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How Do I Choose the Best Lamb Marinade?

Misty Amber Brighton
Misty Amber Brighton

When you are trying to choose a lamb marinade, the right product can depend on your own personal taste and how you plan to cook this meat. A vinegar-based marinade can help tenderize the meat while removing some of the strong flavor of lamb. One with a citrus base could also tenderize the meat, but might give the lamb a more acidic flavor. If you are grilling with marinades, a brand that contains molasses could give the meat a crunchy texture and make it taste somewhat sweet. You can choose a marinade with many different spices, and some of the more common ones include rosemary, mint, and garlic.

Those who have never tried lamb before may want to use a marinade made mostly from white vinegar. This is because vinegar penetrates the meat fibers, which tenderizes it and removes some of the strong flavor. This type of lamb marinade also allows the seasoning to get deep into the lamb, which can result in a more flavorful product.

Greek cooks often tenderize lamb chops by marinating them in a blend of yogurt, garlic, and rosemary.
Greek cooks often tenderize lamb chops by marinating them in a blend of yogurt, garlic, and rosemary.

A lamb marinade with citrus can also help tenderize and season the meat, but may allow less of the spices to penetrate. As a result, you may taste more of the meat flavor when cooking with these marinades. You can also choose a brand that is part vinegar and part lemon juice, and one of these can be a nice choice if you do not want either the meat or the seasonings to overpower one another.

Many people enjoy grilling with marinades, and if this is something you would like to do then a brand that contains molasses could be a good choice. Using one of these marinades on the grill normally results in a crispy outer layer of meat that's slightly sweet on the inside. If you choose a marinade made with molasses, you may want to buy enough so you can baste the lamb with fresh sauce while it is cooking.

You can choose a lamb marinade with a wide variety of different spices. Some cooks also like to use their own blend of herbs and seasonings to make a homemade marinade. Spices you might want to consider include rosemary, garlic, pepper, and mint. These could be added to the marinade itself when soaking the lamb, but you may also want to add these to a bit of olive oil and then baste the meat from time to time while you are cooking it.

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    • Greek cooks often tenderize lamb chops by marinating them in a blend of yogurt, garlic, and rosemary.
      By: sattriani
      Greek cooks often tenderize lamb chops by marinating them in a blend of yogurt, garlic, and rosemary.