Steven Raichlen: The Only Marinade You’ll Ever Need

Recipe from: Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades by Steven Raichlen
All rights reserved. Used by permission of Workman Publishing.

After creating and perfecting the ultimate grilling menu, relax and try something simple. Perfect with everything: poultry, seafood, beef, veal, pork, lamb, and vegetables.

If Steven Raichlen could use only one marinade for the rest of his life, it would be this one. Redolent with garlic, piquant with fresh lemon juice, and fragrant with extra-virgin olive oil, this marinade instantly transports you to the Mediterranean. He can’t think of a single food that doesn’t taste better bathed in it. You can use it as both a marinade and a basting sauce. If marinating poultry, meat, or seafood, simply set aside a portion for basting.

Marinade Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste
4 strips of lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver or minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mix of all four
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Marinade Directions

1. Combine the lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in a nonreactive (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved.
2. Add the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and basil. Stir or whisk in the olive oil.

Note: The virtue of this marinade is its freshness: Use it within 1 to 2 hours of making. Stir again before using.

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1. 10 Minute Marinade | Grilled Steak
2. Recipe for Cajun-Style Marinade
3. Honey-Gingered Pork Tenderloin Marinade

You can use this spicy yet sweet rub for beer can chicken, grilled chicken or bbq chicken.

Dry Spice Rub For Chicken

From The Kitchen Of GrillingGuide.net

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1/4 C. paprika
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. cayenne (or red) pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Coat inside and outside of chicken with the dry spice rub.
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour up to 8 hours.

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2. Recipe | Spice Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops
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Heres a basic brine for pork shoulders, butts and even poultry like turkey that is recommended by my friend and go-to expert on outdoor cooking, Mr. Jig. He originally posted a version of this recipe on the Users Forums in a conversation thread about brines for pork shoulder vs. pork butts.

Try the following brine recipe as a start:

1 gallon water.
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar of choice, brown,white or turbinado.
Palm full of garlic powder -OR- couple three Tbsp of minced garlic. (from a jar is fine)

Brine Recipe Notes:

• Note that this can easily be mixed cold, add garlic powder after you see that stirring has dissolved the sugar and salt.
• Depending on the vessel you use you may need more brine but keep the proportions the same.
• A butt is easier to cover with brine due to its shape and a pasta pot will do.
• For a larger cut of pork or a turkey I use a big white plastic pail in an xtra refer.
• I brine 12-24 hours and then smoke/cook at 180F to 250F degrees till the pork is 200F degrees (internal temperature) tested at several spots. NOT 180F degree NOT 190F GO, to 200F degrees internal temperature for pulled pork!
• I see no difference with pork roasts brined between 12 and 24 hours.
• Cooking temp is not critical either and the range I suggest can be used to suit your timing.
• (When the pork roast hits the critical 200F degree internal temperature) I then foil the roast whole and put it in a small cooler (no ice!) with towels for additional insulation.
• The meat will remain hot and safe for hours if you need to hold it a while before pulling and serving.

Trying to infuse big pork chunks with subtle flavors thru a brine is not cost effective, nor likely to achieve the desired result. After resting in the cooler, when you pull your pork, THEN you can mix in whatever flavors you want.

Happy Grilling!

Related posts:

1. Baby Back Ribs With Mustard Sauce Recipe
2. Dry Spice Rub Recipe For Chicken
3. Recipe | Spice Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops

Pork Chop Willy’s Grilling Rub

Just one of 850 recipes in the cookbook
The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining

Dry rubs are delicious way to season pork chops. For grilling, select chops of close to an inch in thickness nothing flimsy then grill them over steady medium heat. You might add a barbecue sauce on the side with these, but the crispy texture isexcellentwithout.

The recipe comes from a cookbook called The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertainingby Cheryl & Bill Jamison

What To Grill

3 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Spanish
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

Six to eight 10- to 11-ounce bone-in pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
Vegetable oil spray

How To Grill It

1. At least 1 and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill the pork chops, prepare the dry rub, combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the chops with the spice mixture, place them in a large plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.
2. Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
3. Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let them sit covered at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
4. Spray the chops with oil and transfer them to the grill. Grill for 18 to 20 minutes total. Turn onto each side twice, rotating the chops a half turn each time to get criss-cross grill marks.

The chops are done when just a hint of pink remains at the center. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8

Products Mentioned in this Post
	Using the latest technology, this digital thermometer offers a remote system for checking the temperature of your food so you can stay clear of the heat. Simply place the meat probe into the food and select the doneness setting you prefer.Weber Style 6438 Professional-Grade Barbecue Beeper Digital Thermometer

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Cajun-Style Marinade

Make 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon TABASCO sauce

Directions

In small bowl, combine all ingredients
until well blended. Marinate 30 minutes.

Note: Never reuse any marinade that has come in contact with meat.

