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It’s Sizzle Time: Grilling just got tastier with these easy mix-and-match rubs and marinades.

Bust out the grill—it’s that time of year when the warm weather and longer days inspire us to cook outdoors. Rubs and marinades are an easy and healthy way to ensure flavorful, juicy results without adding a lot of fat or calories. Sure, you can turn to store-bought versions (which we sometimes do when we’re pressed for time), but for more reliably tasty results, we like to make our own.

Though they are both used to enhance flavor, rubs and marinades, technically speaking, are quite different. Marinades are liquid mixtures that normally include some sort of acid, like wine or vinegar, plus oil and herbs or spices. Besides making food more flavorful, the acid breaks down the muscle tissue, which makes it more tender and moist. (Marinating time varies depending on how delicate or tough the food is—scallops might marinate for 5 minutes, while chicken thighs can go overnight.) Rubs are combinations of herbs and spices that you rub (thus the name) all over meat, fish, vegetables or whatever you choose. They’re known as “dry rubs” when they contain only dry ingredients like spices, or “wet rubs” when they include wet ingredients like oil, mustard or fresh garlic. According to Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking, rubs also create a protective layer around food that slightly insulates it from the direct heat of the grill and therefore helps keep it moist.

Here’s a collection of our six favorite rub and marinade recipes; many of these have been classics in our recipe developers’ home kitchens for years. We also have a handy chart with marinating and grilling times for our favorite types of poultry, meat, seafood and tofu. We chose cuts that cook quickly—so pay attention not to overcook them, to keep them juicy and tender. (For all the helpful grilling tips you’ll need, check out our Best Grilling Tips Ever.) If you’re not sure where to start, each rub and marinade recipe offers recommendations on the best pairings. With these recipes and our grilling tips in hand, you have enough combinations for an entire season’s worth of delectable, healthy dinners. Now, get out there and fire ’em up.

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Healthy Rubs and Marinade Recipes

• Pirate Marinade
• Mojito Marinade
• Red Wine Marinade
• Chile Spice Rub
• Coffee Rub
• Garlic Lover’s Rub
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Healthy Cooking Tip

Pressing Tofu: Pressing tofu gives it a firmer texture and helps it absorb marinades. Pressed tofu can be refrigerated, wrapped, for up to 24 hours before using.

• Start with a 14- to 16-ounce package of tofu.
• Cover a cutting board with foil and place it so one end extends over the sink.
• Prop up the other end so the board slants slightly toward the sink. Place tofu on the board.
• Cover tofu with a second sheet of foil.
• Place another cutting board or a baking sheet over the foil and weight it with heavy cans or books.
• Let stand for 30 minutes; excess water will drain into the sink.
• Cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices.

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Learn more:

• EatingWell's Best Grilling Tips Ever
• EatingWell's Grilling Chart
• Healthy Steak Collection
• Shopping for Natural Meats
• Eating in the Safe Zone
• Pork Buyer's Guide
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