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GRILLING
WITH BEER - Continued
Mushy.
"Mushy?" you wonder. Yes, mush is the result of over-marinating meats,
especially tender cuts of beef or pork loin, chicken and fish filets.
The
typical plant enzymes and acids used in a marinade-vinegar, wine,
papain, fig, pineapple or citrus juices-breaks down the surface texture
of the protein.
Beer
is less acidic than any of these, but the hops may make food bitter.
So, don't marinate tender or bland entrees for longer than two hours,
thinking that the beer flavor will intensify.
Better
to reserve a quarter to a half-cup of the marinade mixture before
steeping, and brush it on during the last 10 minutes of cooking to
keep the beer flavor fresh.
Very
tough or bony cuts, such as chicken wings, shanks, briskets and ribs,
can marinate for longer times without turning mushy.
Marinades
with oil also help keep food from sticking on the grill, or drying
out under the high heat. I reserve a quarter-cup of the mixed marinade
before adding raw foodstuffs, just to have extra for basting moisture
into the food during grilling.
Never
baste cooked items with marinade that has covered raw chicken, fish
or meat-the risk of food-borne illness is too great.
Homebrewers
also have a secret advantage when it comes to brewing up a batch of
beer-based barbecue sauce: unhopped malt extracts.
Plain malt extracts can replace molasses or honey as a sweetener in
a sauce or marinade, with the plus that malt retains its flavor stability
during grilling. Suzanne Stoeger-Moore, director of food sales for
Briess Malts, Chilton, WI, says, "Malt extracts won't brown as quickly
as pure sucrose, so that rich malt flavor won't cook off at high temperatures."
Commercial
barbecue sauces and marinades feature Briess products such as Ultra
Sweet and Sparkling Amber, but a tablespoon or two of rich caramel
malt extract will work just fine.
According to Jim Tarantino, author of MARINADES (Crossing Press, $14.95),
the basic equation for a marinade is: oil + acid + aromatics + sweetener=marinade.
In the case of beer-based sauces, I use one-quarter cup of olive oil
or peanut oil, plus 12 oz. of beer, plus spices, herbs, vegetables,
even fruit.
For
example, a lovely marinade for fish starts with a light pilsner, plus
olive oil, blended with lemon zest, diced ripe mango, a tablespoon
of malt extract, several sprigs of summer savory, and a bit of salt
and pink peppercorns. Just 30 minutes in this beer bath will make
plain cod taste wonderful.
When
grilling or roasting any kind of meat, chicken or seafood, be sure
you have the right equipment for the task. Today's leaner meats require
careful attention to prevent overcooking. Just five minutes spent
searching for your tongs can be the difference between a delicious--or
dried-out-dinner.
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Grill gear and tips
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