I get bored with chicken just tasting like chicken. Bland fish sucks and tough pork chops are a pain to eat. Well, there is another way to add flavor besides salt and pepper.
Marinating meat, soaking it in a flavored sauce will tenderize, add flavor to and moisturize your meat. It’s a simple process that takes as little or as much time as you want.
The longer the meat marinates, the stronger the flavor. One hour is enough, but marinating overnight or over a few days can have amazing results.
Citrus juice, vinegar or wine flavor meat well and tenderize because of their acidic properties that break down the fat and tissue of the meat.
Take whatever meat you want and put it into a plastic zip-close bag filled with your marinade mixture. The bag should be airtight, refrigerated and the meat needs to be completely submerged in the liquid.
I like to try odd combinations. Sprite and pork, ginger ale and steak or orange soda and chicken work surprisingly well.
A classic marinade includes red wine, vinegar and spices. Garlic, oregano and basil are great choices. If you can’t get the herbs, the wine can be used alone to great effect.
A simple and tasty mix is pork and pineapple juice. But my favorite way to marinate pork chops is a mixture of Sriracha sauce (the one with a rooster on the bottle), honey and fish sauce, which you can find it at nearly any grocery store. Add some green onions and a bit of oil and you’ll have some of the best-tasting pork chops ever.
After marinating for at least an hour, you can grill, broil or saute the meat. Broiling (in an oven) can often remove some of the moisture better than the other two methods.
Do not drink, taste or use the marinade after it has had contact with raw meat. Health risks associated with eating raw meats will also apply to the marinade.
With a side of rice, some sauteed vegetables and the addition of a nicely marinated meat, you should have a complete and delicious meal. Now taunt your friends coming from the O.R. and invite them to dine with you next time.
Christoph Dornemann is one of Loyola’s Sunday’s Cooks. He can be reached [email protected]
Christoph Dorneman (The Maroon)
