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how long for a marinade ?

4K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  koukouvagia 
#1 ·
good morning all, my first time here ! i would like your opinions on how long to marinade a rack of lamb ? Providing it is not too acidic is it a case of the longer the better ?

i am thinking olive oil, shallots, rosemary, garlic ,pepper, mint and a tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Normally i would also use red wine but for a longer marinade i feel it would be too acidic and eventually actualy toughen the meat.  

looking forward to your answers

paul
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't marinate a rack of lamb either but if you don't have too much acid in your marinade then I don't see a reason to limit the time.  A couple of hours maybe.  Just make sure you scrape off any of the shallots and herbs off before searing otherwise those will burn to a crisp.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Mostly a marinade serves to tenderize meat in the first place and to add flavor. Lamb is already very tender but quite bland.

I have the best results by putting the meat in a plastic bag, add abundant sunflower oil, a sliced clove of garlic, some chopped rosemary and crushed black pepper. No salt!!! The meat stays in the bag for 30 minutes or more, time is not critical, I even let it in my fridge overnight.

The oil serves as a perfect transmitter for the added flavors. I wouldn't add watery substances like wine and certainly no balsamic vinegar. Do remove the garlic before frying the meat and don't forget to salt. At the very last moment sprinkle some fresh lemonjuice over the meat.
 
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