Marinades
Think of some fun and flavoursome
marinades and invest some time into this....overnight always works best if you
can (although if needed – some little tips can cut the need for this amount of time)
Marinades not only add flavour,
but can help to keep meats moist, tender and help to create an extra texture
with the added bonus of being healthier (dependant on what you use of course).
There are some mainstay ingredients in marinades (acid
+ base) to often provide some acidity thus aiding tenderness and
to max out on flavour – these may include: lemon, limes, dried spices, chillies,
mustard, garlic, onions, differing vinegars and alcohol in the form of
wine/beer/whiskey AND a base in the form of oil like rapeseed/sunflower or
yoghurt– take your pick!
However, note – adding too much acidic mix will actually toughen meats opposed adding to the tenderness
So back to the fun - this is your
chance to be adventurous and see what combination works for you and your
family/friends. I always start with a base as if making a salad dressing then
add the right acid mix dependant on the meat in question. My preferred base
would include rapeseed/sunflower oil as they tolerate the heat better than
olive oil and let your flavour combination truly come through!
Here are just some ideas to start
but there are MANY MANY more out there:
Lamb: garlic, oregano,
thyme, mint, red wine vinegar (marinade overnight preferably or 2hrs min)
Chicken: citrus
juice (lemon/lime/orange), cayenne pepper, chillies, honey, mustard, various
spices – cumin/turmeric/garam masala (marinade between 1-4hrs)
Beef: red wine, crushed
peppercorns, horseradish, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, stout,
ale, beer (marinade overnight preferably or 2hrs min)
Salmon/Prawns:
garlic, onion, chillies, paprika, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar (marinade for
a max of 30min to 1 hr)
Tips:
- Score the meat to maximise the surface area that is in contact with the marinade and to help penetrate the flavours
- Invest in sandwich bags or some good tupperware to let the marinade do its stuff – this makes it easier to tuck in the fridge and to transport to the BBQ when needed.
- Befriend your local butcher – not only for the good of local business...but for more selfish reasons – getting the best deals on meat, utilising their skills of deboning cuts of meat and maybe utilising their vacuum packing machine with the addition of your own marinade (no harm in asking)
Don’t
Forget Your Veggies
Don’t forget to not only
compliment your BBQ with some side salads/veggies – but why not make one of the
star dishes a veggie option too?! One of
my all time favourites that serves many purposes is stuffed peppers with
couscous – you can max out on herbs/spices and then get the warm sweet taste of
the BBQ’d pepper! Not only this but corn, aubergine, Portobello mushrooms, and
veggie skewers with a honey and mustard dressing work a treat. Some vegetables
work well as a last minute addition to the BBQ whereby finishing them off here
can provide a great ‘charred’ taste such as asparagus and courgettes.
Tips:
- Using tin foil on the BBQ for veggies if a great way to cook them without over doing the ‘charred’ effect (and also saves washing up)
- Spray the veggies with an oil spray e.g. a couple of squirts of 1kcal spray to ensure healthy moist veggies with even cooking
Be
Safe
BBQ’s are a great chance for some informal dining – but remember
all good health and hygiene principles still apply. This is a prime opportunity
for the day itself to be ruined....or more likely the days after – yep I’m
talking bacteria and undercooking food.
Remember and stick to the following:
Always wash your hands before you start and in between
both vegetables and meat prep
Raw and cooked foods should always be handled on
separate chopping board
Ensure meat has thawed properly before placing
on the BBQ
Use a skewer to check for clear running juices
before taking meat off the BBQ
2012 sees many excuses to make the most of the BBQ with Wimbledon, Euro 2012 and the Olympics coming up. So above all enjoy your BBQ experience and see this as a time to experiment with different foods and flavours which can be enhanced by this underused cooking technique.
Good web sources:
BBC Good Food - www.bbcgoodfood.com/
Good Food Channel - www.uktv.co.uk/goodfood
Food Network - www.foodnetwork.co.uk
AllRecipes - www.allrecipes.com
