The Best Pork and Turkey Marinade!

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I know calling this “the best” is setting the bar pretty high, but so far no one I know has been disappointed and this recipe has become everyone’s go-to marinade. I hate to say it, but I don’t know the history of this recipe. My mom got it from a family friend sometime in the mid-to-late 1990s. Where she got it is anyone’s guess. I have never found a copy of this recipe anywhere. But damn it’s good. Let’s get to it.

Marinade Recipe

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry oregano

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the soy sauce into the mayonnaise. Add in all other ingredients and continue to mix until blended and smooth. Use as marinade by either adding meat to bowl or pouring mixture into zipper bag.

Marinate for at least 4-8 hours, but longer is better. I try to do all this the night before, let it soak all night and most of the day, then cook for dinner. So a solid 18-20 hours of marinating time is ideal. I haven’t noticed much of a difference in taste beyond 24 hours.

This marinade scales exactly as-is. So 2/3/4X the batch is still the same amount for each ingredient. I usually double or triple the batch for full coverage in the bag or bowl.

I have used this recipe for several cuts of meat. My mom originally used it for turkey tenderloins when I was growing up. Good luck finding turkey tenderloins anymore. They have vanished from meat coolers in my area. I have also used this on a whole turkey breast. It was still very good, but it’s important to keep the meat/marinade ratio right. Smaller cuts are better because you get more marinated surface in each bite. Given that this marinade is not really strong, larger cuts like a turkey breast have too much unmarinated meat in each bite.

My go-to cut is now pork tenderloin. They are readily available at most grocery stores in my area and they are cheap when on sale. I make this every month or two. My favorite way to prepare this is to grill it over charcoal. I give it a good sear on cast iron grates until it looks delicious, then move it off the fire to finish it indirectly. It usually takes about 30-40 minutes total- 3-5 minutes of sear and 25-35 minutes indirect roasting at 350-400F. I baste it regularly (every 5-10 minutes) during the cook with the leftover marinade. I cook it to around 150F internal, which puts it somewhere around medium to medium-well. It will still have a little pink inside but it will be nice and juicy. Anything over 145F with a 3 minute rest is fair game for pork.

I think that just about does it. Have fun and eat happy!