Skip to content
REFRIGERATION

Food storage

How to store marinated meat and tikka

Marinating is central to Indian cooking: tandoori chicken, tikka, seekh and shami kebabs, grilled fish and biryani meat are all marinated. Curd, lemon juice and spices add flavour but do not make meat safe at room temperature. A marinade with curd and raw meat is still raw meat. Marinate in the fridge at 0 to +3 °C, in covered food-grade containers, and cook within the period your food-safety plan sets. Some kitchens freeze marinated portions, which works well for many recipes.

  • Chilled0 to +3 °C
  • Frozen−18 °C or colder

Do

  • Always marinate in the fridge, never on the counter, even for short marinades.
  • Use food-grade plastic or stainless steel containers with lids; avoid unlined copper or aluminium with acidic marinades.
  • Label each container with the item, date and time of marinating.
  • Keep marinated meat on the lower shelves, below ready-to-eat foods.
  • Bring out only the trays needed for the next round of the tandoor or grill.
  • If you freeze marinated portions, freeze flat and thaw in the fridge.
  • Size marinade batches to what the tandoor will actually cook that service or the next, rather than marinating the whole delivery at once.

Avoid

  • Do not reuse marinade that has been in contact with raw meat unless you boil it thoroughly.
  • Do not keep marinated chicken beside the tandoor for the whole service.
  • Do not top up an old marinated batch with fresh meat.
  • Do not marinate in the same container that will hold cooked food.

In Indian conditions

Tandoor and grill stations are among the hottest places in an Indian kitchen. Trays of marinated chicken placed beside them for convenience can warm quickly. An undercounter refrigerator or refrigerated drawer next to the tandoor keeps meat cold and close to hand. In summer and during weddings or large catering events, marinated meat is often prepared in big quantities a day ahead; plan refrigeration capacity for that, and do not stack hot and cold items together. During power cuts, keep marinated trays in the closed fridge and check temperatures before cooking.

General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.