Marinade Tips for the BBQ

Summer brings out the desire to use the outdoor grill. The smell coming off the grill is like no other and flavour peaks from food sizzling on the grill. Pack even more flavour in by using a marinade on your favourite meat, fish, poultry or vegetable. Basically a marinade is oil, an acid and seasonings imparting great flavour into grilled food. Marinades also add moisture along with flavour and using them is an easy way to achieve quick success as a ‘grillmeister’!

Here are a few marinade tips plus a quick marinade recipe. When ever you use a marinade that includes vinegar, lemon juice, or wine (an acid base marinade) be careful not to let the meat to sit longer than 4 hours or it can actually start breaking down the texture of the meat.

A quick no fuss-no muss way to marinade is to put the meat and marinade in a heavy-duty plastic zip lock bag; since it keeps the food completely surrounded by the marinade, it eliminates the need for frequent turning. Press out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator, never on the counter at room temperature.

A few ingredients like chopped garlic and parsley leaves may scorch over direct high heat and taste bitter. Although they add flavour to the marinade, you may want to brush them off the food before grilling. If you want to another hit of flavour to the food on the grill, tie-up five or six fresh herbs with heavy cotton string securing the herbs to make a fragrant ‘basting brush’. Dip the herb ‘brush’ into a favourite sauce, marinade or just olive oil to baste as the food cooks on the grill!

The following step seems so simple and yet can make a big difference; simple shake off as much marinade as possible before grilling to promote a good sear. If the meat is too wet, it will steam and drip liquid onto the coals, inhibiting the development of that distinctive crisp, browned exterior.

Simple Citrus Marinade
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (can interchange orange and/or lime juice)
1-2 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots or green onions
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, tarragon, dill or sage, or 1 tsp. dried herb of choice (choose your favourite herb mixture)
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cumin (optional)
2 tsp. minced jalapeño chilli
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, lemon zest, thyme, minced jalapeño, salt and pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly covered jar for up to 2 days. Makes about 1 cup.

Have fun with marinades on the grill!

Zest up Your Life with an Orange

ZEST up your life! Save the zest from your next Orange and pack in colour, nutrition, and flavour simply be adding a little orange zest.

You’ve heard of simple ideas like freezing some zest and water in ice cube trays and throwing some zest into your tea cup for added flavour. But really orange zest can be added to many foods. Consider saving orange zest and tossing it into muffin batter or your next bowl of breakfast cereal, add zest to cake and cookie recipes or simply into rice as it cooks. For dessert, sprinkle some orange zest over frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Orange Vinaigrette is easy to make. In a screw-top jar combine 3/4 cup orange juice, zest of the orange, 1/4 cup of white wine or champagne vinegar, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup water. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Shake to mix up the flavours and pour over your salad.
If you want to punch up the flavour add one or more of the following ingredients:
A minced clove of garlic, finely chopped fresh or dried basil and a tiny pinch of cayenne
Makes approximately 1 & 1/2 cups or tasty dressing.

Orange zest in mashed sweet potatoes will make you ask for more…Add 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 teaspoons grated orange rind to 5 to 6 medium-sized sweet potatoes. Sea salt and black pepper to taste. Delizioso!

Thoroughly wash oranges before using and buy organic if possible.

Last but certainly not least…add some dried orange peel to your next bath for an aromatic and rejuvenating soak. ‘Orang’ you happy to learn what to do with those peels!