Chinese Five Spice Marinade

I have been perfecting this Chinese Five Spice Marinade recipe for almost two years. My goal was to make it accessible to anyone (even if all you have is dried/jarred spices) and perfect it on really any protein. You can also turn this into a sauce to put on top. Keep reading to see how.

WHAT IS CHINESE FIVE SPICE?

Chinese Five Spice is traditionally a blend of spices, used to complement fatty meats, like duck, goose, or pork. So it’s perfect in this marinade.

The spice blend itself isn’t always made up of the same five spices. In fact, there aren’t always five of them. Quite frankly, it depends on the brand and where you buy the spice from. Most blends from China contain star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon, and cloves. The mix can also contain ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, galangal, Mandarin orange peel, white pepper or black pepper, and licorice. *If the blend does not have star anise or sichuan peppercorns, I recommend buying a different one as that is an important element in Chinese Five Spice.

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Ultimately, whether the blend is actually 5 individual spices or not, the true focus of this spice is on the achievement of a harmonious balance. This balance is created by the five traditional Chinese elements:

1. wood
2. fire
3. earth
4. metal
5. water

These elements are represented by the five flavor profiles (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory) created from the spices.

You can often find this spice at most regular grocery stores and Asian grocery stores. It has a warming and deep flavor with a subtle hint of licorice and is distinctly spicy, but not fiery.

DETAILS ON THE MARINADE

This marinade is meant to be reminiscent of a Chinese BBQ you get at a restaurant. Sweet and salty with distinct flavor profiles you only get from Asian food.

This marinade recipe is easy to make and a great way to add depth of flavor to literally any protein! It’s a great recipe to make for a large family (trust me, I have 5 kids), or party since you can prepare the marinade (and even soak many of the proteins) the night before.

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MAKING THE MARINADE

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for full recipe details.

• Combine all ingredients and mix well.
• Pour over the meat of choice, seal in a food-safe bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for the allotted time to achieve the flavor strength you want. The longer it sits, the better. But a minimum of 30 minutes is necessary. If making ahead of time, store in an airtight container or food-safe jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days after preparation. 

Try this recipe with Asian Cucumber Salad

HOW TO REUSE AFTER MARINADING

During the marinating process, harmful pathogens that could make you and your dinner guests very sick may have contaminated the marinade, making it unsafe to consume as it is. However, before you discard that perfectly good marinade, there’s a technique to transform it into a safe sauce. You simply need to cook it first to eliminate dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. Only after cooking is it safe to reuse the marinade as a sauce or glaze.

Before you go slathering on the leftover marinade, you’ll need to follow these simple steps:

1. Remove all meat from the marinade.
2. Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil on the stovetop.
3. How to Reuse a Meat Marinade
4. Boil for AT LEAST five minutes.

You can use a food thermometer to ensure your sauce maintains a boiling temperature (212 degrees F). Also, be sure not to use a brush that has touched raw meat with the newly-boiled sauce. Use a separate basting brush. Using separate brushes will guarantee that you keep the bacteria from the raw meat away from your new sauce.

This sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3-5 days in a food-safe jar

Chinese Five Spice Marinade

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Discover the secret to the perfect Chinese Five Spice Marinade. Transform any protein into a flavorful dish with this versatile recipe. Yields 2 ½ cups of marinade, enough for up to 5 lbs of protein.

• Total Time: up to 12 hrs and 12 min
• Yield: 2 ½ cups 1x

Ingredients

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• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 Tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 cup honey (used as an emulsifier)
• 1 (2″) piece fresh ginger grated (See NOTES 1 for substitutions)
• 5 garlic cloves grated (See NOTES 2 for substitutions)
• 1 cup broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)

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Instructions

• Combine all ingredients and mix well.
• Pour over no more than 5lbs of meat of choice, seal in a food-safe bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for the allotted time (see NOTES 3 for details) to achieve the flavor strength you want. The longer it sits, the better. But a minimum of 20 minutes is necessary.

Equipment

Mora Ceramics Small Mixing Bowls Set of 2 – 2.5 & 1.6 Qt (Vanilla White)

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Stasher Snack Bag

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Whisk

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Notes

Substitutions:

1. ½ tsp ginger powder and 1 teaspoon lime juice
2. 2 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
3. Marinating Times:
   • For Best results marinate any protein for 2 – 12 hours
   • Chicken, Beef or pork: Up to 12 hours
   • Seafood: No longer than 1 hour
   • Tofu: Up to 2 hours
   • Less than 24 hours is key! You need to be careful not to marinate the meat too long because the acidity from the marinade can actually damage the meat by breaking it down too much!

Storage Details:

If making this marinade ahead of time, store it in an airtight container or food-safe jar in the refrigerator for up to five days after preparation. 

How to Reuse a Meat Marinade

During the marinating process, problematic pathogens that could make you and your dinner guests terribly sick may have transferred into that marinade, so it’s unsafe to eat. You’ll need to cook it first to eliminate bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. Then — and only then — is it safe to reuse as a sauce or glaze.

Before you go slathering on the leftover marinade, you’ll need to follow these simple steps:

1. Remove all meat from the marinade.
2. Pour the marinade into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil on the stovetop.
3. Boil for five minutes.

You can use a food thermometer to ensure your sauce maintains boiling temperature (212 degrees F). Also, be sure not to use a brush that has touched raw meat with the newly-boiled sauce. Use a separate basting brush. Using separate brushes will guarantee you keep the bacteria from the raw meat away from your new sauce.

• Author: Jenn Giam Smith
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• marinating time: up to 12 hrs
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Category: marinades
• Method: one bowl
• Cuisine: Asian-American

©Photo, Prop Styling, and Food Styling by Jenn Smith owner of Jenn Giam Smith; Jenn Smith, LLC

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