Maple, Dijon, soy and lime marinade
- Preparation 5 min
- Servings about 1 cup (250 ml)
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍁 The marinade I fell in love with
I’ll be honest: I’ve rarely loved a marinade as much as this one. This isn’t just another maple-Dijon marinade. The soy sauce gives it umami depth, the lime adds a bright little kick, the smoked paprika brings gentle warmth, and the herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve give it a signature that’s truly our own. Everything plays off each other perfectly. The next day, I ate my leftovers with a fresh batch of marinade, and a few days later, I used it on beef. It was incredible every single time.
🥄 The secret: keep half for dipping
The real trick is to split the marinade in two before it ever touches the meat. One half is used to marinate your protein, the other stays clean in the fridge and becomes a dipping sauce at serving time. Since that portion never touched raw meat, it’s perfectly safe. And trust me, everyone will be dunking their bites into it. That’s what takes a dinner from good to completely addictive.
🔥 One marinade, almost every protein
This is my all-purpose marinade, the one I make with my eyes closed. It’s just as good on a pork tenderloin as it is on chicken breasts, beef flank steak, shrimp, or even tofu. Five minutes of whisking with what you already have in the fridge and pantry, and you’ve got a base that transforms any grilled dish. The kind of recipe you’ll be pulling out all summer long.
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🥄 Keep half for dipping
This is the trick that changes everything. Split the marinade in two before adding the meat: one portion for marinating, one clean portion set aside in the fridge that becomes a dipping sauce at serving time. Since it never touched raw meat, it’s perfectly safe. Everyone will be dunking their bites into it.
⏱️ The right marinating time for each protein
This is where it matters. Pork, chicken and beef: anywhere from 3 hours to overnight. The longer, the more flavourful. Shrimp and fish: 30 minutes to 1 hour maximum, no more, the lime’s acidity starts to “cook” the flesh beyond that. Firm tofu: 30 minutes and up, it soaks up the marinade over time.
🌿 The herbes salées do the salt’s job
Herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve are already quite salty, so there’s no need to add salt to the marinade. They’re also what gives it that little Québécois signature that nothing else can replicate.
🫙 Make it ahead. It keeps well
The marinade keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight jar. Double or triple the recipe without any issue. Give it another whisk before each use, as the oil tends to separate when resting.
🧊 The ready-to-cook meal trick
You can place your protein directly in the marinade in a zip-lock bag and freeze the whole thing. The meat marinates as it thaws in the refrigerator, giving you a grill-ready dinner without any extra effort.
♻️ Too good to waste
It’s so flavourful that it works wonders beyond the planned dinner. Make a fresh batch to drizzle over leftovers the next day, or marinate another protein in it. Every time, it’s a hit.
✅ What can I use my maple, Dijon, soy and lime marinade on?
It shines on just about any grilled dish. Use it like my Maple mustard pork ribs or my Maple grilled duck breasts, or on skewers like my Tequila and lime pork skewers. It’s perfect on the barbecue as well as in the oven.
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Marinade
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp (5 ml) herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp (5 ml) herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve
- 1 tsp (5 ml) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
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Preparation
- In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, lime juice and zest, herbes de Provence, herbes salées, smoked paprika and pepper until well combined.
- Divide the marinade into two equal portions. Set one half aside in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be used as a dipping sauce at serving time.
- Pour the other half over your protein of choice, coat well, cover and refrigerate according to the protein (see the tips below). Discard this portion after marinating, as it has been in contact with raw meat.
A marinade that combines a fat (oil), an acidic element (lime) and flavour (maple, Dijon, soy, garlic). The acidity breaks down the fibres while the fat keeps the meat juicy. This one does exactly that, while also developing a beautiful caramelization during cooking thanks to the maple syrup.
The golden rule: a fat (oil), an acid (lime, vinegar), something salty (soy sauce, herbes salées), something sweet (maple syrup) and aromatics (garlic, Dijon, paprika, herbs). This balance guarantees meat that’s tender, flavourful and nicely browned. Here, every category is covered.
From 3 hours to overnight for pork, chicken and beef. From 30 minutes to 1 hour for shrimp and fish. Don’t go beyond that, as the lime will eventually break down the flesh. Tofu benefits from marinating for 30 minutes or longer.
Pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, fish and firm tofu all take to it beautifully. The maple sugar creates a gorgeous caramelization on the barbecue as well as in the oven, and the soy sauce adds depth to every protein.
Up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight jar. You can also freeze your protein directly in it for a ready-to-cook meal. Whisk the marinade before each use, as the oil naturally separates when resting.
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