what makes a good BBQ marinade? I thought that I would talk a little bit about this and how you can do this in your own kitchen. Why buy something from the store when you can make it so much better at home and be proud of your own distinctive marinade.
What is a BBQ marinade? First, there are two types: liquid and/or dry. In the liquid marinade, it is a liquid mix of fats, like oil, and then an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice.
What marinades do is to tenderize the meat due to the acid which you uses. It also add flavor and increases the chance of you getting that crust which a lot of people like on their barbecue d meats.
What makes a really good BBQ marinade? This depends on what your taste buds are. If you do it right you can achieve a good balance between:
*saltiness
*spiciness
*sweetness
*tangy
To achieve that salty taste you can add either sea salt (which is the only kind of salt I cook with). Or you can use soy sauce. And soy sauce always goes good when you mix it 50/50 with Worcestershire sauce in a BBQ marinade.
To get that spicy taste, we use peppers. Here are some that you can use to get that desired result:
*chili peppers
*chili pepper flakes
*whole peppercorns
*cracked peppercorns
*ground pepper
And then, of course, you know that there are so many different kinds of peppers which you can use.
For the sweetness try white sugar, brown sugar, honey (many different varieties from which you can choose).
Then for the tangy we choose either vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice. Now a caveat about the vinegar or lemon juice. Not only are you adding that 'tangy' taste, but the acid also acts as a meat tenderizer. You can also use pineapple juice if you would like to give it a try. When I use the lemon juice I always grate some of the lemon and put it in there also.
After you have put those ingredients together you will have the basics of a good marinade. However, now that you have the sweetness and salty and spiciness and tangy taste, what comes next? Well, let's try adding some different flavors. How about some herbs?
I, and I have mentioned this before, always use garlic, garlic, garlic. No, not that much, but you get the point. Try adding some diced/chopped garlic, minced onions, and some different herbs which you like. Rosemary, basil, oregano. If you are going for an Asian flavor, try some ground ginger. If South of the Border, then use cilantro or ground coriander.
The point here is to try and take some different approaches to this and be creative. Try your own. It won't be long before you can come up with your own BBQ marinade – one which you and your family will really like.
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