Buttermilk Tenderizing Marinade

Name: Buttermilk Tenderizing Marinade (Chicken, Pork & Small-Cut Wild Game)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ½ Cups Buttermilk; 2 tsp Kosher Salt (~1.6% for ~ 2lbs of meat); 1 Tbsp Hot Sauce (optional for a mild kick); 2 tsp Garlic Powder; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper; 1 tsp Smoked Paprika; 1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar (optional to round out the flavor)

December 27, 2025

Buttermilk is a chef’s finish in the prep stage—quiet, reliable, and forgiving. Lactic acid + calcium loosen proteins just enough to keep chicken juicy and pork friendly, and it can gently mellow small cuts of wild game when used briefly. The win is in the timing and the dry: hit your window, pat it like you mean it, oil lightly, season with intent, and let hot Grill Grates do the browning.

Back to blog

Buttermilk Tenderizing Marinade (Chicken, Pork & Small-Cut Wild Game)

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

Chief Flame Tamer Michael McDearman

Servings

2 Cups ~ 2 lbs of meat

Prep Time

10 minutes

The Meat Hook

Image of Buttermilk Tenderizing Marinade (Chicken, Pork & Small-Cut Wild Game)

Ingredients

1 ½ Cups Buttermilk
2 tsp Kosher Salt (~1.6% for ~ 2lbs of meat)
1 Tbsp Hot Sauce (optional for a mild kick)
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar (optional to round out the flavor)

Directions

Build the bath. Whisk all ingredients until completely smooth; the marinade should taste like a light, savory soup—noticeable salt, gentle tang, and a little spice. Use about 1 cup per pound of meat to keep pieces fully coated and keep it cold.
Pitmaster’s Tip: Season the marinade and the meat. The soak starts flavor inside; your post-marinade seasoning builds bark outside.
Time it, dry it, brown it. Buttermilk keeps working; past 24 hours it overdoes it. Pull on time, then get the surface bone-dry—moisture fights browning and smoke color. Move to a cooler zone to finish as needed.
Standard timing windows:

Chicken pieces (bone-in thighs/drums): 4–12 hoursBoneless skinless breasts (whole): 2–4 hours. Pork chops (¾–1″): 2–8 hours. Turkey breast cutlets (thin) 1–2 hours.
Pitmaster’s Tip: After drying, brush a light film of oil, season fresh, then cook.
Wild game & small cuts (short soak only). Lactic acid works fast on lean meats. Use buttermilk to gently tone down iron notes on small cuts only, and keep it short. Not suggested for large roasts/whole muscles (hindquarter, shoulder).
Short-soak guide:

Venison backstrap medallions, tenderloins; dove/quail breasts; rabbit pieces: 20–60 minutes max. Mainstream small cuts (chicken tenders, thin pork cutlets ≤½″): 30–60 minutes max.
Pitmaster’s Tip: Do not rinse. Pat very dry, light oil, season, and cook. For large game roasts, skip buttermilk—dry-brine instead (0.8–1.0% salt by meat weight, 6–24 hours, uncovered on a rack).

Recipe Note

— ✦ — ✦ —

Rookie ✦ Backyard Pro ✦ Pit Legend

Rookie

✦ Start with chicken thighs; finish with your house rub.

✦ Dry aggressively before the fire for better browning.

✦ Cook to temp, not time (165°F thighs/drums).

Backyard Pro

✦ Add lemon zest + thyme for Tuscan vibes.

✦ Reserve 2 Tbsp marinade before adding meat; brush buns as they toast.

✦ After the sear, move to a cooler zone to finish without flare-ups.

Pit Legend

✦ Two-stage: 4h buttermilk → 45-min fridge air-dry on a rack for lacquered skin.

✦ Sear over hot Grill Grates to lay clean grate marks, then finish indirect.

✦ For chops, target 135–140°F pull; rest to 145°F carryover.

From the Fire

Across the South (and beyond), dairy marinades show up for the same reasons: gentle tenderizing, round flavor, and photogenic browning on live fire. With wild game, less is more—short bath, hard dry, clean sear.

Tips, Tricks & Techniques

Discard used marinade—or boil 2 minutes before using as a baste.Cap at ≤24h for standard cuts; for small cuts (game or mainstream) keep to ≤1 hour.Trim silverskin/bloodshot from game first; clean butchery beats any soak.Lactose workaround: kefir or thinned full-fat yogurt (same short windows).Scale salt to meat weight; the bath should taste lightly seasoned.Skip buttermilk for large game roasts—dry-brine instead (0.8–1.0% by weight).

Pair It (Serve & Sip)

Chicken thighs/drums → Alabama white on the sidePork chops → light honey–mustard brush after the searVenison medallions → finish with a spoon of herb butterZero-proof: Lemon–mint spritzerPilsner or wheat beer

Pitmaster/Grillmaster

Michael McDearman is a PitMaster/Grillmaster, Restaurateur, and Good Ol’ Country Boy with a Passport full of Cook-Offs and a Phone full of Grill Photos — not a backyarder playing PitMaster online. He’s represented 50+ Major BBQ & Grilling Companies, served 3 Years as Grillmaster for Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner., Won Contests Around the World, earned SIX Straight Golden Tickets to the Steak World Championship, and Judges Food Competitions on the World’s Largest Food Sport Stages.

Michael and Stoking the Coals are here to help busy families, new grillers and seasoned hosts get Pro level results without the chaos or catastrophes. We are in this together!

Item added to your cart