Homemade Wet Seasoning for Meat, Fish, and Chicken

Universal Herb & Garlic Wet Seasoning — All Proteins

Makes: enough for 4 servings  |  Time: 8 minutes  |  Equipment: mixing bowl, whisk, garlic microplane or mini chopper

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or microplaned

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (emulsifier — binds oil and acid)

• Optional: ½ tsp smoked paprika, pinch of cayenne

Method:

1. Mince or microplane the garlic into the bowl. Microplaning directly into the bowl releases more flavour than mincing and allows no garlic to be wasted on a chopping board.

2. Add lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Whisk together until salt is dissolved.

3. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking continuously. This emulsifies the mustard-acid-oil mixture into a smooth, stable coat.

4. Add fresh herbs and spices. Whisk to combine.

5. Taste it before adding the protein. The marinade should taste pleasantly salty-bright. Adjust the salt or lemon as needed.

6. Add the protein and turn it to coat all the surfaces. Cover and refrigerate: chicken 30 min to 24 hrs; fish 15–45 min; pork 30 min to 12 hrs.

7. Remove the protein from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade. Do not reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw protein.

Chef Billy Parisi: Grate the onion and garlic directly into the bowl with a microplane. It releases more flavour compounds than a garlic press and requires zero additional cleaning.

Caribbean Green Seasoning (Wet Herb Paste)

Makes: approx. 1 cup (enough for 4–6 servings)  |  Time: 10 minutes  |  Equipment: food processor or blender — CANNOT be whisked

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh parsley (flat-leaf), packed

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed

• 4 scallions/spring onions, roughly chopped

• 6 cloves garlic

• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or ½ for moderate heat; omit for mild)

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or avocado)

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• Optional (That Girl Cooks Healthy variation): ½ tsp ground allspice, ¼ tsp ground cumin

Method:

1. Place all the herbs, scallions, garlic, and scotch bonnet into the food processor. Pulse 5–8 times to break down the bulk.

2. Add lime juice, vinegar, oil, and salt. Process for 30–45 seconds until a thick, smooth paste forms. Scrape down the sides once halfway through.

3. Taste and adjust salt and lime juice. The paste should taste intensely herbal, garlicky, and bright. If too thick, add 1 tbsp water or lime juice.

4. Apply it to the chicken, fish, or pork, then massage it into all the surfaces and under the skin where possible.

5. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours; overnight produces the best results; up to 48 hours for large cuts of pork.

6. Store unused green seasoning in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.

That Girl Cooks Healthy: the scotch bonnet is non-negotiable for authentic Caribbean flavour. Its fruity heat is distinct from cayenne or jalapeño. If making for mixed heat tolerances, make one batch with and one without, or omit entirely and serve a scotch bonnet hot sauce on the side.

Mediterranean Lemon-Herb Wet Seasoning for Fish

Makes: enough for 4 fish fillets  |  Time: 5 minutes  |  Equipment: bowl, whisk, herb mincer or scissors

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approx. 1½ lemons)

• Zest of 1 lemon (add before juicing)

• 4 cloves garlic, microplaned or finely minced

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh dill or fresh thyme (dill for white fish; thyme for salmon)

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional: ½ tsp dried oregano, pinch of coriander

Method:

1. Zest the lemon first. It is nearly impossible to zest after juicing. Add zest directly to the bowl.

2. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic. Whisk to combine.

3. Stream in olive oil while whisking. The lemon zest will naturally emulsify the dressing slightly.

4. Add fresh herbs. Stir to distribute.

5. Pat the fish completely dry before adding it to the marinade. Wet fish surfaces dilute the marinade concentration.

6. Marinate white fish (cod, tilapia, halibut) for 15–30 minutes maximum. Salmon: 30 minutes to 1 hour. Never exceed 2 hours. Acid will begin to chemically cook the fish.

7. Bake at 425°F / 220°C for approximately 10–12 minutes, or grill 4–5 minutes per side.

Real Food Whole Life: adding lemon slices under and over the fish in the baking dish during cooking amplifies the lemon flavour beyond what the marinade alone achieves. The dry-the-fish step (patting with a paper towel before marinating) is consistently skipped and consistently makes a measurable difference to marinade concentration.

Chimichurri Wet Seasoning (Marinade + Sauce)

Makes: approx. ¾ cup  |  Time: 10 minutes  |  Equipment: herb mincer, mezzaluna, or food processor (pulse gently — do not purée)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed (finely minced — the technique is the recipe)

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 2 tsp dried)

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ tsp red chilli flakes (or to taste)

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional: 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice for brightness

Method:

1. Finely mince the parsley and garlic by hand (mezzaluna or OXO herb mincer). This is the traditional technique and produces a different texture from food processor chimichurri, which can become too smooth and lose the distinctive herb structure.

2. If using a food processor: pulse 6–8 times only. Do not run continuously. The result should have visible herb texture, not become a smooth paste.

3. Combine minced herbs and garlic in a bowl. Add vinegar, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper.

4. Stream in olive oil while stirring. The aim is a loose, oil-forward sauce with visible herb pieces, not an emulsion.

5. Taste. Adjust vinegar (acidity), salt, and heat.

6. Use immediately as a marinade (15–30 min on steak; brush on before the last 2 min of grilling), or rest for 30 minutes at room temperature for flavours to develop before using as a sauce.

Serious Eats’ golden rule: chimichurri is a sauce and a marinade. Make it, use some as a marinade before cooking, and reserve the rest to spoon over the cooked meat. The texture difference between hand-minced and food-processed chimichurri is significant and noticed by every person who eats both — hand-minced wins every time for texture, though food-processed is faster.

Yoghurt Herb Wet Seasoning (Most Tenderising Marinade)

Makes: enough for 4 chicken pieces  |  Time: 8 minutes  |  Equipment: bowl, whisk, herb mincer or mini chopper

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full-fat Greek yoghurt

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional: ¼ tsp cayenne, 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Combine yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together.

2. Add smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, and cayenne if using. Whisk to fully incorporate — the paprika will colour the yoghurt orange-red.

3. Add fresh herbs. Stir to combine.

4. Add chicken and turn to coat — the thick yoghurt clings to chicken thighs and breast surfaces far more effectively than thin oil-acid marinades, ensuring even coverage.

5. Marinate 2–24 hours. Do not over-marinate beyond 24 hours — yoghurt continues tenderising.

6. To cook: brush off excess yoghurt before grilling (it can burn) or bake at 400°F / 200°C with the yoghurt coating intact (it forms a beautiful charred crust in the oven).

Modern Honey: yoghurt marinade is the most tenderising marinade available at home — the lactic acid in yoghurt tenderises more gently and evenly than high-acid vinegar marinades, which can produce uneven surface texture. For chicken breast specifically, a yoghurt-based marinade produces the most consistently juicy result of any marinade type.