| Marinating meat before grilling helps tenderize it and | | | | of the meat can be softened more than you want. |
| adds wonderful flavor. Tenderizing agents often used | | | | Meat with a mushy texture when you cut into it is |
| in marinades include acidic ingredients such as vinegar, | | | | not what you're striving for. |
| lemon juice, lime juice, yogurt and even wine. Fresh | | | | For tender cuts of beef--Porterhouse, top loin, |
| papaya, ginger and pineapple contain tenderizing | | | | tenderloin, rib eyes, top sirloin-the marinade will do its |
| enzymes, and they add exotic flavors as well. | | | | job in as little as 15 minutes, or you can go as long as |
| Marinades are wonderfully versatile flavor enhancers | | | | 2 hours with the marinating process. Less tender cuts |
| for the outdoor chef. The marinade recipes you can | | | | need substantially more marinating time, at least 6 |
| come up with are only limited by your imagination. | | | | hours or preferably overnight. Flank steak, skirt |
| You start by selecting your acid or tenderizing | | | | steak, top round and chuck shoulder steaks all |
| ingredients, and add additional ingredients. Popular | | | | benefit from longer marinating. |
| choices include herbs (oregano, thyme), garlic, | | | | You should marinate the food in the refrigerator, |
| shallots, brown sugar or honey, soy sauce, cumin, | | | | never at room temperature. Never reuse a marinade. |
| black pepper, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, | | | | It should be discarded after you remove the meat |
| tomato paste and mustard. | | | | from it. Some marinades do make great sauces to |
| You can also take something you already have in the | | | | serve with the dish. But do not use the marinade |
| refrigerator, such as standard Italian salad dressing, | | | | that has been in contact with the meat. Simply |
| and build additional flavor through adding fresh herbs | | | | reserve some of the marinade for use in the sauce, |
| like cilantro, or spicing it up with chili powder. | | | | and use the rest as the marinade. |
| Timing is important to get the most out flavor out of | | | | The goal of marinating is to have the liquid in contact |
| your marinade. Marinating for too brief a time doesn't | | | | with as much of the surface of the meat as possible. |
| allow the flavor of the marinade to penetrate the | | | | If you are using a food-safe plastic bag for |
| meat. Overlong marinating time results in softening | | | | marinating, make sure that it is a fairly tight fit over |
| the texture of the meat too much. Here are some | | | | the meat, so the marinade will be forced over more |
| guidelines: | | | | of the food's surface. Similarly, it you prefer to use a |
| Tender beef cuts can be marinated for as short as | | | | nonreactive container like a glass dish, make sure it is |
| 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours. These include | | | | large enough so the meat can lie flat, but again is a |
| Porterhouse, top loin, tenderloin, ribeyes, top sirloin. | | | | tight enough fit so the marinade will be in contact |
| Less tender cuts need to be marinated at least 6 | | | | with as much of the meat as possible. It's a good |
| hours or as long as overnight. These include flank, | | | | idea to turn the plastic bag over several times or turn |
| skirt, top round, and chuck shoulder steaks. If you | | | | the meat in the dish, in order to have uniform |
| marinate longer than 24 hours, the surface texture | | | | exposure to the marinade. |