Question about marinades

[AENEAS]

Hi you guys I am new to these boards and was wondering about marinades. I read a thread on here the other day about how olive oil isn't all that good for you especially if you over indulge. That should be obvious advice but it got me thinking about my diet.

Everyday, I grab my chicken breasts and marinade it in these Grill mate marinade packets that have spices in them and I have to add 2/3 cup of olive oil and 2/3 cup of vinegar. I then let it sit for an hour or overnight sometimes. I then grill them on my foreman, the meat is not drenched when I grill them nor is it completely dry, but I do do this EVERY DAY.

My q is, is this too much oilive oil? Thanks in advance to all of you.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by AENEAS

My q is, is this too much oilive oil? Thanks in advance to all of you.

That olive oil study/article was absolute crap. You have to eat some fat, and olive oil is one of the best sources. Ignore that whole thing.

But, you didn't ask if the pack of seasoning was any good for you. Is that cuz you know better?

There are so many questionables in the ingredients list. Why worry about olive oil?

Ingredients
SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, WHEY SOLIDS, SPICES (INCLUDING OREGANO AND BASIL), HYDROLYZED CORN GLUTEN, SOY PROTEIN, AND WHEAT GLUTEN, GARLIC, SOY SAUCE (WHEAT, SOYBEANS, SALT), ONION, JALAPEÑO PEPPERS, PARSLEY, RED BELL PEPPER, CHICKEN MEAT, CALCIUM SILICATE (ADDED TO MAKE FREE FLOWING), AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, LACTOSE, CHICKEN FAT, AND SUGAR.

Available Size
1.06 ounces, UPC 52100 02579

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving : 1 tsp. dry mix (3g)
Calories: 10
Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 260 mg
Carbohydrates: 1 g
Protein: 0 g

You can make up your own marinade mixtures by picking up a few spices at the market. Even the spice mixtures (Italian spice, etc) would be better for you.

It's probably the salt and sugar that makes this stuff so tasty, though.

[WorkinOnIt]

First off, welcome Aeneas! (GREAT avatar, btw!)

Second, that amount of olive oil sounds like waaaaay too much. the more concentrated the marinade, the more intense the flavor, so use just enough olive oil to bind the spices.

There's really no reason to use store bought spice packets. It's cheaper, just as easy, and *much healthier* to make your own. Still, if you're really short of time, just buy the "herbs d'provence" mixture that most spice companies produce, they contain only dried herbs.

Another good route to go is using rubs instead of marinade. Rubs are basically marinade without the oil. This provides an even more intense flavor.

there are good rub and marinade recipies at epicurious.com.

[castufari]

I use dry rubs for most of what I grill. If I'm baking then I'll toss some herbs and lemon slices on whatever it is I'm baking (works well for fish and chicken). Another idea is to look at making "pan sauces". If you grill or bake something in a skillet the fond left on the bottom can be heated along with some stock to make a really good sauce. Google around for this, there are tons of sauce recipes that aren't too fattening.

[milkman21]

About that olive oil thread... I apologize if you got the wrong message out of it. I was posting it becuase that author (Dean Ornish) is one of those dubious mass-media nutrition "gurus" who spreads a lot of nonsense around.

You seem to understand that olive oil is good, but high in calories... so that's all you need to know.