Free calculator
Marinade Calculator
How much marinade to make for the meat you have, split into oil, acid and seasoning — plus how long to leave it.
Your results
Total marinade
529 ml
Oil
265 ml
Acid (citrus, vinegar, wine)
132 ml
Seasoning liquid (soy, Worcestershire, honey)
132 ml
Salt
20 g
Half a cup of marinade per pound if the meat is submerged, a quarter cup if you are brushing it on. More than that is waste — marinade you throw away is money in the bin, and a bag with less liquid actually contacts the meat better than a dish with more.
The classic ratio is three parts oil to one part acid to one part seasoning, and the acid is the part people overdo. Citrus juice and vinegar denature the surface protein: an hour gives you flavour, six hours give you a chalky, opaque exterior that no amount of grilling recovers. Fish and shrimp need thirty minutes, not overnight.
Marinade that has touched raw meat is contaminated. To use it as a sauce, boil it for a full minute first, or set some aside before the meat goes in — which is the easier habit and the one worth building.
Questions people ask
How much marinade per pound of meat?
About 120 ml (half a cup) per pound when submerged, 60 ml when brushing. A zip bag with the air pressed out needs less than a dish.
How long should I marinate chicken?
Two to twelve hours for bone-in pieces, thirty minutes to four hours for boneless breast. Past that the acid starts working on the texture rather than the flavour.
Can I reuse marinade as a sauce?
Only after boiling it for a full minute. Better still, pour off what you want as sauce before the raw meat ever goes in.