Can you marinate chicken and beef together?

While it's technically safe to marinate chicken and beef together, it's generally not recommended due to the different food safety guidelines for poultry and red meat. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Safe temperatures: Chicken requires higher internal cooking temperatures (165°F) to ensure the destruction of harmful bacteria like salmonella, while beef can be safely cooked to lower temperatures (145°F for medium-rare). If marinating both meats together, you'll need to cook them to the higher temperature required for chicken, which may result in overcooked beef.

2. Cross-contamination: Mixing raw chicken and beef during marination increases the risk of cross-contamination. Bacteria from the chicken can transfer to the beef, potentially leading to foodborne illnesses. To prevent this, it's best to marinate them separately in different containers.

3. Flavor and texture: Marinating different types of meat together can alter their flavors and textures. Beef and chicken have distinct flavors, and marinating them together might lead to one meat overpowering the other's taste. Additionally, the textures of chicken and beef may change differently during marinating, affecting their final eating experience.

4. Food handling and storage: To maintain food safety, raw chicken and beef should be handled and stored differently to avoid potential contamination. For example, raw chicken should always be cooked separately and never stored near cooked foods, while beef can be stored together with other cooked meats as long as internal temperatures are reached. Combining them during marination means these food handling practices become more challenging.

It's generally recommended to marinate different types of meat separately, following specific guidelines for each to ensure food safety and achieve desired flavors and textures.