Our Favorite Marinade is "The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need"

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We have an all time favorite marinade at our house, and it works for EVERYTHING!!! It is Steven Raichlen’s recipe for The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need from his book Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes.

I love this marinade, because it is so fresh and it is quick and easy to make. I love that you don’t have to make it hours or even a day ahead of time. In fact, it is freshest when you make it an hour or two before you cook it. We use this on chicken all the time, but it is excellent on steak too. Steven Raichlen claims its good on fish and veggies too, but I haven’t tried that yet.

Here is the recipe for The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste
4 strips of lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver or minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano or a mix of all four (I always use Cilantro)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in a nonreactive (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved.

Chop up the Parsley & other herb(s)

Add the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and basil. Stir or whisk in the olive oil.

Marinate your meat, we are using chicken, but it works well for all types of meat. The virtue of this marinade is its freshness; use it within 1 to 2 hours of making. Stir again before using.
Makes 1 cup.