Marinades Make Everything Taste Better

All Four Seasons Garage Doors Sandy Springs GA

Spring is coming and for most avid grillers the first sunny day will have them running to their garage to pull out their grill or smoker. But for many their grilling is more ‘meh’ than magnificent and most can’t figure out why. They buy the best cuts of meat, they acquire the best wood and charcoal, they even have their ‘secret’ rub they use every single time. However, grilling is a high hot method of cooking and it drives moisture out of foods, meaning the food can be flavorable but dry. The savvy outdoor chefs like to stack the deck with the magic of marinades. If you’ve never tried marinating your food before grilling, make this grilling season the season you try it and see if it doesn’t make a big difference in your final product. Below are some basics of marinading as well as some simple marinade tips for different types of foods, but these basics are just a jumping off point. Use these basics to get started, then allow your imagination to run wild and see what you can come up to help kick your grilled food up a notch.

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A good marinade will remind you of a good vinaigrette. You want an acid, such as vinegar or citrus juice and oil, such as olive oil or vegetable oil, then flavorings. Nevertheless, just like a good vinaigrette, balance is everything and most of the time a 50/50 ratio of acid to oil will work with the flavorings added according to taste. In addition, just like a good salad dressing a good marinade should taste good on a spoon. The flavors of a marinade will only intensify so if it doesn’t taste good in a bowl, it will not taste good after soaking on the food either.

The easiest marinade in the world is probably one that many people have sitting in their refrigerator already. If you’re still on the fence about marinades or not quite sure if the time invested will be worth the effort, then try Italian dressing. A bottle of Italian dressing will make the toughest cuts of meats more tender, the driest chicken breasts juicier and the blandest of vegetables more flavorful. In addition, best of all the work is already done for you. Grab a resalable bag, a bottle of Italian dressing of your choice and the food of your choice. Put the food in the bag, pour in the dressing and seal. Store in your refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours depending on the food and how much flavor you wish to impart.

Foods like vegetables can pick up a lot a flavor in as little as two hours as can chicken breasts. Beef and pork will do better with a longer soak so overnight to 24 hours is usually better. Put the resalable bag inside of a dish when storing in the refrigerator to guard against spills. When moving the food from the bag to the grill, allow excess to drain to avoid flare-ups from the grill.

Once you’ve used Italian dressing, the world is your oyster in the world of marinades and the key is experimentation. Play with different acids and oils until you find a combination that appeals to you. Also the flavorings allow lots of room for play for the curious cook. Just as a signature rub can make or break a grilled or smoked dish, so can the right marinade and with these few simple tips you are on your way to discovering that marinades really can make everything taste better.

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