Reheating marinades

[Elf]

On Food Channel Next Food Network Star, one contestant talked about marinading something then saving the marinade and then putting it in a pot, bring it to a boil, then simmering it to reduce it, then using it as a dipping sauce. i have read receipts that call for this. Tyler Florance jumped all over the contestant, asking if she was trying to kill them? Implying that the marinade was contaminated and even boiling it would change that fact. Is there any truth to this, like I said I have done this my self and have seen many recipe that call for it. Thanks

 

[Scotch]

I imagine that would depend on what has contaminated the marinade. It's not just bacteria that can make you sick, but the toxic waste some types of bacteria leave behind.

For example, botulism. The bacterium responsible for botulism isn't harmful, but if allowed to flourish in the right environment, the litter buggers create a very toxic substance. Reheat will kill the germs but not the toxin they've created (unless you boil the stuff for something like 20 minutes). Eating food contaminated with the toxin can lead to paralysis and, in severe cases, death.

Perhaps that's what Tyler had in mind.

 

[JohnL]

I've seen tons of recipes that say it's ok, but I've never tried it. I think Scotch may be on to something. Of course I've done other things that weren't really advisable and I'm still alive. Lol!

 

[Andy M.]

IF you are marinating a meat in the fridge then remove the meat and start reducing the marinade, I don't see a problem. If you leave it around for a couple of hours at room temp then use it, that would be a problem.

Whatever is in the marinade is in the meat too. If the meat is OK to eat, so is the marinade.

 

[GrillingFool]

IMHO, that was pure COVER OUR BUTTS talking there.

Wouldnt the botulism in the marinade be on the food that was in it anyway?

 

[Scotch]

IF you are marinating a meat in the fridge then remove the meat and start reducing the marinade, I don't see a problem. If you leave it around for a couple of hours at room temp then use it, that would be a problem.

Whatever is in the marinade is in the meat too. If the meat is OK to eat, so is the marinade.

Undoubtedly true, as is the reverse.

 

[Scotch]

IMHO, that was pure COVER OUR BUTTS talking there.

Wouldnt the botulism in the marinade be on the food that was in it anyway?

Not if the marinade is stored for some time and then reused -- the botulism or whatever might develop during storage. Just speculating.

I can't imagine anyone reusing marinade.

 

[jet]

IF you are marinating a meat in the fridge then remove the meat and start reducing the marinade, I don't see a problem. If you leave it around for a couple of hours at room temp then use it, that would be a problem.

Whatever is in the marinade is in the meat too. If the meat is OK to eat, so is the marinade.

I absolutely agree. I frequently use the reserved marinade to make a pan sauce while I'm resting steaks. Probably just a CYA move no the network's part.

 

[jet]

...
I can't imagine anyone reusing marinade.

My mother used to reuse Shake-n-Bake. It's a miracle no one died!

 

[casselc]

On Food Channel Next Food Network Star, one contestant talked about marinading something then saving the marinade and then putting it in a pot, bring it to a boil, then simmering it to reduce it, then using it as a dipping sauce. i have read receipts that call for this. Tyler Florance jumped all over the contestant, asking if she was trying to kill them? Implying that the marinade was contaminated and even boiling it would change that fact. Is there any truth to this, like I said I have done this my self and have seen many recipe that call for it. Thanks

I thought it was particularly strange given that a few hours before I saw the episode I watched Tyler and Alton Brown reuse a marinade on All-Star Grillfest: South Beach while making Mahi-Mahi (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/grilled-mahi-mahi-ceviche-style-recipe/index.html)

 

[Elf]

Welcome casselc, I see you are just up the road from me, enjoy this site, it is really friendly and knowledgeable. But you have to watch out for the Kitchenelf she'll take out behind the wood shed if you don't behave!

 

[Elf]

That is what I thought, My Boss asked about it, I was just preventing a I TOLD YOU SO event.

 

[letscook]

I have a marinade for a barbq london broil which has ketchup, horseradish, mustard, vingar, lil liq smoke etc. you marniade overnite and then boil the marinade to serve with it. and baste as cooking on the grill. been doing it for years with out and problem. I don't reuse any marinade with chicken.
Now you got me thinking, I think Ill double the marinade recipe and not use the marinade anymore. It is really good. I will look it up so I can give exact measurements and post it.

 

[letscook]

I posted the recipe for the barbq london broil in meat

 

[Claire]

DO it often, an no one has gotten so much as a belly-ache from it. Not saying it can't happen, and TV chefs have to CYA a lot. For me it is my soy-sauce based marinade that I use for beef mostly (sort of Kal-Bi rib type, for those familiar). I take the marinade into the kitchen while the meat is grilling, boil it, and pour back over the meat and rice (or other starch), and if I have time, I might thicken it with a cornstarch based slurry. I know anything can happen, but seriously, you are already eating this sauce. I once was rushed for time and was just going to toss the marinade out, and a sister rescued it and used it as was (it was beef, not pork or chicken, where I'd have slapped her silly).

 

[Scotch]

The problems occur when people use the marinade after it's had time -- probably several hours or days -- for the bacteria to grow and produce toxins. I think that if you heat it and use it reasonably promptly after removing the meat you shouldn't have any problems. It's the improper handling that makes people sick, not the food itself.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I don't save leftover marinade for another use, & do believe this is an unsafe practice, but I frequently do immediately reduce it down to use as a sauce for the meat it was marinated in. There's absolutely nothing wrong or unsafe in that.

 

[Scotch]

I don't save leftover marinade for another use, & do believe this is an unsafe practice, but I frequently do immediately reduce it down to use as a sauce for the meat it was marinated in. There's absolutely nothing wrong or unsafe in that.

And it tastes good!

 

[Claire]

I guess I'm assuming a fair amount of freshness and basic food safety. Jet, have you ever read Ruth Reichel's first book? I think it was Tender at the Bone. She talks about trying to save friends and relatives from her mother's very unsafe cooking practices and it had me in stitches, although it really isn't a very funny story, all in all. Reusing shake-n-bake? Oh dearie me.

 

[macro_grp02]

I was actually surprised when I first read you have to throw the marinade after soaking the meat in it for some time because growing up, my mother would use some of it for the sauce in food such as steaks. In short, we've tried using and reusing the marinade. I guess it's okay.