From a Men’s Health article:
7 marinades and spice rubs to pack your food with flavor
By: Matt Goulding
Marinades and spice rubs pack your food with flavor without the gut-busting calories of heavy sauces. They also break down tough muscle fibers and seal moisture into your food, turning even pedestrian cuts of meat into succulent feasts. With the help of Food Network chef Tyler Florence, we’ve created this easy-reference matrix for making the most of any meat.
The Booze Hound
2 c heavy red wine (cabernet or merlot)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
1 tsp black pepper
Big cuts of lamb or beef
The Chameleon
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Pork, chicken, beef
The Eastern Express
1/2 c rice-wine vinegar
1 c low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Salmon, tuna, pork
The Club Med
1 c olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Fish
The Odyssey
2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c fresh mint
1 tsp cumin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Lamb
The South-Of-The-Border Slather
Juice of 2 limes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp pureed chipotle peppers
1/2 c chopped cilantro
Skirt and flank steak
The Heart Of Darkness
1 tsp each cumin, paprika, cayenne, oregano, black pepper, and salt
(This is not a marinade, since there’s no acid, but a blackening rub is a healthy way to liven up fish and poultry.)
Make sure you give the marinade enough time to work: delicate fish like halibut and sole need no more than 30 minutes, but a hearty cut of beef or lamb benefits from an overnight plunge.–Tyler Florence, author of Tyler’s Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time
Flavor Savers
The best marinades consist of three parts:
Acids
“Acid breaks down the muscle fibers and gives you a tender, moister piece of meat,” says Florence. Expand your horizons with different vinegars: wine, sherry, or apple cider. Citrus juice, wine, and yogurt also do the trick.
Role players
These flavor builders add depth and character to a marinade. Olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, fresh ginger, chipotle peppers, soy sauce, and others give your meat and fish an identity.
Accents
Fresh or dried herbs impart subtle notes, while assertive spices like cayenne and curry powder can shape an entire flavor profile. But beware of salt in your marinades. “Early salting creates osmosis, which pulls important moisture from your food,” says Florence.