Warm days and cool evenings mark the beginning of summer grilling season. One great thing about grilling is the heat not produced in the house by the stove or oven. Another is the excellent taste of marinated steaks, chicken, and pork loins. So, whether you have that state of the art gas grill or a “my buddy” charcoal set the size of a 9” pie pan, light it up and get cooking! Try not to get too lost in marinades and rubs though– a good piece of meat or a fresh vegetable is good enough dressed with salt, pepper, and a touch of lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil. But, if you want to add other flavors and change up your routine, marinating is a great way to intensify the flavor of food with just a few basic ingredients. Although the purpose of marinating is to add flavor, it can also be used to tenderize meat, chicken and fish. Take note of the marinating tips, tools, ingredients, and timelines below so you too can enhance your grilling experience. Also added is a balsamic portobello recipe taught at a previous cooking class which was a big hit!
Marinating tips:
- A marinade can be a paste, a liquid or a dry rub (such as a simple herb and spice mix). You can also mix and match flavors to create your own blends.
- Marinate foods in large, sealable plastic bags. They’re easy to use, they allow all surfaces to be coated with the marinade, and they can be easily discarded after use.
- If you don’t have plastic bags, use a shallow dish ensuring an even coverage of the food. If the food isn’t completely covered in the marinade, turn every 30 min.
- Marinades used for raw meat or poultry can be used to baste ingredients as they cook, or for a sauce, but they need be boiled first. Place the marinade in a saucepan over high heat and boil for 5 minutes thus killing any harmful bacteria. If you are marinating chicken, I would suggest not to use as a sauce for bacterial concerns.
Marinating tools:
- Always use tongs for turning the ingredients.
- Use a pastry brush and baste the marinade over the food while it is cooking.
- Use glass or ceramic dishes if the marinade contains an acid as it may react with a metal container and thus taint the food.
Marinating ingredients:
- Marinades vary from recipe to recipe but they generally contain three basic components: oils, acids and seasonings.
- Oil locks in the natural flavor of food thus preventing it from drying out. Good oils for marinating include extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, or herb/spice infused oils.
- Acids tenderize meat by unraveling the proteins which softens the surface and allows flavors to be absorbed. Acids generally used include vinegars, wine, sherry, citrus juices like lemon or orange, yogurt and buttermilk.
- Seasonings provide the unique flavors that distinguish your marinade from others. Garlic, ginger and shallots are great starting points but you can also use fresh herbs and chili to spice things up. Sweet ingredients like honey and sugar not only add flavor but also caramelize the food when cooking (i.e. think crispy chicken skin). Other seasonings include citrus peel, soy sauce, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Rubs are basically dry marinades which consist of only dry ingredients like herbs and spices. They are referred to “rubs” because you literally rub the mixture onto the surface of the food. Once the rub is applied to the meat, chicken or fish, it is best to cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
Marinating timeline:
- In general, the longer food is left to marinate, the more flavors you can impart. However, don’t leave the marinade for too long! The time usually depends on what you’re marinating, the size of ingredients and the type of marinade you are using.
- Small or tender cuts, like lamb/beef fillets, chicken thighs/breasts and seafood require shorter marinating times (2-4 hours)
- Larger or tougher cuts of meat such as leg, rump or shoulder will need a longer marinating time (anywhere from 4-6 hours).
- Highly acidic marinades should not be used for more than 2 hrs (especially w/ fish).
If you love mushrooms or are a vegetarian looking for a new take on mushrooms, try the balsamic portobello recipe below. The sweet, complex flavors of herbs, spices and balsamic vinegar enhance the smokiness of grilled portobello’s. The result is a sauce that pairs very well with pork tenderloins, chicken, and grilled steaks.
Balsamic Portobellos
Ingredients
- 5 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and cut into 1 inch wide slices
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2-3 teaspoons paprika
- 2-3 Pinches of Herbs de Provence (dried thyme, rosemary, marjoram, lavender)
Directions
- In shallow dish, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, salt/pepper, paprika, & herbs.
- Add the mushrooms and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for a couple of hours.
- Heat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil grates.
- Grill mushrooms until lightly charred & tender, 4-6 min’s roughly per side.
- If you have any left over marinade baste the mushrooms as they cook on the grill.
- Continue basting when off the grill and use marinade as a sauce for the meat too
If any of you try the portobello dish above and have difficulty or success, please email me back with feedback. I hope you find the tips above useful during your next grilling session.
