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Marinate meat in the refrigerator

Dear Heloise: We love to grill different meats all year long. I’ve found that Marinating meat gives us numerous flavor options. My question is, Should I marinate foods on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator? — Shelby W., via email

Food should always marinate in the refrigerator. Even if a recipe calls for marinating food on the kitchen counter, you need to ignore those instructions and place it in the refrigerator, because chances are you’re reading an older recipe.

Bacteria grow more quickly at room temperature, so just plan on marinating the food for a longer period of time in the refrigerator. Also, do not refrigerate overnight, because the shelf life starts dwindling as soon as it is defrosted; marinating does not give food a longer shelf life. — Heloise

(Heloise is a columnist for King Features Syndicate. Send money-or time-saving hint to P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or e-mail to Heloise@Heloise.com.)

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