Simple Guinness Beer Marinade Recipe

A flavoursome marinade can mean the difference between a good BBQ and an unforgettable one. If you want to deepen the taste of your meats, particularly chicken or steak, with a distinctive malty flavour, then this Guinness beer marinade recipe is one you will want to try!

All-Purpose Guinness Marinade

This marinade calls for a careful balance of flavours. The rich and malty beer adds depth to the sweetness of the honey and tanginess of the lime, while the combination of herbs and spices delivers a rounded taste that complements a variety of meats.

The best thing about this marinade recipe is that it’s an all-purpose beer marinade that’s great for grilling! But it’s not limited to grilling.

You can use this same Guinness beer marinade for different types of cooking techniques, such as oven-baked or air-fried dishes.

And while this marinade is a great one for chicken or steak, you can also use it for other cuts of meat, such as pork or seafood and even for marinating your veggies too!

Plus this is the perfect marinade for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations if you want a little luck of the Irish on your side!

Ingredients For The Guinness Beer Marinade

Onto the important part, what ingredients do you need to make your Guinness marinating sauce? Let’s take a close look at the ingredients list:

• Guinness Beer: Guinness is an Irish dry stout beer and the most well-known stout beer. This is what gives your marinade the rich flavours. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other stout beers if you like though. Let your beer come to room temperature before making your marinade.
• Minced Garlic: You can add as much or as little garlic as you like. This one can be adjusted to suit your tastes.
• Soy Sauce: The soy sauce adds to the richness of the flavour although it can be left out of the recipe and you still get a great tasting marinade, so don’t fret if you’re all out of soy sauce.
• Lime Juice: This will help tenderise your meat as the lime acids help break down the muscles. You can also use lemon juice instead. This ingredient is especially important if using a tougher cut of meat.
• Honey: A little sweetness and to help make your marinade sticky.
• Smoked Paprika: One of my most used seasonings in all marinades and dry rubs to enhance the flavours.
• Onion Powder: Adds to the flavours
• Fresh Rosemary & Parsley: Switch to dried herbs if you don’t have the fresh varieties.
• Salt & Pepper: For a little extra seasoning.

Preparation

Combine all your marinade ingredients in a bowl or container that is big enough to fit your meat.

Add your meat (or vegetables) to the marinade mixture and make sure they are completely covered.

Leave them to marinate for up to 8 hours, turning every couple of hours to make sure each piece of meat or vegetable is evenly flavoured. Then cook as you like.

Marinating Time

The marinating process is where the flavour really sinks in.

For maximum impact, marinate your meat for at least 4 hours, but ideally, 8 hours will allow the meat to soak up all the savoury goodness.

Check out my grilled Guinness chicken recipe for inspiration using this marinade.

Marinade Recipe Variations

It’s always fun to experiment with a recipe and make it your own! I am definitely someone who almost always changes things up a little bit each time I make a recipe, even if it’s a tried and true favourite! Especially when it comes to adding spice when I’m not cooking for the kids.

Here are some great ways to change up this marinade recipe:

• Add Spice: Throw in some chilli flakes to turn this into a spicy beer marinade.
• Throw In Extra Herbs: Add some different types of dried or fresh herbs to experiment with flavours such as basil, thyme, or oregano.

Conclusion

Marinades are a simple way to add depth and flavour to your dishes, taking simple cuts of meat or vegetables and giving them a great new flavour twist. I hope you enjoy trying this Guinness beer marinade out yourself and be sure to drop a comment to let me know what you think!