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1. Recipe | Cajun Style Deep-Fried Turkey
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Every time I post a story or recipe for ribs it proves to me once more that ribs are one of the favorite foods for many folks to cook out doors on a grill or smoker. And they are also one of the most frustrating foods to prepare on the grill or smoker for many of you. As Ive said many times before there are as many recipes and opinions about just how to properly cook ribs as there are people who like to eat them. In fact,there may be a few more opinions than people since some folks, like me, will prepare ribs several ways. Today Im showing the pictures of my recent cook to give you some tips, tricks and my opinion on a good way to prepare ribs. Use this information combined with other recipes, tips and your experience to develop the best method for you.

I often recommend to you that you could consider your grill to be one of the many tools you have to prepare food and that grilling or smoking on your grill can be but just one of the steps you take in preparing delicious meals for your family and friends. This post is about how I used my grill as one step in preparing some tasty ribs for my son. I hope it inspires you!

First off, youll want to set up your grill for indirect cooking and have a smoker box with a couple cups of dry wood chips for flavor. The wood you use will affect the flavor of the ribs, so use what you enjoy. I like a combo of fruit wood with mesquite. You may prefer only mesquite or hickory or oak or any combination that suits your taste. Go for it!

If you have a smoker then you are already set to go. This cook requires a steady heat of approximately 225F 250F degrees for approximately 2 hours. So you need to carve out some time to tend to the fire of your charcoal grill or smoker and to replenish the dry wood chips or chunks in your smoker box or other apparatus several times to maintain a consistent smoke to ensure good flavor.

I found a special at the grocery store on some meaty pork ribs and my son had asked for ribs Soon dad!

One rack of Baby Back pork ribs - cut in half to make it easier to handle

Now, generally I dont like to add a lot of extra flavor to meat Im going to smoke or grill but recently I came across a collection of rubs from Chef Tom Douglas that I really like for chicken and pork. I used his pork rubon the ribs but only on the top (or convex arc) side because (and this will drive the purists out there nutz-oh!) I didnt remove the membrane from the underside (or concave) side and dont put rub there either. Ill explain in a moment.

It only takes a Tbsp or so of rub on ribs to add a layer of flavor. Dry off the ribs with a paper towel prior to adding the rub.

Brine pork ribs for 8 hours or so to add flavor and moisture before cooking. Drying them with a paper towel prior to adding rub or cooking will help with flavor enhancement as well! Here is a simple brine recipe for pork.

While I preheated my grill I let the ribs absorb some of the flavors of the rub being mindful that a rub on the surface of meat will only penetrate a little bit into the meat unless there is a cause agent like vinegar or water or something to help the meat absorb it. And this was not an overnight rest. So I expected the rub to absorb some surface moisture and create a flavorful crust. It would be one layer of complimentary flavor on the ribs.

After being on the grill and cooking with indirect heat and smoke for about 2 hours - the ribs look done, but they aren

The next step is pretty simple using indirect heat I placed the ribs meat-side up, made sure there were enough wood chips in my smoker box to last a while and closed the hood. From experience I know the setting on the grill when set up for indirect heat that will maintain a fairly consistent 225F degrees in normal weather conditions. Went inside and set the time for 30 minutes. When it rang I check the ribs and rotated them in location on the grates to ensure even smoke and cooking added a few more chips and closed the hood. I repeated this 2 more times and the pulled the ribs after 2 hours on smoke.

Brush on some of your favorite sauce, apple cider, mustard, beer or other wet topping before tightly wrapping the smoked ribs in foil. This added moisture will help keep the meat moist and assist in the final stage of cooking with heat to ensure all the connective tissues break down and flavor the meat.

The final stage is often called The Texas Crutch method I think it got that name because some good olboys in Texas figured out how to ensure tasty moist ribs when cooking on dry wood & smoke heat. The meat can only absorb so much smoke and at a certain point it begins to dry out from the hot, dry and smoky air. 1.5 2 hours is about the standard time for smoke on most meats cooked this way. Take the ribs off of the smoke and place them on foil. Moisten the ribs with a bit of apple juice or beer or sauce or and elixir of sorts that will add a complimentary layer of flavor to the meat and that suits what youve already added by virtue of the rub seasonings and wood smoke. And seal them in the foil by folding it over and creasing the edge. No need to leave an opening. This tight seal will pretty much steam the ribs in their own juices and whatever additional elixir youve added so much for folks who say not to boil the ribs before cooking. Steaming after smoking is a way to ensure the meat is moist and the connective tissues break down to both flavor the meat as well as making it tender to chew.

Continue to cook for about another hour or so at low heat usually in the range of 225F 250F degrees. And speaking of range I finished mine in the oven, inside in the oven. There I said it. (Will someone pick up that boy over there who fainted when I confessed to not finishing these on the grill or in the smoker?) You see at this point in the cook all you want is consistency of heat. The ribs are sealed in foil with some sauce or other elixir and there is no way the smoke from a fire, aroma from charcoal or such will penetrate or affect their taste. I choose to finish them where its most convenient for me and that means in the oven.

