Summer Marinade Tips and Tricks

Summer sunshine and lavishly long evenings are all ingredients for good times and great memories. We’ve prepared our top tips on how to spice up your next meal with some tasty marinades, to add some fresh flavours – fast.

Tip One: Score Your Meat

Scoring meat gently with a knife in several strokes, or piercing the meat’s surface in a few places, will help your marinade sink in deeply – and ensure evenly flavoured meat.

For example, our Exotic Orange and Chilli Marinade would taste great on scored tender Irish beef cuts. Want advice on which cuts to go for? Read our blog on beef cuts here.

 

Tip Two: Keep It In The Fridge

As part of your preparations, be sure to clear some fridge space ahead of time. We don’t advise leaving meat on the counter if marinating over several hours. Keep your marinated meat in the refrigerator, prevents the risk of spreading microorganisms and bacteria.

Stuck for ideas? Check out our Argentinian Churrasco Recipe which will bring the taste of South America to your home.

Tip Three: Use A Zip-Lock Bag

Once covered in your favourite marinade, place the meat and any extra juices in a zip-lock bag. Squeeze the air out before zipping it shut and place in a large baking dish (in case of leaks). Turn the bag over periodically, for complete coverage.

Want to fire-up the menu? Then try our Firey Jalapeno Recipe which is sure to be a hit with family and friends.

Tip Four: Clear Off The Excess Marinade

Use a clean paper towel or a butter knife to gently clear excess marinade off your meat prior to cooking. This is so that your meat browns properly and there are no flare-ups on the grill. For example, honey sometimes burns easily, so it helps to clear off any excesses before cooking.

Fancy a new honey based marinade? Then why not try our Sweet Honey, Soy and Sesame Glaze which is an all-time favourite of ours.

Tip Five: Marinade Timings

Meat should be marinated for 30 minutes at room temperature. If marinating for durations longer than half an hour, we recommend keeping the meat in the fridge.

Looking  for some easy dinner inspiration? Then give our Ginger and Garlic Thai Marinade recipe a go, which is sensational on tender cuts of Irish beef.

 

Tip Six: Make Extra Marinade

It’s important to remember, excess marinade contains raw meat juice – so please don’t use any leftover juices. If you want a sauce to serve with your meat once it’s ready (or for brushing on a barbecue), make extra marinade and set aside a small portion before placing the bulk of the marinade on the meat.

Want to add a fresh zing to your buffet table? Try our Citrus Spiced Caribbean/Cuban Marinade for the perfect blend of citrus and spice.