far ahead can I apply a dry rub?
Up to a day ahead, covered in the refrigerator. Rubs with a lot of salt season more deeply the longer they sit.

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