When determining marinating times, take the following into consideration:
1. Marinating times depend on the strength of the marinade.
If the marinade is very strong in flavor or if it is highly acidic, it may not take long for the ingredient to absorb the flavor; likewise, if the marinade is mild in flavor or mildly-acidic, ingredients can generally tolerate longer marinating times in order to absorb the flavor.
2. Marinating times depend on the type and size of the food being marinated.
For example, scallops and diced chicken will require less marinating time than a whole fish or pork tenderloin.
Here are some general guidelines for marinating times:
Small, diced pieces or strips of meat
15 mins to 1 hour
Small pieces of fish or shellfish
15 mins to 1 hour
Small pieces of meat (boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fish filets)
15 mins to 2 hours
Medium-small pieces of meat (steaks, medallions, chops, fish steaks, bone-in or skin-on chicken pieces)
1 to 3 hours (up to 6 hours for poultry with the skin on)
Medium pieces of meat (large steaks, pork chops, chicken halves/quarters, small whole fish)
3 to 8 hours
Large pieces of meat (whole beef or pork tenderloins, pork loins, racks, butterflied leg of lamb, whole chickens, large whole fish)
6 to 12 hours
Very large pieces of meat (brisket, prime rib, shoulder roasts, whole legs, turkey)
12 to 24 hours
Vegetables and Tofu
1 to 3 hours
Note: All meats have a refrigerated shelf life. Marinating can help to extend the shelf life by a day or two but do not rely on marinating to preserve foods for a long period of time. Make sure to purchase pre-marinated foods from a reputable butcher or supplier. Some places (not all) marinate meat to try and extend the shelf life of older meat that has not sold. Make sure to ask how long the meat has marinated for before buying.
