Memorial Day Cookout: 4 Marinades to Try

Memorial Day weekend is here! It’s the first big barbecue weekend of the year and we want everyone to be ready to cook out. To make your grilled meats tasty and moist, we have a few ideas to get the most flavor out of your food. Here are 4 marinades to try this weekend.

Chicken A favorite marinade for chicken is the Greek version — it’s simple and the flavor is bold but light enough to go well with beer or the refreshing summer cocktails you’ll be mixing up this weekend. This recipe comes from the Baking Bookworm. Most of the ingredients are items you probably already have in your pantry so you don’t need to make an extra trip to the store before your party.

Beef A little bit of Latin flavor goes a long way to make your steaks stand out! There isn’t much to this marinade from The Gardening Cook. Cuban style steak is only slightly more than a sprinkle of cumin and a twist of lime — just 30 minutes in the refrigerator and you’ll be on a 90 mile journey off the coast of Florida… all without leaving your backyard!

Salmon Give your salmon a little bite with jalapeños and keep it fresh with a splash of lime! Barefeet in the Kitchen offers her Mojo Marinade to give your salmon a little kick. A few fresh ingredients from a trip to the farmers market can yield enough Mojo Marinade to last you from Memorial Day to Labor Day with friends and family asking for more!

Pork The grilled pork tenderloin with Thai marinade requires a lot of ingredients — but it’s worth it! This recipe comes from the Bewitching Kitchen and, even though there are a lot of ingredients, you shouldn’t be scared — the hardest part of it is the shopping! All you have to do is chop up the ingredients; they don’t have to be pretty because it’s just a marinade. It does require quite a bit of time for the tenderloin to soak up all the flavors, but it’s a three-day weekend — you have time!

You don’t have to marinate your meat this Memorial Day weekend — you may want to put all of your effort in the outdoor fun — sometimes just a little salt and pepper is all you need to create the right flavors. But if you want to make your party memorable, try something new and bold! Your guests will be happy you did.