Everyone loves steak. But do you really know what makes a perfect steak? Besides beef quality, don’t forget the importance of marinating meat. Let Thefoodshop.vn show you some tips and tricks to intensify the beef’s taste.
The basic ingredients for any steak marinade
Although there are many ways to marinate a delicious steak, here are 4 basic ingredients that you can never go wrong with
Salt
Salt is the foundation of any marinade. It first pulls out the meat juices, which then get absorbed back into the meat with the marinade’s flavors, making the meat juicier. Abundant salt in combination with herbs and spices will enhance the taste.
Oil (Olive oil is recommended)
Oil is a must-have for your marinade. Most of the herbs and spices only reveal their aromatic flavors when combined with oil.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce contains glutamic acid which reinforces the meat’s flavor. You can use soy sauce as a replacement for salt.
Sugar/Honey
Sweetness in the form of sugar or honey further intensifies the meat’s flavor and guarantees a beautiful crust on the grill. The best way how to marinate meat with honey is to melt it into your sauce or brush it directly on the meat.
Plenty of herbs and spices
The higher the concentration of salt in the marinade, the more herbs and spices you need for the meat to absorb their taste. At least 3-4 cloves of garlic and at least one big tablespoon of chopped herbs.
Fork the steak before marinating
Take a fork and prick some holes into the beef before marinating it so that your steak will absorb the marinade more easily. If you marinate bigger steak cuts, using a knife can be perfect as well.
Cover the meat in the marinade
The meat should be covered evenly with the marinade from all sides. You can put the marinated beef into a zip-lock bag and flip the bag around. Another tip is to use a big bowl covered with cellophane, stirring the meat halfway through the marinating time.
Put meat in refrigerator
Microorganisms love to live and pro-create at temperatures between 5-40 ºC (40-100 ºF). To preserve the beef quality, place your marinated meat into the fridge.
Keep the steak marinated for a few hours
The purpose to marinate steaks before cooking is to help the meat absorb all seasonings, which results in a mouth full of flavors. The longer you leave the meat in the marinade, the more of the seasonings will remain in your cooked steak.
Never use the same marinade twice
Reusing a marinade is not a good idea for 2 reasons: Firstly, most of the flavors will already have disappeared because they are in the first steak. And secondly, raw meat juices will flow out of the meat and combine with the left-over marinade making it susceptible to bacteria.