I know. It’s hard enough to remember to thaw something, let alone prepare a marinade. I’m with you. But I have to admit, when we had some friends over for a barbecue and my husband downloaded a shish kebab recipe that required marinating, I thought, what the heck. If you’re like us, we clean like crazy before friends come over. If you’re going to do all that work, you might as well go all out for cooking.

Perhaps the most basic thing to know about marinating is that it is a verb. You physically place the meat, vegetable or fruit in a flavored liquid and let it soak for a few hours or overnight. A marinade with a it is a noun, or the liquid in which the food is soaked. Marinades consist of an acid base, such as lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt, beer, or wine. Finally, here’s a way to use up that leftover vintage wine in the back of the fridge.

When preparing to dip your food in a marinade, don’t use an aluminum pan, unless you like a metallic taste in your food. The acid in the base mentioned above will react with the metal in the pan. A glass container is best, but a plastic container works well too.

To your sour base, add any oil and some flavorings. This is why in a pinch, an oil and vinegar dressing is really helpful. Select your favorite spice combinations, add a dressing you like (someone else has made the selection for you), or make sure you have plenty of Italian dressing on hand. Common condiments include soy sauce, honey, onions (scallions), or garlic. As a general rule of thumb, a half cup of marinade is good for about a pound of meat or other food.

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers not only add flavor, they also add lots of color to the skewers. Similarly, mushrooms are great to use and can be marinated whole with the meat.

Cut the meat into small portions or chunks if you’re making skewers. Although piercing the meat allows the marinade to absorb more, it also means that the meat will release a lot of its natural juices when grilled. So my advice is not to pierce the meat. Likewise, I like to minimize soy sauce by using less than a recipe calls for and diluting it with water. Check for any salty ingredients when marinating, including mixed marinades you like. Salt has the same effect as piercing meat. It releases a lot of the juices and dries it out. You can always add salt after grilling.

The key to timing, when marinating, is whether or not the meat is at room temperature. Chicken can take up to four hours to marinate, if it is kept in the refrigerator the entire time. If you marinate at room temperature, the soak will take about an hour. Some people don’t like the idea of ​​keeping meat out of the fridge for too long, so plan accordingly. If you use large pieces of tougher meats, tenderizing it with a marinade can take up to two days in the refrigerator.

One final word of warning, don’t use the marinade to baste your meat. Why? For the same reason you don’t eat raw meat. The juices from the raw meat go into the marinade. However, you can heat the marinade on the stovetop in a skillet and not let it go to waste. Bring to a boil and then cook over medium-low heat for about ten minutes. You can then use it as a drizzle or even as a sauce.

Since you have to clean up when guests arrive, prepare your meal ahead of time by marinating your meat overnight. Your belly will be happy you did. Just be prepared. Because there is no doubt, you will have to make more than one skewer for everyone!