For generations, we have been taught that if we want juicy grilled meat, then we have to marinate it for hours before cooking. We’re led to believe this locks in the flavor. Some food experts believe people have been getting it completely wrong for generations, and we should be marinating after we’ve grilled, not before. This is why you need to be marinating after grilling and not before.
Grilling In The Summer
When the sunshine rolls in, people turn their attention to cooking on the grill as there’s nothing better than the smell of charred meat. We’re always trying to come up with our special marinades that make the meat extra tasty while locking in the juices. For years we’ve been told the correct order is marinade first, grill second, but is that really the best way? What about if we chose to marinade second instead?
Flipping The Script
In Mediterranean and Latin American countries, it’s actually pretty common to marinade food after it has been grilled and not before. The sugar and moisture in marinades tend to cause our food to both steam and burn at the same time. In fact, they don’t truly sear the surface of the food thanks to the protective barrier created by the marinade. The cooking technique of marinating after grilling is known as escabèche, and this is why it’s so great.
Cooking Like They Do In Spain
The Spanish have perfected the art of escabèche by cooking meat or fish then preserving them in an acidic marinade. It works with steaks, fish, and even vegetables to bring an elevated flavor to your grilled foods.
Once you’ve grilled your food, the trick is to leave it in a bath of your favorite marinade for around 15 minutes to really soak up all of the flavors. The longer you leave your food in the marinade, the more flavor it will soak up. All you have to do is gently warm up your food before serving, and you’ve got yourself some incredibly juicy grilled food.
Breaking the mold isn’t always easy as it’s hard to move away from what you already know. This marinating technique has been used for generations in Latin America and the Mediterranean for decades, and it brings a new flavor dimension to your favorite grilled foods.