Lemon Garlic Herb Marinade

Name: Lemon Garlic Herb Marinade
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed from about 3 large lemons, seeds strained out; 1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from the lemons before juicing, yellow part only; ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced or grated to a paste; 2 teaspoon (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems and roughly chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey (optional); 1½ teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use 1 teaspoon if using fine table salt; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, Mediterranean-style marinade of fresh lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, oregano and thyme. It flavors chicken, fish, shrimp, lamb or vegetables, and it takes about 10 minutes to mix.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 10 min
Makes: About 1 cup (240 ml) marinade, enough for 2 pounds (900 g) chicken, lamb, fish or vegetables

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Ingredients

6 servings

½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed from about 3 large lemons, seeds strained out
1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from the lemons before juicing, yellow part only
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, peeled and minced or grated to a paste
2 teaspoon (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey (optional)
1½ teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use 1 teaspoon if using fine table salt
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (6)

Microplane or fine grater for the zest
Citrus juicer or fork
Medium mixing bowl or 2-cup (480 ml) liquid measuring cup
Whisk
Gallon-size (3.8 L) zip-top bag or shallow glass dish
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Pick your protein and check the marinating time in the tips: chicken 2–8 hours, lamb 2–8 hours, shrimp and fish 15–30 minutes, vegetables 30–60 minutes.
Bring the lemons to room temperature and roll them firmly on the counter before juicing to get more juice.
Zest the lemons before you juice them. A cut lemon is very hard to zest.
Use a non-reactive container (glass, ceramic, stainless steel or a zip-top bag). Aluminum reacts with the acid.

1
Zest the lemons
- Wash and dry 3 large lemons.
- Using a microplane, grate the yellow part of the peel into a medium bowl until you have 1 tablespoon of zest.
- Stop at the white pith, which is bitter.
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Ready when: About 1 tablespoon of fluffy zest, with no white pith in it.
Tip: Rotate the lemon as you grate so you don't hit the pith.
2
Juice the lemons
- Cut the zested lemons in half and squeeze them over a fine strainer set on a measuring cup until you have ½ cup (120 ml) juice.
- Discard the seeds and pulp.
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Ready when: The juice reaches the ½ cup (120 ml) mark and has no seeds.
Tip: Don't use bottled juice. It tastes flat and often has a metallic edge.
3
Prepare the garlic and herbs
- Mince the 5 garlic cloves very finely, or grate them on a microplane.
- Strip the thyme leaves from the stems and chop them roughly.
- Crumble the oregano between your fingers to release its oils.
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Ready when: The garlic is a fine, wet paste or tiny bits, with no large chunks.
Tip: Large garlic pieces can burn on the grill or in a hot pan. Fine mincing prevents that.
4
Mix the base
- To the bowl with the zest, add the lemon juice, Dijon, kosher salt, black pepper and honey if using.
- Whisk for 30 seconds until the salt dissolves and the mustard disappears into the juice.
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Ready when: The mixture looks smooth and cloudy, and you can't see salt grains.
Tip: Dissolve the salt in the juice first. It won't dissolve once the oil is added.
5
Emulsify with oil
- Whisk constantly while pouring the olive oil into the bowl in a thin, steady stream.
- Keep whisking for about 30 seconds until the marinade looks thick and creamy.
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Ready when: The marinade looks creamy and pale, with no oil slick on top.
Tip: The Dijon helps the oil and juice stay blended. It may separate slightly while it sits, which is fine.
6
Add garlic and herbs
- Stir in the garlic, thyme and oregano.
- Taste a drop on a spoon.
- It should be bright, salty and tart.
- Add another pinch of salt or ½ teaspoon honey if it tastes too sharp.
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Ready when: It smells strongly of lemon, garlic and herbs.
Tip: The marinade tastes stronger than the finished food, so season it a little boldly.
7
Marinate the food
- Put about 2 pounds (900 g) of chicken, lamb, fish, shrimp or cut vegetables in a zip-top bag or shallow glass dish.
- Pour in the marinade and turn to coat everything.
- Press the air out of the bag and seal it.
- Refrigerate for the time in the tips: 2–8 hours for chicken or lamb, 15–30 minutes for shrimp and fish, 30–60 minutes for vegetables.
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Ready when: Every surface of the food is coated and glossy. Turn the bag once halfway through.
Tip: Don't marinate seafood past 30 minutes. The acid turns the flesh mushy and opaque, like ceviche.
8
Drain and cook
- Lift the food out and let the extra marinade drip off.
- Pat it lightly dry if you want a good sear.
- Cook as your recipe directs, using the doneness temperatures listed.
- Throw away any marinade that touched raw meat.
- Don't reuse it as a sauce unless you boil it for at least 3 minutes first.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Fish reaches 145°F (63°C).
Tip: Bits of garlic and zest burn easily. Wipe off most of them before cooking over high heat.

Good to know

Tips

Marinating time matters: chicken and lamb take 2–8 hours (not over 12), seafood 15–30 minutes, and vegetables 30–60 minutes. Too long makes the texture mushy.
Grate the garlic to a paste for the strongest flavor. Minced garlic gives a milder one.
Reserve a few tablespoons of fresh marinade before adding raw food and spoon it over the cooked food for a bright finish.
For grilling, wipe off excess marinade and zest so they don't flare up or char.

Make ahead

"Make the marinade up to 3 days ahead and keep it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Shake it well before using. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes first, because the olive oil gets cloudy and thick when cold."

Storage & reheating

"Unused marinade that hasn't touched raw meat keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. Marinated raw food keeps in the fridge for the marinating times given, and should not be left at room temperature for more than 30 minutes. Cooked marinated food keeps 3–4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in a 325°F (160°C) oven or a covered skillet until hot throughout, or frozen for up to 3 months."

Substitutions

fresh thyme leaves → 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Dried herbs are stronger, so use about one-third the amount of fresh.
dried oregano → 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped. Use 3 times the volume of dried oregano.
fresh lemon juice → Fresh lime juice or white wine vinegar. Lime gives a sharper, more tropical taste. For vinegar, use 3 tablespoons (45 ml) plus 3 tablespoons water.
honey → Maple syrup or sugar. Use the same amount. Skip it for a stricter savory marinade.