BBQ Marinades - Adding Flavor to Your Barbecue Meal

BBQ marinades are perfect for infusing more flavor and tenderness into meat, especially the tougher cuts of meat that may need a little extra help. Marinades are liquids combined with oils, herbs and seasonings.

• Trim meat and remove skin prior to marinating. This will allow the flavors of the marinade to absorb into the meat more thoroughly.

• Seal and marinate. Using a large ziplock bag, simply put your meat in the bag along with marinade. Turn a few times to coat, then leave it in the fridge. Make sure you put the bag in another container just in case it leaks. About halfway through the marinating time, you can turn the bag to the other side to help it marinate more evenly.

• Marinating times vary depending on the meat. Tough cuts of meat need longer marinating times than tender cuts. Tougher cuts of beef can be marinated for several hours or even overnight. Chicken can be marinated for a couple of hours (too long and it'll start to fall apart). Fish barely needs any time at all, usually 15-20 minutes is sufficient (don't 'over-marinate' fish - it will make it mushy).

• Always marinate in the refrigerator. This is the safest way to prevent harmful bacteria from accumulating.

• 
  Reserve some marinade for basting and sauces. If you would like to baste the meat while it's on the barbecue ... or if you want to reduce the marinade into a sauce... then put some marinade aside for this purpose before you combine it with the meat. Do not baste or make sauces with the marinade in which the meat has been soaking.

• Baste with sweet marinades near the end of the cooking cycle. Marinades with sugar in them burn easily on the barbeque. If you want to baste your meat for extra flavor, wait until you've turned it for the last time and then baste the meat on top to create a nice glaze.

• Don't add extra marinade within the last 5 minutes of cooking. Marinades also need to be safely cooked before consuming.

• Discard any leftover marinade. Don't try to re-use it for another dish or another day.

Recipes - BBQ Marinades

• All-Purpose Barbeque Marinade
• Pork Marinade Recipe
• BBQ Sauce Recipe for Ribs
• How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for a BBQ Mop