I am ignoring the fact that the ground hog saw his shadow and we are expecting 6 more weeks of winter. NO WAY!! I am so over winter, BRING on spring! With spring truly around the corner I felt this guest post would be great as we prepare our grills!
Keeping meat flavorful as it grills is often a challenge. There are a few tricks that you can use to help you
maintain flavorful, juicy meat. You may find a few helpful tools to apply rubs, marinades and keep meat
from losing its natural juices by browsing raclette.ca. Some of the tools used for cheese preparation can
also be used for meats, such as a muddler for tenderizing and a bottle opener that has a flat, wide end,
for pounding meats out to be a little thinner.
Use a Marinade
A rub or marinade is the key to adding flavor to meat before it is ready to grill. You can also use an
injector to add additional flavor into the meat. It is best to apply the marinade when the meat is fresh
out of the refrigerator. Marinades should not be applied to items that are still frozen as they will rinse
away as the item thaws and releases some of its juices.
Wet marinades should include bold flavors such as fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, brown sugar or apple
cider. This helps the other herbs and spices to penetrate the meat better. For larger cuts, wait until
the item is close to room temperature before applying the marinade as the tissue within the meat has
relaxed and is more capable of absorbing flavor.
Wrap the Meat While Marinating
Use plastic wrap to wrap up the meat while it marinates. The process should take 2 – 4 hours for the
flavors to penetrate throughout the meat. If you have a very thin knife, a few punctures of the surface
will help it to get into the fat, tissues and main part of the piece of meat. Place the wrapped meat in
the refrigerator for the marinade to get the best effects. Before grilling, remove the item from the
refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature again.
Do Not Over Flip the Meat
Make sure that the grill has been properly pre-heated before placing meat on it. Room temperature
meat will sear better and cooks evenly. Over flipping can cause natural juices to leave the product. It is
best to allow one side to cook, and only flip it once. This helps to lock in the flavor from the meat itself
and the marinade or rub applied to it.
Let the Meat Rest before Serving
This is a very important step in the grilling process. Depending on the size and cut of the meat product, it
should be allowed to sit and rest for 15 minutes after being taken off of the grill. This allows the natural
juices and flavors used on the meat to redistribute. When items are cut into before they have had a
proper resting period, any flavor that the juices were able to be infused with is discharged from the item
as well as any moisture that it had. The resting process should take place off of the heat but away from
the cold or moving air so that the meat does not chill too much before serving.
If you use these helpful tips, flavorful meat can be grilled every time to perfection. These steps are
important to follow for the best and most flavorful results. If you are not good with identifying meat
temperatures by feel, purchase a meat thermometer to gauge the doneness of the item. This can also
help to save meats from being overcooked, which even after the resting period will still be tough. It
is ideal to marinate pork with an apple cider or mustard product as it helps to tenderize the internal
connective tissue.
Comments