What's the most important thing in shashlik and other dishes, roasted over the coals? No, the meat of which is made savory meat and marinade for barbecue. Expertly cooked, tender or sharp, spicy and unobtrusive, so the marinade turns an ordinary piece of meat, poultry or fish in a delicious pudding. A recipe for such a marinade, in turn, depends on a raw material used for cooking.

Why do I need a marinade?

Roasting over hot coals - the most ancient way of cooking meat, poultry or fish. But if you put on a skewer (to put on a barbecue grill) just no processed piece of meat, the result is unlikely to be successful. Such meat is a long time to prepare, and the result will be overdried edges and tough. To speed up the barbecue and barbecued meat dishes treated in a special way, soaking in marinade.

Marinade - is a liquid which, on the one hand, meat softens and accelerates its preparation, and on the other - gives the dish extra flavor and enriches its taste. Experts say that the quality of the finished dishes taste exactly defines the marinade, but not the main raw material. Like it or not is hard to say, but the fact that a good marinade will transform even a mediocre piece of meat, it is not necessary to argue. The main thing - the future marinate skewers sufficient time and to use the appropriate utensils (aluminum pans will not work).

As a rule, all the recipes pickles with rare exception are prepared on the basis of acidic liquids (fruit and vegetable juices, wine, yogurt, mayonnaise) with the addition of vegetable oil and spices. Acid effectively softens and loosens the meat, hastening his willingness. Fish under the influence of acid, on the contrary, it becomes more dense. Oils also allow to soften the meat. As for spices, that their purpose is obvious - to improve the flavor and taste of the dish.

Sometimes to the marinade and add a bit of aromatic alcohol, which, like the acid softens the tough meat. A very popular additive - onions, it is included in the formulation of almost all marinades. Without garlic too often not enough. But the addition of vinegar - not the best idea. Vinegar marinade gives the meat a pungent smell and taste very good. Oddly enough, they can even make the meat tougher. Therefore cooks are advised to use a soft and natural lemon juice, which can also be replaced by orange juice or pomegranate. Fans like tomato and pickle on the basis of tomato juice.

Each type of meat - a marinade

If you wish, you can use one type of favorite marinade regardless of what raw materials are used. However, in this case, be prepared for the fact that the tastes of barbecue lamb, pork or chicken is subtly resemble each other, there is a menu to get pretty monotonous, and the distinctive features of each type of meat will not reveal the full extent. It is much better to use for each type of meat a marinade.

For example, to fit pork marinated in red wine, onions, peppers and herbs or lemon juice with onions, garlic and spices. Add your own oriental flavor help of soy sauce marinade with garlic, onion, ginger and sweet pepper. It has the original taste of pork marinated in orange juice, onion and black pepper.

But for lamb marinades are best suited on the basis of yogurt, sour cream Smetana: untold riches of Russian cuisine   or yogurt Kefir: a unique drink for health and harmony   (fat basis for the fat content of meat marinade is determined to lean piece of sour cream is better to take, but for the most suitable fat yogurt). Taste lamb perfectly complement the garlic and mint. Suitable for lamb and marinade based on soy sauce.

The taste of chicken perfectly combined with various fruit marinades. You can use, for example, orange, tangerine, apricot and pineapple juices. The sweetness of juice goes well with chicken flavor. For oily bedryshek better to take pokislee basis, and for chicken breasts that may seem rather dry, fit the marinade with the addition of olive oil or fat sour cream. Alcoholic marinades for poultry, which in itself is soft enough, do not usually use, although you can add a little brandy or dry rose wine for flavor.

The fish is marinated before baking, too, but unlike meat, leave it in the marinade should be very long: 10-20 minutes would be sufficient. Usually the fish marinade made from lemon juice and dry white wine with the addition of a pair of tablespoons of vegetable oil and spices.

The marinade for vegetables or mushrooms - is olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and a little pepper. If desired, the vegetables can be baked without marinade.

Selection of spices

Spices for the marinade and selected based on raw materials. For example, pork is well with ginger, pepper, garlic, curry, oregano, cloves, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, coriander. Of course, it is not necessary to add the marinade once all the spices, it is better, for example, combine the cumin and pepper and oregano and rosemary, creating original flavor combinations.

Set of spices for chicken slightly different. The chicken goes well with spicy herbs: thyme, sage Sage - useful properties do not count , Rosemary, marjoram, tarragon. Also, the taste of chicken is good emphasize ginger, paprika, garlic, black pepper, parsley, curry.

The marinade for the lamb well add the mint, garlic, onion, ginger, marjoram, tarragon, savory, oregano, rosemary, thyme and saffron. Note that, usually, mint used separately from other kinds of spices, herbs others can be mixed together. Many do not like the specific smell of mutton, the other, on the contrary, very much appreciate the flavor. In the latter case it is better to use fewer spices, to enjoy the natural taste of the meat.

Delicate taste of fish is not necessary to interrupt intense spices. A good addition to the fish is lemon peel. Also in the marinade can add white or black pepper, parsley, dill, coriander.

Maria Bykov

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