Rick
01-15-2011, 01:40 PM
Meat marinades have been used for thousands of years. Understanding what they are used for and how they work are key to getting the very best flavor and texture from whatever it is you plan to cook. I enjoy using marinades and have learned that there are some secrets to getting the most out of them and in getting them to do what is you want them to do. So, here's my version of the Dummies Guide to Meat Marinades.
Why Use Them?
There are basically two reasons. The first is to enhance or change the flavor of meat. Whether you are trying to mask the gamey flavor of wild meats or birds or just want to add a little pizzaz to that jerky you like, marinades can do it. The second reason we use them is to tenderize a cheaper cut of meat or meat that's been taken from an older, tougher animal.
How Do They Work?
As luck would have it, there are two ways to marinade; enzymatic action or acidic action. Enzymatic action has been around for a very long time. Early folks used the leaves from the Papaya by wrapping them around the meat and letting them sit before cooking. They found out that doing that would tenderize the meat. I don't know how they figured that out but I'm sure there was beer involved. There is an enzyme in Papaya called papain and it helps break down the protein strings in meat, which makes the meat more tender. By the way, breaking down the protein in meat is called "denaturing" the meat's proteins. It's so good at tenderizing meat that most commercial meat tenderizers use papain to get the job done. The down side to breaking down those protein chains means the meat is less able to retain liquid so the meat tends to be drier (that's a good thing with jerky!). Now here's a piece of information you need to know. Those enzymes only work at certain temps but it's a pretty big window. They turn on about 160F give or take and they turn off at about 212F give or take. Anything in between, like smoking meat, which is usually around 180F, and presto the enzymes go to work for you. They won't work on that big old steak you're sticking on the grill at 425F. More on that later. Other plants that contain enzymes, collectively called proteases, are kiwi, raw pineapple, honeydew melon, and figs. I'll bet you didn't know you could marinade with Honeydew.
Acidic action has been around quite a while, too. It works a little differently than enzymes but accomplishes much the same task. Acids attack the bonds that hold the protein bundles together. They actually unwind at the microscopic level and form what looks like a loose mesh. Think of a window screen and you have the right idea. This is really important because that mesh actually traps water making the meat more moist. But you need to understand that it's just a temporary condition. That mesh will actually close, squeeze out that water and the meat will get tough again! So you want to take advantage of acidic marinades then cook the meat so it doesn't get tough and ruin all your hard work. Chicken does NOT work well with an acidic marinade because the reactions are pretty fast and you wind up with a tough bird. You can slow the process down a bit by adding olive oil to the marinade or by not marinading chicken as long as other meat. A couple of hours is plenty for chicken. Some examples of acidic marinades include wine, vinegar, tomatoes and citrus juices.
Yeah, Fine. So What's Best?
I know a lot of you marinade your deer in milk. Did you know that you are using an acidic marinade? Yeah, it's true. It's a lot milder than something like tomatoes but it still changes the pH to an acid. I've never found a definitive source on why milk works but the closest I can find is the calcium in milk may activate the natural enzymes in meat that help break down the proteain so you really are getting both types of actions going. Both acidic and enzymatic.
But if milk is good Yogurt and Buttermilk is even better. And in my opinion, Buttermilk comes out on top. Most of the lactose in Buttermilk has been converted to lactic acid (same is true of yogurt. That's what gives it a slightly sour taste). That's why some folks who are lactose tolerant can drink buttermilk or eat yogurt even though they can't drink milk. That change in the acidic level does some wonders for a marinade, too.
Okay, How Do I Use It?
You need to understand how to use marinades because different meats have different requirements. A Buttermilk marinade is really great for tougher cuts of meat like wild game and lamb. And because it works slightly different than a true enzyme or true acid it's great for chicken as well.
A rule of thumb for marinades is 4 hours for fish if using an acidic marinade or 2 hours if using an enzyme. A couple of hours for chicken if using an acidic marinade (don't forget the olive oil!) or slightly longer with an enyme based marinade. You can actually get by with overnight with an enzyme base for the chicken if you also use olive oil. Longer times are needed for other domestic meats. At least overnight or 24 hours depending on the size of the cut. Some game may be best with a 2 or 3 day soak.
You can't toss a big hunk of beef in a marinade and expect it to work. You'll wind up with a nice tender surface and a chewy inside because it will only work on the outside of the meat. The more dense a meat is the smaller you need to slice it in order for the marinade to work. Remember that big old steak I talked about earlier? Steak is a dense meat so marinating it would require cutting it up to marinade it and even that won't do any good because tossing it on a hot grill prevents the enzymes from working. It's just a waste of time. Fish, on the other hand, is a loose meat and marinades can work their magic pretty quickly.
Remember, too, if you leave meats in an acidic marinade the marinade can "cook" the surface of the meat, which dries it out. We've talked about "cooking" with citrus before and there are a couple of posts on it.
If you marinade meat for over 12 hours you'll see a difference in how long it takes to cook. Generally, you'll reduce the time by about 1/3.
