What does the marinating for 20 minutes vs 4 hours experiment test?

It tests one variable: marinating time. The idea is that chicken marinated in acid for 4 hours turns mushy compared with a 20 minute marinade.

40-minute experiment

Marinating for 20 minutes vs 4 hours

More time is not always better.

The idea

Chicken marinated in acid for 4 hours turns mushy compared with a 20 minute marinade.

The one thing you change: Marinating time

You need

2 chicken breasts, cut in strips
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt
Two bowls

Steps

Split the strips into two bowls and cover each with the lemon, oil and salt.
Chill one bowl for 20 minutes and the other for 4 hours.
Cook both in a hot pan until no pink is left and the thickest piece reads 74C, then compare the texture. Lemon does not make raw chicken safe.
Throw the leftover marinade away, then wash your hands, the board and the knife.

What you should find

The 4 hour strips are chalky and soft on the surface. The 20 minute strips are juicy with a firm bite.

From the app

Cook this with Chef Fizz

Step-by-step mode with timers, in the free app.

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The science behind it

How marinades work

Even after hours, most marinade flavor reaches only about 2 to 3 mm into the meat. Acid only works on the outer layer. Salt is the one that travels deeper.…

Read the explainer

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