Flavor Packed Marinade Ideas from Lettuce Chefs

A marinade for every protein

It’s backyard BBQ season and Lettuce chefs are sharing ideas for how to pack a flavor punch into your protein with these creative marinades perfect for steaks, pork, lamb chops, prawns, chicken and more. It turns out, marinades are not a one flavor fits all! From Greek Yogurt to Asian-inspired, here are a few ideas of marinade reicpes to try for your next summer cookout.

For more grilling tips and tricks from Wildfire Executive Chef and Partner Joe Decker, click here.

If you are grilling out in the Chicagoland area, you are in luck because Prime Meats by Lettuce, a delivery-only butcher shop, offers up an array of quality steaks and chops that can be delivered right to your door. Check out Prime Meats by Lettuce menu and recipes inspired by the products available. 

The Marinade: Garlic Herb Paste
Protein Pairing: New York Strip or Lamp Chops

This is a wonderful marinade on New York strip steaks or lamb chops because it complements the char from the grill with flavors of garden/herbs, garlic, lemon and olive oil. This recipe makes roughly enough to use on 4 steaks.

Inspired by Wildfire

Ingredients for Garlic Herb Paste Marinade:
1 ½ Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1 ½ Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, puree or minced
1 lemon peel, grated
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp kosher salt

Method for Garlic Herb Paste Marinade:
1. Mix all ingredients together well in a stainless steel bowl to form a paste.
2. Rub on 1-2 Tbsp on any steak at least 2 hours in advance or overnight.
3. Grill to desired temperature.
4. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.

The Marinade: Simple Seafood Marinade
Protein Pairing: Prawns or any shellfish

Inspired by RPM Italian

Ingredients for the Simple Seafood Marinade:
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
Pinch chili flakes
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup grapeseed oil

Method for Simple Seafood Marinade:
1. Combine chopped garlic, thyme, rosemary, dried oregano, chili flakes, black pepper, and grapeseed oil.
2. Place prawns on a cutting board, back side up.
3. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the prawns straight down along the back, slicing all the way through.
4. Generously brush prawns with marinade and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before grilling.

Greek yogurt makes an excellent marinade for chicken, shrimp, fish, really any protein that you would throw in the oven or on the grill. It maintains moisture and tenderizes the meat while staying light and avoiding using butter or oil. Chef CJ Jacobson is sharing simple recipe for an all-purpose Greek yogurt marinade.

The Marinade: All-Purpose Greek Yogurt
Protein Pairing: Chicken
Chef Notes: When marinating lamb, add some fresh lime juice for a tangy kick. When marinating pork, you can add some dried oregano and a light splash of sherry vinegar.

Inspired by Aba

Ingredients for the All-Purpose Greek Yogurt Marinade:
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups Greek yogurt

Method for the All-Purpose Greek Yogurt Marinade:
1. Mix marinade ingredients together to combine.

Sushi-san’s Master Sushi Chef and Partner Kaze Chan is sharing a family recipe for Vietnamese Pork, a flavorful dish that he first remembers his grandmother making at her restaurant in Saigon, Vietnam in the 1950s. This recipe has been in his family for generations, becoming Kaze-san’s favorite comfort food from the time he was a young boy. The recipe uses an Asian-inspired marinade that can be used for any type of protein. For the full recipe for Sushi-san’s Vietnamese Pork, click here. 

The Marinade: Vietnamese Marinade
Protein Pairing: Pork

Inspired by Sushi-san

Ingredients for the Vietnamese Marinade
2 cups sugar
1 cup fish sauce
3 Tbsp. lemongrass, minced
3 Tbsp. garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. shallot, minced
4 Thai chilis, minced
1 tsp. of fresh cracked black pepper
Zest of 1 lime

Method for the Vietnamese Marinade:
1. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated.
2. Add the cubed pork shoulder and the marinade into a plastic resealable bag. Seal and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

Need more marinade inspo? Chef Joe Decker is sharing some quick-and-easy recipe ideas with items you may already have in your pantry:

Lemon Parmesan Dressing:
Marinate chicken breast or salmon filet with lemon parmesan dressing. Season with Kosher salt, cracked black pepper and paprika for 1 hour. Grill and serve with grilled lemon halves.  

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
For “Greek style” chicken, cut the chicken into quarters and drizzle red wine vinaigrette over it with garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Let it sit for 1 hour. Grill over medium to low heat until finished.  

Did you know that Wildfire dressings and marinades can be purchased at the restaurant, plus select local grocery stores around Chicagoland, including Sunset Foods, Mariano’s, and Foodstuffs?

Now that you have a marinade for every type of protein, check out Lettuce’s grilling guide for more backyard BBQ recipes from pitcher cocktails to side dishes and more.