The Unexpected Ingredient That Gives Any Meat An Instant Flavor Boost

When you're making meat for dinner, it's a massive help to use a marinade. Not only can these mixtures act as big time flavor boosters, but they can also help tenderize protein and create a crust for satisfying textural contrast. You can customize them to suit your just about any craving, adding herbs, spices, and aromatics. But if you've ever tried to apply your marinade and watched in horror as your carefully formulated liquid simply slipped off the sides of your meat, you know that these best laid flavoring plans can be quickly foiled.

Fortunately, there's a super easy fix for this cooking conundrum that requires just one additional ingredient, and there's a good chance you already have it in your fridge — mayonnaise. Oily marinades simply won't stick to your meat, and some liquids — like teriyaki sauce, for example — can also burn because of their sugar content. But if you combine your marinade with a creamy, emulsified mayo, you create a new ingredient that will coat your protein, prevent sugar scorching (while promoting browning and caramelization instead), and ensure your flavors to make it to the final dish.

This tip works for a range of proteins, making it a versatile and super useful strategy. To put this method into practice, all you need is about ⅓ to ¼ cup of mayonnaise per 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or ⅓ cup for a 1 ½ inch thick ribeye—  and it even works on seafood, making for the best grilled shrimp and fish. You can mix your mayo with additional ingredients before slathering it onto your protein (think chopped garlic and rosemary, chipotle, or even a premade sauce like chimichurri), or use it as a base layer to which a dry seasoning like a barbecue rub will adhere. Timing-wise, you can leave your meat or seafood marinating for up to 24 hours, but it's best to aim for at least four hours minimum to be sure those flavors permeate.

Chefs like Alton Brown swear by this stuff for delicious scrambled eggs, and your grilled cheese will taste like heaven with a simple swap of mayo for standard butter. But when it comes to marinating your meat, this good old-fashioned staple condiment will be there to make every bite better.