Oil, acid, salt, and sugar amounts per pound of meat — with marinade time by protein type.
Total marinade
≈ 1.50 cups
24.0 tbsp
Oil
14.4 tbsp
Acid
4.8 tbsp
Aromatics / salt
4.8 tbsp
Marinate time
Olive oil + lemon or red wine vinegar + herbs + salt.
2 h – 12 h
The rule is 0.5 cup of marinade per pound — enough to coat, not drown. Fat carries flavor, acid tenderizes the surface, salt seasons deep, sugar helps char. Over-marinating in acid makes proteins mushy (especially fish).
Always marinate in the fridge in a zip bag or shallow non-reactive dish. Reserve some un-used marinade for finishing — never re-use what touched raw meat without boiling first.
total_tbsp = meat_lb × 8 (½ cup per lb)
oil / acid / sugar / aromatics = total × style_ratio
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