Lesson | Marinade Advice | No Rules No Recipes No Worries
There are three main elements to any marinade: Acid. Spice. and Time.
Recently we have been asked to add marinades to our collection of creations. Give a man a fish or teach a man to fish! So here is some quick marinade advice to be used in conjunction both with or without the addition of our products.
An acid:
This is the tenderizing element of your marinade, as well as adding flavor. It can be anything from:
Beer (Stout, Ale, Amber)
Dry Wine, Sherry (red or white)
Fruit Juice (lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, kiwi, grapefruit)
Crushed Fruit (tomato, kiwi, paw paw, mango, berries, citrus)
Vinegar (balsamic, white, malt, cider, fruit vinegars, vinaigrette dressings)
Yogurt, Milk and Buttermilk (plain)
Sauces (Terriyaki sauce, Hoisin sauce, Tomato sauce, BBQ sauce)
Oils*
Some fruits carry additional enzymes which work at breaking down fibers, aiding in tenderization. In particular Papaya for beef and kiwi for calamari and octopus. *The addition of oils to marinades also aids penetration of the acid.
A spice:
Anything that adds flavor to your marinade and can include:
Herbs fresh or dried (thyme, rosemary, mint, coriander, chives, dill)
Spices fresh or dried (chilli, garlic, ginger, pepper, wasabi, horseradish, onion, spice/curry blends)
Pastes (Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern and African curry pastes, tapenades, fruit pastes and marmalade)
Condiments (soy sauce, mustard, chutney, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce)
Time:
The longer you marinated simply the better the results!
Your combination, no mater what acid or spices you choose, will have a desired result. That being to flavor and tenderize. It is a small matter of playing around to find what your favorite combinations are. There are no rules. Keep it simple. Start with two acids and two spices, any quantity you choose and a little oil. Be warned with acids like vinegar and spices like hot chilli..... a little goes along way, so be sparing at first.
"There's no rules, just get in there and play!
Here are some guidelines, not rules:
Using dry herb and spice rubs to marinade:
Combine:
2 Tbs of spice or herbs (rub a little on the meat first)
1 Tbs of any condiment (mustard, soy sauce, chutney, honey)
2 1/2 cups of two different acids. (citrus juice, fruit vinegar, wine, beer)
1/4 cup of vegetable or canola oil.
Mix thoroughly. Soak meat for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is better) in an air tight container or zip lock bag. Brush meats with marinade while cooking.
i.e. Herb/Spice + Condiment + 2 acids + Oil
- Mexican spice + chilli sauce + lemon juice/tomato crushed fresh + oil.
- Italian herb blend + mustard - balsamic vinegar/lemon juice + oil.
- Thyme/cumin/garlic + mustard - lemon juice + oil.
Combine:
3 Tbs of your favorite condiment (i.e. chutney, mustard, tomato sauce, soy sauce or pastes)
2 1/2 cups of two different acids. ( lemon juice, fruit vinegar, wine, beer)
1 Tbs of spice (salt & pepper, garlic, chilli).
(add a little honey if preferred)
Mix thoroughly. Soak meat for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is better) in an air tight container or zip lock bag. Brush meats with marinade while cooking.
i.e Condiment + Herb/Spice + 2 acids + Oil
- Mustard + crushed garlic + white wine/lemon juice + oil
- Fruit chutney + dry herb + fruit vinegar/orange juice + oil
- Curry paste + dried mint/salt&pepper + natural yogurt / lime juice.
- Fruit chutney/mustard + garlic/rosemary + beer (stout) / tomato sauce
Combine:
Chili with an acid and two spice.
- Chili-lemon juice-garlic/ginger-soy sauce. (Thai style)
- Chili-vinegar-garlic-spice rub-coriander (Mexican style)
Wozz! simple marinades (if you are using our line of specialty foods)
Lamb: |
Duck-Shrimp-Chicken: 1/2 cup lime juice 1 Tbs grated ginger 1 Tbs chopped chili 2 Tbs Thai Orange Ginger Relish fresh coriander/mint or Just use half a jar of Thai Orange Ginger Relish with chopped fresh herbs |
Shrimp-Chicken-Lamb: 1/2 cup North African Chermoula dressing 1/2 bunch chopped fresh coriander, mint or Italian parsley 1/2 cup canola oil |
All Meat-Seafood:
2 Tbs Super Hot Chili Sambal 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 Tbs soy sauce 2 crushed garlic cloves sliced spring onions chopped mint or coriander |
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