Serves: 5
Sauces:
Barbecue sauce is a many splendored thing indeed. It can be a finishing sauce that's brushed on in the last 10 to 20 minutes (best bet for ones with lots of sugar, which can burn quickly). It can be a baste or mop, a thinner solution that's "mopped" on with a basting brush or special cotton moplike tool for added flavor. And of course, there are dipping sauces, among them steak sauce, which are usually drizzled on, but the effect is the same: a big kick of flavor in which to bathe your grilled prize.
Most barbecue sauces are tomato-based. When ketchup is included in the base, it brings in sugar and vinegar, two other key sauce ingredients. But then there are regions in the U.S. that use nothing but mustard-based sauces. Vinegar alone makes a wonderful base as well. Smoke flavor and chile fire are options that add intrigue and even a competitive edge at barbecue cook-offs. Get the smoke and heat levels just right and you could walk away with a ribbon. And renegade ingredients such as cola, coffee, and bourbon have been known to turn a head or two.
Marinades:
A marinade is an acidic solution that improves the texture and flavor of the food that is soaked in it. The acid in the solution tenderizes the surface wine, vinegar, and fruit juice (especially citrus) are some of the more common acids used in marinades. Most marinades also contain oil, which leaves a moisturizing coating for cooking. Other ingredients are there for flavor: garlic, spices, herbs, etc. Salt is a common ingredient, but too much draws moisture out of food, so monitor the quantity and the marinating time.
Because of the acid, the container you marinate in must be nonreactive, plastic or glass, for instance. Definitely avoid aluminum, which will discolor and possibly leave a metallic taste. The key to a good marinade (or sauce or rub, for that matter) is a balance of the four primary flavors: salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. When developing your own marinades, don't be afraid to add a little of each flavor type, but one should dominate. From there you can add other elements such as fruity, herbal, or smoky flavors.
Some marinades can be used again to baste the food while it's cooking. If you use a marinade that came into contact with any raw meat or fish, you MUST first boil the marinade for 1 full minute to kill any harmful bacteria before brushing the liquid on cooked food. Marinades with a high sugar or oil content should be wiped off the food before they're placed on the cooking grate, as sugar burns quickly and excess oil can cause unwanted flare-ups.
Because the acids in marinades break down the fibers of the meat or fish, excessive marinating can lead to mushy food. Veggies need just a brief dip to pick up flavor and oil mushrooms are particularly thirsty, so 15 minutes is plenty for them. Fish is very susceptible to high-acid marinade overkill. In general, fish should only marinate up to an hour thin cuts only need 15 to 30 minutes, but thicker cuts and whole fillets can take 30 to 60 minutes. Tougher and bigger beef and pork cuts, such as flank or skirt steak or large roasts, need much longer--4 to 8 hours, or even overnight. Beef and pork ribs can marinate 8 to 12 hours and sometimes even longer without getting mushy. Pork chops and chicken parts are usually ready in 1 to 4 hours. Marinating times for whole and halved chickens and game hens vary by the acid levels of the marinade. Since marinades only penetrate about 1/2 inch below the surface, consider butterflying (splitting) or pounding larger or tougher cuts, as we have.
Rubs:
Dry rubs are blends of dried or fresh herbs and spices, salt, pepper, and sometimes sugar. Rubs with a little oil or other liquid blended in are called pastes (or "wet rubs" on the barbecue circuit). Rubs sit on the surface of the food, their flavors seasoning the meat, especially when left to "marinate" in the refrigerator for an hour or more. On the grill, they form a flavorful crust. They are quick and easy to make, and can be infinitely adjusted to hit the spot.
Combos:
Barbecue enthusiasts long ago discovered an amazing trick: Use more than one of the preceding seasoning methods in the same dish and you could hit the flavor jackpot. A marinade or rub prepares the meat and lays a flavor foundation. A baste or sauce added after that can take it over the top. When blending methods, try to include ingredients common to all the seasoning steps and make sure your sugar content doesn't get too high or the food could burn. Ribs are a good cut to try this on. A nice spice rub followed by a mop and/or finishing sauce have put many a rib joint on the map.
From Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.
This _Wield That Brush Like A Pro recipe is from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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