Recipes

38 Rubs, Brines, and Marinades to Add More Flavor to Your Life

Tired of cooking and eating the same old thing? Add new life and monster flavor to your favorite recipes with these 38 rubs, brines, and marinades.
This image may contain Dish Food Meal Plant Seasoning Vegetable and Platter
Peden + Munk

Sometimes we need to shake things up a little bit. And what better way to spice things up in the kitchen than to spice up our favorite meat, fish, and vegetable recipes? Here are 38 rubs, brines, and marinades to breathe new life—and add more flavor—to your food and life.

  • Image may contain Food Pizza Roast Plant and Produce
    Jason Lowe
    1/38

    Fresh Turmeric Marinade

    Fresh turmeric lends a unique and earthy note plus incredible color to the finished dish.

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  • Chimichurri sauce in a bowl on a marble counter.
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    2/38

    Chimichurri

    This colorful sauce doubles as a marinade and as an accompaniment to all cuts of beef.

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  • Image may contain Food Dessert Yogurt Creme Cream and Ice Cream
    Matt Duckor
    3/38

    Buttermilk Brine

    This recipe makes enough brine for one 3½–4-pound chicken or 4 pounds of chicken pieces.

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  • Image may contain Food Pork Bird Animal Poultry Fowl and Chicken
    4/38

    Jerk Marinade

    Enough to marinate 2 pounds of chicken (skin-on thights, legs, or wings) or pork (chops, loin, or boneless shoulder).

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  • Image may contain Food and Roast
    5/38

    Coffee Rub

    For this spice mixture, chef Josef Centeno, of Baco Mercat in Los Angeles, was inspired by the coffee rub his father used to make for grilling steaks. Basting with butter before transferring the pan to the oven helps bloom the dried spices and adds irresistible flavor to the meat.

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  • Image may contain Food and Pork
    Ted Cavanaugh
    6/38

    Berbere Spice Mix

    A mix of sweet and savory spices means this blend can be used on all kinds of dishes. Toss it with vegetables before roasting, use it as a dry rub on pork or poultry before grilling, or stir it into yogurt and serve with fruit.

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  • Ingredients of a turkey brine in a blue enamel pot
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
    7/38

    A Simple Brine

    This brine uses ingredients we always have on stock in our kitchens to add serious flavor to any meat it touches.

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  • This image may contain Dish Food and Meal
    Peden + Munk
    8/38

    Chile and Yogurt Marinade

    Yes, you’ll need a lot of spices, but it’s not much work from there. Let the chicken marinate for 12 hours to get the most impact.

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  • Image may contain Animal Bird Fowl Poultry and Food
    Peden + Munk
    9/38

    Herb Marinade

    The seductively high ratio of skin to meat is what makes wings taste good, and grilling takes full advantage of that. This herb marinade is bright and summery, and light enough to let the skin get nice and crisp.

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  • This image may contain Food Drink Alcohol Beer and Beverage
    Peden + Munk
    10/38

    Kashmiri Hot Sauce

    Use this hot sauce as a condiment or mix in additional aromatics like grated garlic and ginger to make a marinade for meat.

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