Marinate and Grilling Tips

source: 97 Percent Gin

According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Americans eat 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July – enough to stretch from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. over five times! And during Hot Dog Season, that is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs – that's 818 hot dogs every second!

Now, we know hot dogs taste great, but we also know there are plenty of other yummy grill options to choose from this summer.

Take, for instance, nice and juicy burgers, zesty chicken, and savory steaks! All these tasty morsels taste even better with the right marinade.

What exactly is a marinade and how does it work?

Acid-based marinades both tenderize and add flavor. Acids, such as citrus juices, buttermilk, and wine, tenderize by denaturing, or unwinding, protein strings in the meat, adding flavor as they go along.

Dry marinades (dry rubs) are used only to enhance flavor, not tenderize…although some may actually have a small tenderizing effect. Usually a mixture of herbs, spices, and oil, dry rubs are literally rubbed into the meat, which is then grilled or pan-fried.

So, don't go for the fancy marinades at your local grocer. Save a few bucks by making your own. You probably already have all the ingredients you need in your pantry!

Basic Marinades

These are basic marinades you can use as is or enhance with other ingredients to your taste!

For beef and pork: 3/4 cup oil 2 cups beer 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp sugar salt and pepper to taste Tender cuts of beef can soak for an hour or so; tougher cuts, however should marinate for several hours or overnight to tenderize.

For poultry: 1/4 cup veggie oil 3/4 cup dry white wine 1 garlic clove, minced 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/4 tsp celery salt salt and pepper to taste

For fish: 4 tbsp lemon juice 3/4 cup veggie oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 small onion, diced (if desired) salt and pepper to taste

For all the recipes above, just mix the ingredients together and marinate. Simple!

Great Recipe Finds!

  Mark's Daily Apple has 10 "primal" marinades for all kinds of meats!

  In the mood for Asian? Try Serious Eats' Korean Meat Marinade!

  Amazing Ribs has a recipe to die for. Try for yourself!

Last Words

When marinating and grilling any meat, remember:

• Always marinate meat in the refrigerator - not at room temperature!
• Use non-metal bowls or containers to marinate meat because of the acidity.
• Using tomatoes or sugar in your marinade? Brush them on towards the end of cooking to prevent the food from burning.
• Lastly, be aware that when grilling with oily marinades, they can cause the fire to flare up!

To learn even more about grilling and marinades, check out Grilling Tips for more excellent recipes and ideas to make your grilling experience easy and fun.

Have a great barbecue!