Kick Up Your Summer BBQ — Orange County Magazine

With gourmet marinades & compound butters

There is simply nothing better than a summer barbecue with good food and good company. One of the easiest ways to pull together a delicious menu is by selecting a high-quality protein like grass-fed beef, farm-raised chicken, or wild seafood and simply enhancing natural flavors with a delicious marinade. Here we’ve rounded up tips for perfect marinades along with recipes that are simple and easy to make but packed with lots of flavors. Happy barbecuing.

Why Marinate?
Marinades add flavor to food. They also add moisture, mainly when the marinade contains an oil base. Some marinades are even thought to tenderize meats. Buttermilk and yogurt are popular for this purpose. Whether or not they significantly tenderize meat, buttermilk, and yogurt help balance out the sweet, spicy, and aromatic flavors of a marinade.

How Long Should I Marinate My Meat?
Marinating is a delicate process; if some proteins soak too long, they will become mushy from the acid in the marinades, so be sure to set your timer.

Here’s a good rule of thumb:
Most seafood should not stay in for longer than an hour
Boneless chicken breasts only need about two hours but can marinate up to 48 hours
Pork loin can soak for four hours
Lamb can go from four to eight hours
Beef can marinate for 24 hours or more
Remember, always marinate in the refrigerator to avoid the growth of bacteria.

Can I Eliminate the Oil in a Marinade to Reduce Fat?
To reduce the fat but keep the moisture, try replacing the oil with milk, coconut milk, buttermilk, or yogurt. Using low-fat versions of dairy products also helps reduce fat.

What Containers are Good for Marinating?
Glass dishes or resalable plastic bags work best. Metal containers and aluminum foil can give food a metallic flavor.

Can I Reuse the Marinade?
If you intend to use the same mixture to baste, either set aside a small amount before marinating, or boil the used marinade for five minutes before using it as a basting sauce.

How Much Marinade?
You want your meat to be completely immersed in the marinade. Generally, 1/2 cup of liquid marinade for every 1 pound of meat will do the trick. If you can’t completely cover the meat, turn it over occasionally in the marinade.

RECIPES

Simple and Delicious Marinade

Easy to pull together quickly and works well on any cut of meat from rib eye to flank.

- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

- 1/2 cup soy sauce

- 1Tbsp. garlic powder

- 1 Tbsp. onion powder

Beer Marinade

Instead of using acid, this marinade features beer! The alcohol burns off during the cooking process and leaves super tender meat.

- 1 cup IPA (or other bitter ale)

- ¼ cup lime juice

- 3 cloves garlic (smashed)

- 1 tsp. oregano

- 1 tsp. basil

- ½ cup olive oil

- ½ tsp. salt

Korean BBQ Marinade

This marinade adds a deep salty, sweet, Korean barbecue flavor to meat, tofu or even vegetables.

- 1/4 cup soy sauce

- 1/4 cup fresh Asian pear juice or puree (optional)*-

- 2 Tbsps. toasted sesame oil

- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

- 1-2 scallions, chopped

- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Chipotle Marinade

Smoky and spicy, this marinade packs a punch but comes together quickly with just four ingredients.

- 4 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

- 3 Tbsps. olive oil

- 3 Tbsps. cider vinegar

- 1/4 tsp. salt

Olive Oil Marinade

A go-to recipe for any protein.

- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (crushed)

- 3 sprigs fresh thyme

- 3 cloves garlic (smashed)

- 2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar

- 1 pinch freshly ground pepper

COMPOUND BUTTERS

Compound butter is butter with flavors added via herbs, sauces, spices, etc. Easy and affordable to make, compound butter adds an amazing wow factor to any dish.

Recipes

Begin with a neutral slate by using unsalted butter. You can always add salt later, but you can't take it away.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter

Desired add-ins (herbs, spices, flavorings, etc.)

Directions:

To make compound butter, start with softened butter and add desired herbs, spices, flavors, and add-ins. The butter can be shaped into a log and cut into individual-sized slabs, put into individual dishes, and even made into fun shapes using a pastry bag. Chill butter after preparing and before serving to harden.

Butter can be stored in the fridge for a few days (if using fresh herbs), up to a week (if using dried spices), or frozen for up to three months.