Marinade

Marinating meat is not just for flavour, it makes a huge impact on the texture of all BBQ meat. Not only that, but it also improves the health benefits of carcinogenics HCAs. So it makes good sense to marinade, especially when you can get something to taste this good.

How to marinate?

Mix all the ingredients in a large glass bowl that will be able to hold the meat. Add in the meat and mix around, making sure to cover all of the meat surfaces. Marinating is a chemical reaction that relies on contact with the meat, thus the thinner the slices, the more effective the marination. Once mixed, put the bowl in the fridge until about 15 minutes before BBQing, this works in favour of the marinade.

How long does it take?

Different meats, different cuts, and the way they are sliced make a big difference in the marination time. In general the stronger and longer the fibres of the meat, the longer you need to marinate. So; Fish would normally be marinated for only 30 minutes, Chicken one to two hours depending on how it is cut (thin slices like those for Satay only take 30 minutes), Pork and Beef up to 24 hours for the most sinewy. Remember that marination only works on the layer of meat in contact with the marinade mix so if you want big thick steaks of tender beef you need tender beef to start with.

Variations:

You can make lots of variations that will further flavour and tenderise your meat. Chicken can handle fresh herbs such as coriander - just chop roughly and add. For tougher cuts of meat, or if you haven't got a lot of time add some lime juice and/or pineapple juice. The strongest tenderisers to add are lime, lemon, pineapple and fresh ripe papaya.