Marinades were in news because of their capacity to cut down cholesterol in meats, but their most obvious flavor enhancing capacity throws more appeal to gourmand. While marinades are elaborated both as tenderizers and as flavor enhancers, it all depends on what the recipe demands.
An article makes things easy as it separates the place for flavor enhancers and marinades. The suggestion for tender cuts of meats or only veggies is the use of flavor and aroma enhancers like ginger root, herbs and spices. In tougher cuts, you have to use enzyme-rich papaya, yogurt, vinegar and citrus juices along with the flavor enhancers.
The idea as pointed out is that marinades have acid content that cut the connective fibers in meat, thereby allowing the added flavors to penetrate inside it. This theory is coupled with the basic technique of soaking the meats and foodstuff completely in the marinade for an effective penetration of flavors and diffusion of aroma.
