USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

USDA Photo

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Marinating

The verb “marinate” means to steep food in a

marinade. A marinade is a savory acidic sauce in

which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to

tenderize it.

According to Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery,

“Marinades began as simple brines for preserving

fish. The word marinade stems from the same root

as the word maritime. In modern usage, a marinade

consists of a cooking oil, an acid (vinegar, lemon

juice, wine), and spices. As the food stands in the

mixture, the acid and the oil impart the savory

flavors of the spices to the food. The acid also has a

tenderizing action.”

The acid in marinades causes poultry tissue to break

down. This has a tenderizing effect. The breaking

down of the tissue also causes the poultry to hold

more liquid, making it juicier. Too much vinegar or hot

sauce in a marinade can have the opposite effect,

causing the meat to be stringy and tough.

Brining

The verb “brine” means to treat with or steep in

brine. Brine is a strong solution of water and salt. A

sweetener such as sugar, molasses, honey, or corn

syrup may be added to the solution for flavor and to

improve browning.

The salt has two effects on poultry, reports Dr. Alan

Sams, a professor of poultry science at Texas A & M

University. “It dissolves protein in muscle, and the

salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking.

This makes the meat juicier, more tender, and

improves the flavor. The low levels of salt enhance

the other natural flavors of poultry.”

Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating

People are always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to prepare old standards like chicken and turkey.

Several methods have become popular in recent years, which involve the use of a liquid to change or improve

the flavor, taste, tenderness, or texture of poultry. Various liquids can be added to poultry by many different

methods such as injection, marinating, brining, or basting. Consumers can purchase raw poultry products that

have already been marinated, basted, or brined.

Basting

The verb “baste” means to moisten meat or other

food while cooking. Melted butter or other fat, meat

drippings, or liquid such as a stock is spooned or

brushed on food as it cooks to moisten it. A bulb

baster can also be used to drizzle the liquid over the

food. Basting adds flavor and color, and prevents

poultry from drying out.

Consumers can purchase raw poultry products that

have already been marinated, basted, or brined.

These products have been injected or marinated with

a solution containing butter or other edible fat, broth,

stock, or water, plus spices, flavor enhancers,

colorings, or other approved substances. If you see

terms such as “basted,” “self basted,” “marinated,”

or “for flavoring” on a raw poultry label, a solution

has been added during processing — up to 3% by

weight for bone-in poultry and up to 8% by weight

for boneless poultry.

Safe Preparation

Marinating

Whole poultry or poultry parts may be marinated by

completely immersing the poultry in the marinade. To

help infuse the marinade into the poultry, you may

use a fork to make random holes in the meat. A

needle-like injector may also be used.

Poultry can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a

marinade. For easy cleanup, use food-grade plastic

bags for marinating and discard the bags after

marinating. Food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or

glass containers may also be used to marinate food.

Cover poultry while marinating in the refrigerator.

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Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised May 2007

Don’t use marinade from raw poultry as a sauce

unless it is boiled first to destroy bacteria. If stuffing

poultry, marinate the poultry first. Cook immediately

after stuffing.

Brining

To prepare a brine solution for poultry, add 3/4 cup

salt to 1 gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons of salt per

quart of water. For best flavor, use sodium chloride

— table salt. Add

sweetener if desired.

Place brining solution

in food-grade plastic,

stainless steel, or

glass containers.

Totally submerge

poultry in solution

and store covered in

the refrigerator. For

best results,

refrigerate at least

overnight. Poultry

may be left in the

refrigerator up to 2

days after thawed or

purchased fresh.

Remove poultry from

brine. Discard brine

after use. If stuffing poultry, brine the poultry first.

Cook immediately after stuffing.

Basting

If basting poultry, remember that each time the oven

door is opened, the oven temperature is lowered and

additional cooking time may be needed. Always use

clean utensils to avoid cross-contamination.

General Poultry Preparation Information

Safe Cooking

Set oven temperature no lower than 325 °F. Whole

poultry and parts are safe cooked to a safe minimum

internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a

food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in

the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the

thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal

preference, consumers may choose to cook poultry to

higher temperatures.

For optimum safety, do not stuff whole poultry. If

stuffing whole poultry, the center of the stuffing must

reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Storing Leftovers

Remove any stuffing and cut whole or large pieces of

poultry into small pieces. Refrigerate leftovers in

shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use

leftover poultry and stuffing within 3 to 4 days, or

freeze these foods. Reheat all leftovers thoroughly to

a temperature of 165 °F.

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

purposes. However, the included image from PhotoDisc, used under license, is

protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere, and may

not be saved or downloaded except for printing of this publication.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call the

USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854);

TTY: 1-800-256-7072.

 The Hotline is open year-round

Monday through Friday

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ET (English or

Spanish). Recorded

food safety messages

are available 24 hours

a day. Check out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.