Marinating Techniques

Photo: flickr user chamko rani

Ingredients

Researched by: Gloria, Canada

Preparation

My job is marinating the meats for the grill. Everybody is dropping off their contributions and I will perform magic!

I thought a little marinating why, what, and no-kiddings might be nice to share...and one of my favorite grilling recipes, too.

* The word 'marinade' comes from the Latin/Italian 'marinara' which means 'of the sea'. The original marinades were briny liquids like seawater meant to preserve, tenderize and flavor foods.

* Just about anything you prepare on the grill or pit can benefit from a good marinade. Marinades do two things: (1)

They season, and (2) they tenderize the food.

* Most wet marinades help tenderize less expensive cuts of meat while adding flavor and color. A spice rub or dry type of marinade, creates a blackened crust and intense flavors.

* Different meats have different qualities. Beef marinade is not just right for pork. Pork needs a little lighter treatment and is tasty with mustard. Try adding some honey mustard to the recipe. Fish do well with fresh herbs with a little oil and white wine. Chicken and other poultry match with fruit flavoring. If you are going to use juice, use frozen concentrate, thawed. It's three times as strong as fresh squeezed.

* If you like things really spicy, add chilies, chili powder and/or cayenne to your marinade.

* Adding a little citrus zest to any marinade is a plus especially with fish and fowl.

The three main marinade 'families' are acids, enzymes, and dairy:* Acid bases include vinegar, wine, citrus juice and tomatoes.

Acidic marinades 'denature' proteins, which may actually toughen chicken. When exposed to an acidic marinade, the bonds between protein bundles in the meat break, and the proteins unwind. They run into each other and form a loose mesh.

Initially, water is trapped within this protein 'net' and tissue remains moist and juicy. After a short time, however, the protein bonds tighten, water is squeezed OUT, and the tissue toughens! Because of this, when using a highly acidic marinade for chicken, you may want to add a little olive oil and/or minimize marinating time. Two hours is usually more than sufficient for these marinades!

* Enzymatic marinades, which work by breaking down the muscle fiber and connective tissue (collagen), are another approach - but may make chicken mushy. Kiwi, papaya, raw pineapple, honeydew melon and figs all contain protein enzymes (proteases), but again, may work too well if the marinating/breakdown of proteins is allowed to continue for too long! In this case the meat may turn to mush without passing though an intermediate stage of tenderness. Again, 2 hours is usually long enough to marinate chicken in this marinade family.

* Dairy products such as buttermilk or yogurt are only mildly acidic and are probably the only marinades that truly tenderize! They don't toughen meat the way that the strongly acidic marinades do. It seems that the calcium in dairy products activates enzymes in meat that break down proteins; this process is more similar to the way that aging tenderizes meat than to cooking it, which is what the highly acidic marinades begin to do!

* Keep in mind that the 'toughening' which may occur with highly acidic marinades and long marinating times is not necessarily drastic; may, in fact, hardly be noticeable. If you've found that those overnight-marinated chicken breasts sometimes seem tough, even a little 'cooked' (like cerviche), you now know why and can simply lessen/adjust the 'marination duration' accordingly!

* Generally, 1/2 cup of liquid marinade for every 1 pound of meat will do the trick.

* If you intend to marinate for more than an hour...ALWAYS MARINATE IN THE REFRIGERATOR!! Do not leave meat and marinade outside of the refrigerator - this is bacteria heaven.

Chicken is even more time sensitive.

* The best way to marinate is in a resealable plastic bag.

Place the meat or vegetables in the bag with the marinade.

Press out all the excess air before you seal the bag. It can be turned over again and again with no spill, no mess!

* Do not use an aluminum dish or aluminum foil, as there might be a chemical reaction which will result in icky toxic stuff invading your marvelous marinade flavors.

* Do not EVER use leftover marinade for basting or as a sauce, UNLESS you first boil it for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria that may have started to grow. When properly boiled and bacteria free, marinades make a lovely, tasty sauces.

* DO NOT REUSE THE MARINADE!!! Marinades are one-time use only. ALWAYS toss out after you are done!

* Always wash the platter you used to get raw meats of any kind out to the grill. DO NOT place the cooked meat on the unwashed platter...bacteria, remember?!?

* Marinades usually don't penetrate more than 1/2-inch into food. Thinner cuts (1 inch to 2 inches) of meat, poultry or fish will, therefore, be more flavorful throughout than thicker cuts. Cubes of meat or poultry for kabobs will have full flavor throughout.

* A longer time in the marinade will simply mean a stronger flavor on the outer portions of the food, not deeper flavor penetration into the center.

* Less tender cuts of meat, such as flank steak, can be scored with a knife before marinating. This cuts the tough tissue which helps in tenderizing.

* Contrary to popular belief, piercing meat or poultry before marinating doesn't help the marinade penetrate faster or deeper. Rather, it means you lose more juices and moisture during cooking.

* Roasts are not very good for marinating. They loose moisture and are less succulent...that being said, you can expect them to be more tender and have the flavor of the marinade. They will likely take less time to cook also.

* Follow this handy guide for the best flavor from the least to the maximum time for marinating:Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves up to 3 hrs.

Chicken parts3 to 24 hrs.

Beef and pork (steaks, roasts, chops and cubes)

3 to 24 hrs.

Stronger fish (tuna, shrimp, salmon)

30 minutes

Delicate fish (flounder, cod, halibut)

15 minutes

Vegetables (sliced)

15 minutes to 1 hr.

* Apply dry marinades 1 hour before cooking.

* Reduce spattering and flare-ups by draining excess marinade from food. Patting dry before cooking is a good idea for the real wet ones. Don't forget to boil the marinade for 5 minutes if you intend to baste with it or make a sauce with it!!!

You can zap in a microwave or on the stove top.

* Sweetened marinades caramelize and brown quickly. Watch carefully to prevent from burning into a nasty, black, crusty shell. You'll lose all that yummy sweet flavor you worked so hard to achieve!