Marinate

Soaking a food (usually meat although it also works with vegetables) in a liquid to make it more flavorful and/or tender. Most marinades contain oil and seasonings, but all need some type of acidic ingredient (such as vinegar, wine, citrus juice, yogurt or buttermilk). You'll need about 1/2 cup marinade of each pound of food. Turn your food frequently, if it is not submerged in the marinade, so that all parts of it benefit. The amount of time a food needs to spend in a marinade will vary depending on the food and the type of marinade. Your recipes should give you guidelines.