There you have it. A real basic primer on marinades. The good news is it's really hard to go wrong if you follow a couple of basic rules. You can take a cheaper cut of meat and give it some real pizzaz just by marinading it. Experiment with different spices, herbs and oils to bring out different flavors in different meats, have some fun and enjoy!!
Why Use Them?
There are basically two reasons. The first is to enhance or change the flavor of meat. Whether you are trying to mask the gamey flavor of wild meats or birds or just want to add a little pizzaz to that jerky you like, marinades can do it. The second reason we use them is to tenderize a cheaper cut of meat or meat that's been taken from an older, tougher animal.
How Do They Work?
As luck would have it, there are two ways to marinade; enzymatic action or acidic action. Enzymatic action has been around for a very long time. Early folks used the leaves from the Papaya by wrapping them around the meat and letting them sit before cooking. They found out that doing that would tenderize the meat. I don't know how they figured that out but I'm sure there was beer involved. There is an enzyme in Papaya called papain and it helps break down the protein strings in meat, which makes the meat more tender. By the way, breaking down the protein in meat is called "denaturing" the meat's proteins. It's so good at tenderizing meat that most commercial meat tenderizers use papain to get the job done. The down side to breaking down those protein chains means the meat is less able to retain liquid so the meat tends to be drier (that's a good thing with jerky!). Now here's a piece of information you need to know. Those enzymes only work at certain temps but it's a pretty big window. They turn on about 160F give or take and they turn off at about 212F give or take. Anything in between, like smoking meat, which is usually around 180F, and presto the enzymes go to work for you. They won't work on that big old steak you're sticking on the grill at 425F. More on that later. Other plants that contain enzymes, collectively called proteases, are kiwi, raw pineapple, honeydew melon, and figs. I'll bet you didn't know you could marinade with Honeydew.
Acidic action has been around quite a while, too. It works a little differently than enzymes but accomplishes much the same task. Acids attack the bonds that hold the protein bundles together. They actually unwind at the microscopic level and form what looks like a loose mesh. Think of a window screen and you have the right idea. This is really important because that mesh actually traps water making the meat more moist. But you need to understand that it's just a temporary condition. That mesh will actually close, squeeze out that water and the meat will get tough again! So you want to take advantage of acidic marinades then cook the meat so it doesn't get tough and ruin all your hard work. Chicken does NOT work well with an acidic marinade because the reactions are pretty fast and you wind up with a tough bird. You can slow the process down a bit by adding olive oil to the marinade or by not marinading chicken as long as other meat. A couple of hours is plenty for chicken. Some examples of acidic marinades include wine, vinegar, tomatoes and citrus juices.
Yeah, Fine. So What's Best?
I know a lot of you marinade your deer in milk. Did you know that you are using an acidic marinade? Yeah, it's true. It's a lot milder than something like tomatoes but it still changes the pH to an acid. I've never found a definitive source on why milk works but the closest I can find is the calcium in milk may activate the natural enzymes in meat that help break down the proteain so you really are getting both types of actions going. Both acidic and enzymatic.
But if milk is good Yogurt and Buttermilk is even better. And in my opinion, Buttermilk comes out on top. Most of the lactose in Buttermilk has been converted to lactic acid (same is true of yogurt. That's what gives it a slightly sour taste). That's why some folks who are lactose tolerant can drink buttermilk or eat yogurt even though they can't drink milk. That change in the acidic level does some wonders for a marinade, too.
Okay, How Do I Use It?
You need to understand how to use marinades because different meats have different requirements. A Buttermilk marinade is really great for tougher cuts of meat like wild game and lamb. And because it works slightly different than a true enzyme or true acid it's great for chicken as well.
A rule of thumb for marinades is 4 hours for fish if using an acidic marinade or 2 hours if using an enzyme. A couple of hours for chicken if using an acidic marinade (don't forget the olive oil!) or slightly longer with an enyme based marinade. You can actually get by with overnight with an enzyme base for the chicken if you also use olive oil. Longer times are needed for other domestic meats. At least overnight or 24 hours depending on the size of the cut. Some game may be best with a 2 or 3 day soak.
You can't toss a big hunk of beef in a marinade and expect it to work. You'll wind up with a nice tender surface and a chewy inside because it will only work on the outside of the meat. The more dense a meat is the smaller you need to slice it in order for the marinade to work. Remember that big old steak I talked about earlier? Steak is a dense meat so marinating it would require cutting it up to marinade it and even that won't do any good because tossing it on a hot grill prevents the enzymes from working. It's just a waste of time. Fish, on the other hand, is a loose meat and marinades can work their magic pretty quickly.
Remember, too, if you leave meats in an acidic marinade the marinade can "cook" the surface of the meat, which dries it out. We've talked about "cooking" with citrus before and there are a couple of posts on it.
If you marinade meat for over 12 hours you'll see a difference in how long it takes to cook. Generally, you'll reduce the time by about 1/3.
There you have it. A real basic primer on marinades. The good news is it's really hard to go wrong if you follow a couple of basic rules. You can take a cheaper cut of meat and give it some real pizzaz just by marinading it. Experiment with different spices, herbs and oils to bring out different flavors in different meats, have some fun and enjoy!!