The might of marinades: meat scientists have a different view of marinades than do chefs. For a restaurant chef, meat is marinated to improve the flavor and texture. Sometimes, the marinade is a part of a classic gourmet recipe such as sauerbraten. At other times, it is a signature elixir on which a chef has built a reputation

Prepared Foods, Sept, 2003 by J. Hugh McEvoy

Various products are added to pre-marinated raw meat products to mimic the taste or appearance of a particular cooking process. In a Kansas City-style marinade for barbecue, a liquid or dry hickory smoke will be added to the ribs to achieve a "smoked over an open pit taste" out of the consumers' oven. Though barbecue marinades are a large group of products that use natural flavor ingredients to create a particular cooking method, they are not limited to barbecue alone. In a Chimichurri marinade where a "seared on a cast iron grate over a roaring fire" taste is desired, an ashy mixed hardwood smoke is used. In a "grilled" herb marinated skinless breast of chicken, grill flavors are added to lend an "off the grill" taste--whether cooked in the oven or placed on the grill. Certain coloring agents are added to marinades to aid in color development. For example, a marinade for roast pork will contain a browning agent to lend a uniform caramelized appearance every time, instead of the grayish hue that often appears if it is not seared prior to roasting.

Typically, raw ingredients are used in a marinade but, in some, the ingredients are cooked to lend a smoky note or richness in flavor. A Mexican Adobo marinade is made with charred chilies, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. A Moroccan Berber spice marinade is made from toasting the spices before they are ground and added to the marinade. Chinese salted black bean marinade obtains a pungent ashy flavor by fermenting the black beans. Just as natural smoke or grill flavors are used to mimic the taste of a cooking process for a protein, they can be used in marinades. A standard mesquite smoke would be used in the Mexican Adobo. An ashy dry smoke would be used to create the char notes found in the Moroccan Berber. In the Chinese salted black bean marinade, a yeast-based mesquite smoke would be used to obtain a pungent ashy quality. Grill flavors are not always used in marinades to create a full flavor grill taste. They sometimes are used at lower levels to lend a rich, meaty flavor without having to use a particular protein.

Marinades vs. Carcinogens

Perhaps the most interesting new development in the use of marinades is the possibility that they reduce the formation of cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These carcinogens have been found in grilled meats and are more prevalent in the "leaner cuts" being recommended by nutritionists.

Recent testing by both the American Institute for Cancer Research (Washington) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, Calif.) have indicated very significant reductions in the amount of HCAs present in grilled meats that had been marinated before cooking.

While the final verdict may still be out on this topic, everyone does agree on the fact that marinades and smoke flavors foods. From America's finest restaurants to the world's largest food processors, meats are being improved through the use of flavorful, well-designed marinades.

RELATED ARTICLE: Showcase: savory flavors.