Sure, overcooked chicken, burnt toast, and rubbery eggs are regrettable, but wasting food is the biggest culinary faux pas of all. Unfortunately, food waste is more insidious than you might realize. Take your “empty” condiment jars, for example, which probably aren’t as hollow as they seem. Empty condiment jars often hide a generous surplus of sauce clinging to their sides, enough to flavor another meal or enhance a dish if you take the time to put the remains to use. But instead of cutting it open and scraping out the leftovers, make the entire condiment-coated jar useful by using it to make a marinade.
The three pillars of a marinade are acid, fat, and flavoring agents. Together, these otherwise basic ingredients transform meats by tenderizing their gristly bits, preserving their moisture content, and infusing them with flavor from the inside out. By adding an acid and fat source to an empty condiment jar, you tick all of the boxes necessary for a well-made marinade, using your favorite sauce or spread as the flavoring agent. Simply combine your ingredients in the jar, shake it up, and smother it over a tuna steak, rack of lamb, platter of chicken breast, or any other meat or vegetable that can benefit from a marinade. Not only does this handy kitchen hack provide a way to reduce unnecessary food waste, but it might also keep you from washing the extra dish you would have used to assemble your marinade.
Marinade combos starring empty condiment jars
Making a marinade is a crafty kitchen endeavor that’s as fun as it is flavorful. As long as your ingredients harmonize, there are endless combinations, even when working with an empty condiment jar. Combine what remains of that good old-fashioned mustard bottle with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper for a tangy marinade accented by delicate waves of sweetness that provide undercurrents of complexity to smoldering, grilled meats. Use a leftover jar of berry jam to assemble a marinade starring olive oil, balsamic vinegar, miso paste, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme, and black pepper — perfect for adding a tart yet umami-infused trim to a holiday-inspired whole roasted chicken. Dress up your leftover sriracha sauce bottle with sesame oil, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a dash of soy sauce to infuse grilled shrimp with a lively, fiery taste that will light up a platter of poolside skewers.
Don’t hesitate to experiment with ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and other refrigerator staples. Mix, match, and mash up your favorite fixings in your leftover condiment jar to create a waste-free marinade that will make your tastebuds (and conscience) sing.
