Marinade

This goes remarkably well with steak.

This marinade is especially good with chicken and lamb, imparting bright flavor and helping to keep the meat moist.

See page 625 for recommended marinating times. If you marinate meat overnight in this marinade, omit the lemon juice and add it 2 hours before cooking.

The yogurt in this traditional Indian mixture tenderizes what you’re marinating. Try grilling the meat or fish to add a smoky flavor.

This goes remarkably well with steak.

This Asian-inspired marinade pairs perfectly with pork—turning into a sticky, spicy, sweet glaze when cooked—but can also be used with chicken or beef.

This marinade may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.

In addition to using this as a dressing for salads, try it as a marinade for grilled meat. This vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

For years I carted cases of this citrus-flavored Cuban marinade back from Miami, til we started making it in the restaurant. The real thing is all tarted up with the juice of bitter oranges—nearly impossible to find. So we add a touch of lime juice to freshly squeezed orange juice to give it the right kick. It’s one of the most versatile pantry ingredients you can make. Use it as a marinade for pork and chicken, pour it over cooked veggies or potatoes, or toss it with salad greens.

The delicious sauce has its roots at Cornell University, where legendary Professor Robert Baker developed this recipe for the Poultry Science Department. First, split young dressed chickens and marinate in the barbecue blend, then grill at a low temperature (about 350°F). Finger Lakes classicists contend that this is the only way to fix barbecue. Local volunteer fire departments support themselves with fundraisers featuring succulent “Cornell Barbecue Chicken.”

Classically used for Cochinita Pibil (page 351), this gorgeous, bright red paste can be smeared on any meat you’re about to roast or grill. Its color belies its flavor, which is not at all hot (though you can throw a chile in there if you like). Annatto—or achiote—is something you’ve probably encountered unknowingly, since it colors processed cheeses, margarine, and lipstick. The triangular, brick-colored seeds of the annatto tree have been especially important in the Yucatán peninsula and South and Central America for centuries; make sure the seeds you buy are bright red, smell earthy or musky, and taste slightly peppery. Whole seeds keep for a year or more in a tightly covered container.

Adobo is an oregano-based spice mixture that, when purchased in stores, is usually made from dried ingredients—dried oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. This fresh version is infinitely better; use it as a rub for pork, chicken, or beef.

Chimichurri should be quite strong; you can cut back on the garlic and/or the red pepper, but it won’t be the same. Try it at least once at full strength; you’ll be surprised by how much the freshness of the parsley keeps everything in perspective, especially when served with meat, which it usually is.

I like to use a light beer, but heavier and darker beer adds more complexity.

This marinade works best when the chicken is cut up in pieces; I also use it to marinate lamb shoulder or lamb leg cut into pieces.

This marinade is great with all cuts of pork: loin, butt, ribs, fresh ham, or chops.

There are many different versions and interpretations of this exotic mixture, which can be used as a marinade, a sauce, or, with a little more olive oil, a vinaigrette. Use a portion of it to marinate fish or chicken, then grill, and toss the remaining mixture with thinly sliced Vidalia onions and sweet red peppers for a quick summer supper.

Here is a handy marinade that I use for beef stir-fries. The combination of fish sauce and soy sauce gives the meat a wonderful savoriness that is uniquely Vietnamese.

The marinade in this recipe also makes a wonderful salad dressing.

Vinaigrettes, at least the way we design them, have a double purpose. They’re a wonderful addition to kick up greens and put their taste over the top. But I also like them as marinades for fish and meats. There’s nothing like a dish that’s marinated until the meat is so tender that it practically slides off the bone and into your mouth. In Middle-Eastern cuisine, some dishes are marinated for days. Okay, so few us are that patient—and in truth it’s really not necessary. Even just a little cuddle time between a dish and these vinaigrettes/marinades is enough to make any meal succulent. I like the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette as a marinade for fish and chicken recipes.

For more than fifty years, Alabamians have enjoyed the flavor of steak soaked in a very distinctive soy marinade. In fact, many of the soy-based steak marinades on the market today originated in Alabama. What began as a seasoning for steak has turned into an all-purpose marinade that tastes great on chicken, pork, and vegetables. Keep in mind when making recipes with soy sauce as an ingredient that your results will vary greatly depending on which brand of sauce you use. Their flavor profiles differ significantly. I like La Choy soy sauce for use in marinades, although I switch to Kikkoman when only a splash is necessary. In recipes like this one, the soy sauce you choose will determine whether your food is edible or disposable!

This Italian marinade and glaze is truly all-purpose. It can be used over roasted sweet peppers, marinated mushrooms, olives, or even pizza. If the sun-dried tomatoes feel brittle, refresh them by placing them in a nonreactive bowl, add 1 cup boiling water, and let them set until plump. The parsley and basil are interchangeable, so feel free to double up based on availability and preferences.