Ribs are done

At about an hour I remove one of the foil packets, open it up and check the doneness of the tasty smelling and looking ribs by giving the bones a little wiggle. If they wiggle pretty freely to my taste they are done and ready to set and rest. Sometimes Ill place them in an insulated bag or cooler (no ice) or sometimes just lay a couple of towels over them and leave on the counter. I like my ribs a bit messy and serve them at this point. But if you prefer crispy surface, you can toss them back on the grill to add a layer of texture be mindful that you arent grilling to cook, just crisp up the surface so Hot & Fast would be the cautionary advice for this stage.

I like to let the ribs rest for about 45 minutes to an hour on the kitchen counter, still wrapped in the foil with a towel over them. Then I slice individual ribs and serve. In this photo you can see the slight smoke ring, the rub and sauce glaze on the surface and how the meat has pulled back just a bit from the ends of the ribs. Done to my taste - but your taste may be different!

I enjoy seeing a plate of ribs stacked on a plate and served in front of me. Sometimes Ill add a side dish with some sauce or vinegar mix, but generally Im happy with the flavors Ive added to the meat and will simply dive in. As I stated at the beginning of this post my son had requested the ribs so I sliced them all and let him pick as many as he wanted. Thankfully he hasnt learned that the smaller end often has more meat on it and he left those two ribs on the platter! I can say without reservation these ribs were DEE-LISH-US!

At the top you can see a bit of the membrane - I pull that off after smoking and enjoy it as

OH and about that whole I didnt remove the membrane on the underside. statement. General practice is to remove this. And thats fine.

Because I like to cook the ribs without flipping them I find the membrane holds in moisture from the ribs above (or at least I imagine that!) and by the end of the cooking time on the grill or in the smoker the membrane has cooked, shrunk and most often crisped up to the point that, when I bring them into the kitchen and before I baste with sauce and seal them in the foil, I can pick off nice crispy pieces of membrane and..eat em. Kinda like cracklins, not exactly but tasty. (Psstdont tell my son I do this, cause then hell want some and I consider them my treat for doing most of the cookn!)

So there you have it or at least one version of it. I hope you find this post useful and inspiring. And most of all I hope it helps you to feel absolutely OK if you like to prepare food on your grill in combination with other cooking methods and techniques. Because if you like it and your family and friends like it then its good!

Happy Grilling!

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2. Baby Back Ribs With Mustard Sauce Recipe
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Southwest Rub

From the kitchen of GrillingGuide.net

Ingredients

2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
olive oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl.
2. Rinse steaks with water and pat dry. Rub steak with olive oil.
3. Press rub evenly onto tender beef steaks 30 minutes before grilling.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Makes about 1/4 cup

Related:
What is Flat Iron Steak?

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Mustard Mayonnaise Slather for Grilling

This recipe is from the grilling cookbook 300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig. This is a delicious way to prepare my salmon before grilling it. Kids love it and so will the rest of the family. This is from the sauce and rubs section of the book. There are more complicated and much different recipes, this just happens to be one of the best and easiest and tastiest.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Dijon mustard

Preparation:

In a bowl whisk together mayonnaise and mustard.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

300 Big and Bold Barbecue and Grilling Recipes is a perfect cookbook for someone newer to barbecuing and smoking and provides detailed information on manyhow to grill techniques, woods to use for smoking each recipe, the tools you will need, and many more tips and tricks to have you grilling and smoking like the pros in no time. Read Review: 300 Big and Bold Barbecue and Grilling Recipes

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Cajun Rub for Chicken and Shrimp

Ingredients

2 tbls Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme

Directions

1. Combine all seasonings in small bowl.
2. Wash and pat dry the chicken
3. Rub a generous amount of the Cajun rub onto the skin of the chicken
4. Sprinkle the rub into the cavity of the chicken
5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour up to 8 hours
6. Grill it!

Related posts:

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We asked grilling guru Steven Raichlen for suggestions about grilling marinades that use extra virgin olive oil.

He immediately told us about a simple yet intriguing Asian-inspired marinade. It combines the following ingredients in equal amounts (well say a quarter cup each for this purpose):

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce and
1/4 cup sweet Mirin, or red wine
1/4 cup maple syrup

It gives you a sort of East-meets-West flavor, Raichlen told us by cell phone recently while he was between flights at the airport.

Raichlen - author of the best-selling Barbecue! Bible (Workman Publishing Co., 2008) and host of Primal Grill on PBS - said the combination is based on an Asian marinade. In this case, the extra virgin olive oil replaces sesame oil.

You can use either Mirin, a spirits-based liquid sweetener from Japan, or red wine. If you use Mirin, Raichlen said the marinade works well with poultry or seafood such as salmon, shrimp and scallops. If you use red wine, Raichlen suggested lamb, pork and chicken.

Raichlen advised us you can use leftover marinade as a basting liquid or a sauce. In the case of a sauce, youd want to boil the marinade before serving it, particularly if its been used for something such as chicken or pork.

Raichlen also told us about another favorite of his. Its created from evoo and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Appropriately enough, Raichlen dubs this marinade: The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need.

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