Specialized Kitchen Tools
Marinade Scaling Calculator
Find how much marinade you need for the amount of meat, fish, or vegetables you have (about 1/2 cup per pound).
Measurement System PreferenceAuto-saved
Currently active across all 60 calculators: US Customary (cups, tbsp, oz, °F, in)
lb
Marinade needed
2 cups
About 473 mL (1/2 cup per pound of food)
1 cupsOil (half)
0.5 cupsAcid: citrus, vinegar, yogurt
0.5 cupsFlavor: soy, garlic, herbs
Chicken pieces: 2-12 hours. Keep acidic marinades to about 2 hours on boneless breasts so the texture doesn't turn mushy. Always marinate in the fridge, in a zip-top bag or covered dish (turn it once or twice). Don't reuse marinade from raw meat as a sauce unless you bring it to a full boil first.
How to use this calculator
- 1Enter the weight of meat, fish, or vegetables.
- 2Choose what you're marinating to see a suitable soaking time.
- 3Make the total marinade shown. The suggested oil, acid, and flavor split is a good starting point.
Tip: Always marinate in the fridge, never on the counter.
How it's calculated
Marinade Volume = Meat Weight (lbs) × 0.5 Cups (approx. 120 mL per 450g)
We do the math at full precision and only round the final answer, so the numbers you see are as close as kitchen measurements allow. The assumptions and limits are listed alongside.
Worked example
Scenario: Marinating 4 lbs of chicken thighs.
Inputs4 lbs meat × 0.5 cups/lb = 2 cups marinade total
CalculationScale your marinade recipe to produce 2 cups total volume.
Result2.0 cups (480 mL) marinade
Common questions
Can you use leftover marinade as a sauce?
Only after bringing it to a full rolling boil, which kills bacteria from the raw meat. Easier still: set some marinade aside before it touches the meat.