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The most common marinade refrain is that they make meats more flavorful and more tender—and that the longer you marinate, the better. But the truth is, marinades are not all they’re cracked up to be. Marinating involves submerging meat in a flavorful liquid that usually includes salt, seasonings, an acidic liquid, and sometimes an enzyme or other liquids like wine or beer. In general, marinades are often considered a magical potion that makes meats—particularly tougher cuts—more succulent, tender, and flavorful.But just like a game of telephone garbles the original message, marinade facts have evolved over time into hyperbolic legends. And these myths aren’t doing you—or your meat—any favors. Below, we’re taking a few of the top marinade misbeliefs to task. We’re looking at what marinades actually do to enhance flavor and alter texture and sharing tips along the way to help you make the most of your marinades. While it’s true that you can marinate just about anything—meat, seafood, vegetables, and even fruits—what happens between a mushroom and a marinade, is a different dance than what takes place in the muscle fibers and protein structures of meat. Since marinades are most often used with meats, that’s our focus here, and the ratios or recommendations below are specific to beef, pork, and poultry.