Food - Drink
Why Your Marinated Steak Became A Mushy Disaster
By EMILY BOYETTE
Many home cooks like to marinate their steak for the best final result. The Chicago Steak Company says a good marinade needs salt, acid, oil, and flavorings, and each of these components plays a role in elevating the taste of your steak, but one underrated aspect of marinating is time, which can quickly turn on you.
How long you marinate your steak plays a huge role in its flavor and texture, and it's not true that the longer you marinate, the better. The USDA recommends letting your steak marinate for at least 6 hours up to 24 hours, but after 48 hours, the meat’s texture will become mushy as its fibers are eaten away by the acidic marinade.
Marinating for too long can also flavor your steak too strongly and give it an unpleasant color. Prepared Cooks recommends marinating for a few hours and turning the steak so both sides soak up the flavor; plus, oils with a high smoke point like soybean, safflower, or peanut can help the marinade penetrate the steak.