It’s late summer, and grilling season is in full swing. If you live in any sort of development or have any neighbors around your home, it’s nearly impossible not to catch a whiff of someone’s burgers, steak, chicken or kabobs each day. But there’s more to making meat flavorful than an appealing aroma.

Let’s face it: That chunk of beef may be the best cut around, but if you’re not flavoring it well, it can also be downright dull. That’s where marinades come in.

Marinades — “liquids used on meat-type items to enhance or impart flavor,” according to Chef David Eshleman of The Meritage Restaurant in Lancaster — typically are a combination of an oil, an acid (anything from yogurt to wine) and a blend of aromatic spices. “The principal purpose is to flavor the food, but it also makes certain meats more tender by softening the fibers and adding moisture,” says Eshleman, who opened Meritage with his wife, Linda, in 2000.

Robert Wierbowski, who will be executive chef at the new Wegmans food store in Mechanicsburg (it opens September 16 on the Carlisle Pike), adds that “the acid ingredient is especially important for tough cuts of meat because it serves as a tenderizer.”

The protein — anything from chicken to beef to fish — is soaked in the marinade, from a few minutes to, on rare occasions, many hours. Then the excess liquid is drained off, and the meat is cooked. “In some cases, acids firm or stiffen foods, such as the lime-juice marinade that ‘cooks’ the raw fish in ceviche [a South American dish of marinated raw seafood or fish],” says Wierbowski.

What’s the best combination? Eshleman has one word of advice: experiment. He has used everything from coffee to Asian fish sauce in marinades, depending on what kind of cuisine he’s attempting.

Wierbowski wholeheartedly agrees: “Like artists, home cooks can use their hands and their imaginations to create something new,” he says. “Start with what you feel most comfortable with.” For Wierbowski, a vodka-marinated sirloin is a great base for many flavor combinations.

As someone who loves to travel, Wierbowski recommends ceviche and other such recipes from different cultures as a great source of ideas for new marinade combinations.

The simplest meat marinade, according to Eshleman, is a mixture of oil, red-wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Simply soaking the meat for 10 minutes in this mixture will change and deepen its flavor.

On the other side of the spectrum is beef bourguignon, a classic dish made with root vegetables, wine, broth and thyme, which could take all day to marinate.

“Marinating times vary according to the food’s texture,” says Wierbowski. “Tender or delicate foods such as fish or poultry breast require less time. A tougher cut of meat may be marinated for days.” Also, warns Wierbowski, leftover “marinades that have been in contact with raw foods cannot be used as a sauce and should be discarded.”

Another tip? Because of the acid elements, always soak marinating meats in glass, ceramic or stainless-steel containers, or in plastic bags — never in aluminum, which will react with the acid and end up in your food.

And, unlike the art of baking, marinades are not an exact science: “No recipe is something you have to follow exactly,” says Eshleman. Love garlic? Throw a few extra cloves into your recipe. Can’t stand ginger? Just leave it out and replace it with a flavor you do like.

Savory ingredients aren’t the only options for marinating: Fruits can be macerated — the term for the marination of sweet items such as fruit — to create a sophisticated dessert dish in a relatively short amount of time. Eshleman’s simple macerate for mixed berries, for example, is a combination of confectioner’s sugar and Amaretto or Grand Marnier. Mix the ingredients with the berries and let them soak while you’re having dinner. Serve them about half an hour after mixing, and the berries will be soft and sweet, with a slight kick.

“My personal favorite is fresh strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar for a couple of minutes,” says Wierbowski.

But whether sweet or savory, marinades add that extra punch to a summer meal.

 

Mesquite Marinade

1 cup olive oil
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons cumin

Combine ingredients and marinate meat for at least four hours. Grill flank steak to desired doneness. Makes 5–9 servings, 8–10 ounces each.

Recipe courtesy David Eshleman

 

Asian Marinade

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped ginger

Marinate 1–3 hours, depending on thickness of steaks. Grill to desired doneness.

Note: Tuna will discolor slightly if left too long.

Makes 2–3 servings

Recipe courtesy David Eshleman

 

Saffron Lemon Plank Chicken

1/3 cup Wegmans Basting Oil
Pinch (about 1/16 teaspoon) saffron threads
Zest & juice of 1 lemon (2–3 Tablespoons juice)
1 teaspoon Wegmans Lemon-Pepper Seasoning
1 container (6 ounces) vanilla yogurt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each) or 1 package Chicken Split Breasts with Ribs, Drums and Thighs (about 3 pounds)
1 package (7 ounces) Food You Feel Good About Fresh Italian Escarole Blend (Produce Dept.)
1 cedar plank, soaked in water 1 hour

Make marinade: Warm basting oil with saffron in small skillet 1–2 minutes on medium. Combine lemon zest, juice and lemon-pepper seasoning in medium bowl. Whisk saffron-oil and yogurt into lemon mixture until blended. Add 3/4 cup of marinade to large bowl. (Chill the rest for sauce.)

Add chicken to bowl with marinade; stir to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Grilling day: Preheat grill on high 10 minutes. Arrange chicken on plank. (Discard used marinade.) Grill covered, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cook 30–40 minutes until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees. Check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of meat without touching bone. Remove plank from grill. Transfer chicken to clean platter. Portion escarole on serving plates; top with 2 pieces chicken. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe courtesy www.wegmans.com