What is a practical way to scale a recipe that involves marinating or brining (where increasing the volume of marinade doesn’t necessarily mean you need more time), or do those time-based steps remain the same regardless of batch size?

Question

How do you scale a recipe that involves marinating? Learn if the time-based steps should be adjusted or if they remain the same for a larger batch.

Answer 1

When scaling a recipe involving marinating or brining, the marinating/brining time generally remains the same regardless of batch size, provided the food is fully submerged and the marinade/brine concentration is consistent. However, ensure adequate refrigeration and even distribution of the marinade/brine.

Detailed Explanation:

The purpose of marinating or brining is to allow flavors and/or salt to penetrate the food. This process is driven by diffusion, which depends on concentration gradients, temperature, and the surface area of the food in contact with the marinade/brine. Scaling a recipe primarily increases the *amount* of food being marinated/brined, not the *size* of individual pieces.Here's a breakdown:1. **Consistent Concentration:** Ensure the marinade/brine concentration remains the same when scaling. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of salt per gallon of water for a brine, maintain that ratio when making a larger batch.2. **Full Submersion:** The most crucial factor is ensuring all pieces of food are fully submerged in the marinade/brine. If you're scaling up significantly, you might need a larger container to accommodate the increased volume. Uneven submersion leads to inconsistent flavor and texture.3. **Temperature Control:** Maintain proper refrigeration temperatures (below 40°F or 4°C) throughout the marinating/brining process. Scaling up increases the thermal mass, so ensure your refrigerator can handle the larger volume without a significant temperature increase.4. **Even Distribution:** For larger batches, occasionally stir or rotate the food to ensure even distribution of the marinade/brine. This is especially important for items that tend to float.5. **Time Remains Constant (Mostly):** Assuming the above conditions are met, the marinating/brining time should remain relatively constant. The diffusion process occurs at a similar rate regardless of the total amount of food. However, if you significantly increase the *size* of individual pieces of food (e.g., marinating a whole turkey instead of turkey cutlets), you may need to adjust the marinating/brining time.

Pro Tip:

When scaling up a marinade or brine, prepare a small test batch first to ensure the flavor profile is what you expect. Taste and adjust the seasoning before committing to the entire scaled-up recipe. This prevents wasting ingredients and ensures a delicious final product.