Marinades

Combine buttermilk and pickle juice. Anything you soak in this will come out juicy, tender, and gloriously briny. It works with any kind of pickles, so pick your favorite.

Combine sriracha and mayonnaise. A little spicy, a little funky, a little sweet. Don't freak out about the mayo: it makes meat unbelievably tender and leaves a beautiful, almost-fried crust on vegetables.

Combine maple syrup and Frank's Red Hot. Grilled chicken wings are desperately underrated, and this marinade gives 'em an unmistakable Buffalo wing vibe.

Combine plain yogurt, turmeric, and garam masala. I'm begging you to put this on lamb chops and then invite me over. Thanks!

Combine sesame oil, umeboshi vinegar, and black pepper. Incredible on grilled asparagus—trust me.

Combine sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice. Tangy, sweet, funky, and salty enough to work on everything from pressed tofu to beef short ribs.

Combine Sprite, soy sauce, and lots of garlic. This is a pared-down version of a classic Filipino marinade for barbecued pork skewers. It's everything you want and more.

Combine Dr. Pepper, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Trashy? Sure. Delicious? Absolutely.

Combine cheap beer, adobo seasoning, lime juice, and oil. Beer is the single best booze for marinades; you can't change my mind. Try this on pounded chuck steak and fat slices of onion destined for a very hot grill.

Combine cheap beer, Dijon mustard, garlic, and thyme. Almost fancy—but not quite. This one is great on chicken legs or thick, bone-in pork chops.

Combine miso, soy sauce, garlic, and pickled ginger. A variation on the classic miso, mirin, soy marinade that's extremely good on eggplant.