How's this sound for a marinade - du chefs I'm lookin at you (Robb)

Okay, I know months ago I said I was off red meat..but what can I say, I caved... anyway


Okay I took

Maple Syrup
Vinegar
scotch
whiskey
beer
olive oil
basil
garlic
Honey

and cookem for a couple

the steaks are marinading (am I spelling that corectly?) now

sound good?

Not to me, but it could be ok

I love marinating with whiskey and beer for the base. Actually except for the syrup that's quite close to my recipe.

not sure I would have thought to use olive oil there, but sounds tasty...let us know how it turns out!

Then you lose the softening effects of the alchohol

But as a raw marinade sounds awesome!

hope it works

but what do i know? :D

sounds good. was it too sweet? :shrug:

alcohol makes a poor marinade. Oh the flavour is nice in meat, no doubt, but alcohol dries out the tissues, actually extracting moisture from them. It's one of the reasons alcohol features so prominently in acne lotions, it cuts through fats (which create the moisture in meat tissues) and extracts them. Better to add the flavouring as part of the cooking process in a pan glaze or by igniting the fumes around the cut.

The olive oil, at least, is a very good counter measure. But it may not be sufficient to remedy the problem. If it looks like the marinade has a lot of solidified fats floating at the top when the marinating is finished, you might consider cooking the steaks at a very high heat very quickly. It's the preferred method for leaner cuts as it sears and seals the external tissue and cooking is typically finished before sufficient time has elapsed for the moisture to escape.

Vinegar, and all acids for that matter, actually begin the cooking process in proteins and will firm and toughen the protein strands. It's what causes Key Lime Pie to set up, and why ceviche is cooked without heat. I like a bit of mustard for that tart flavour in a marinade. It's a complex tartness and doesn't interfere with the buttery texture of a finished steak.

I'm sure your marinade will have an awesome flavour. Maple is such an intriguing flavour with beef.

:hi:

I guess if one paid attention, you could turn the meat before the caramelization turned to toast. :7

actually aids in the searing and carmelisation and can make for a damned fine pan-glaze and a truly tasty cut of meat. Not to mention it just looks nicer. It's simply that you can't walk away from the pan while it's cooking, and you have to be Johnny on the spot about flipping that puppy over the minute the toasty shade of brown is acheived.

I've used honey in fish marinades, but fish tends to cook quickly at high heat. Makes sense. Speaking of that...I've been craving scallops lately...hmmm

although really, the only reason you should ever use a marinade is to cover the taste of inferior meat. Good steaks need nothing more than to be rubbed with salt and cracked black pepper and then either grilled or pan-fried (in a pre-heated cast-iron skillet).

:hi:

can I come for dinner? :D

Maple Syrup.... hmmm. I'd save that for a side of sweet potatoes. :9