Perfecting your craft in the kitchen can be tougher than it looks! Every step of the cooking process has an impact on how your final product is going to taste. This is especially the case when it comes to cooking types of meat. One mistake along the way can affect the flavor of your cooked product more than you’d realize. Marinating your meat is a crucial step in getting the flavors to be as vibrant as possible. If you’re looking for tips on how to enhance your meat’s flavor, we’ll show you the best ways to marinate your meat below!
Understand The Three Key Ingredients
Every successful marinate is made from a combination of three distinct ingredients. It isn’t about the specific ingredients you use but rather the flavor profile that they give off. Combining the right marinating ingredients will ensure that one flavor doesn’t overpower the other, creating an inviting mix of flavors that complement each other well. When creating a marinade, stick by these three rules:
- Using An Acid: The first flavor to work with is generally something that is acidic. Most recipes will call for some form of vinegar for this to work, but you can use things like lemon and lime juice as substitutes!
- Using An Oil: Oils are the biggest flavor enhancers that you can provide your marinade with. Many of the herbs and spices you use will only reveal their strongest flavors when combined with oils like olive oil!
- Using Seasonings: The final crucial ingredient for your marinade involves combining your seasonings with the other two ingredients. Think about things like salt, pepper, oregano, or garlic to compliment your meat’s flavor.
Use A Fork To Poke Holes In Your Meat
In order for a marinade to truly be successful, you have to let the meat absorb it fully. This is usually accomplished by letting it refrigerate for a few hours, but you can enhance the effectiveness of this process by using a fork to poke holes in your meat beforehand. This gives the marinade more openings to absorb itself into the meat, creating a more even and fuller flavor profile once all is said and done.
Use A Ziploc Bag
It may sound like an unusual technique to employ, but the trick to getting your marinade to taste the best is ensuring that it is uniform throughout the meat. Take your meat and marinade and place them together in a Ziploc bag, gently shaking it to combine the two. This also makes the meat easier to refrigerate – no mess to clean up afterward!
Mouthwatering Cooked Meats at Quattro
If you’re looking for deliciously uniform meats without the effort it takes to marinate them yourself, Quattro has everything you need! We specialize in a variety of Italian dishes, brick oven pizzas, and meats cooked using only the most proven cooking methods. Regardless of what you order, you’ll experience a world of flavor with every bite! Make a reservation with us today for an Italian meal you won’t soon forget!