Marinades are intended to flavor, tenderize, and preserve meat before cooking. Mastering the art of marinades will make you a better cook!
We distinguish 3 types of marinades:
- Raw wine-based marinades
- Cooked wine-based marinades
- Instant marinades
The first two are used for game pieces; meat from the second and third categories includes steaks, offal products, and special poultry such as cock. The maceration time is generally longer than for foods in instant marinades. You can expect a maceration time of 12 to 48 hours, depending on the type of meat and its size.
Instant marinades are typically used for small, softer meat cuts. The main function of instant marinades is to flavor the flesh.
How To Make Wine Marinades
Ingredients list to make wine marinades:
- Carrots
- Onions
- Shallots
- Celery
- Mushroom trimmings (optional)
- Garlic
- Parsley, thyme, bay leaf
- Red wine or white wine
- Cognac (optional)
- Oil
Remarks:
Depending on the workpiece and / or your tastes, you can add peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries …
You can also add vinegar.
The mushrooms, trimmings, and cognac are optional.
Directions
1. Remove nerves and trim if necessary. Here’s a beef cheek with its trimmings on the left.
Dressing or cutting raw poultry.
Cut carrots a la paysanne.
Chop the onions and/or shallots
Slice the celery.
Slice the mushrooms.
Note:
Normally, we use the mushroom stems as ornaments.
1. Crush the deglazed garlic with the flat of a slicing knife.
2. Prepare the bouquet garni as shown here: the bouquet garni recipe.
3. That this is what can be considered as the basis, even if the mushrooms are optional.
4. Turn filling (aromatic (carrot, onion, celery and mushroom), in the bottom of a container.
5. Allow the piece or pieces to marinate over filling.
6. Cover with the remaining mixture.
7. Add red wine or white.
Add the brandy if you want.
Add the bouquet garni and crushed garlic.
8. Add a little oil to form a thin film on the surface.
Wrap with a plastic film and keep cool at all times during maceration.
Note:
The oil protects food from oxygen in the air.
9. After 24 hours, that’s what happened to the beef cheek.
The cooked marinade recipe
You’ll use the same preparation as the raw marinade recipe. But this time we’ll make it cook before using it as a marinade.
Sweat the aromatics (carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms) with oil.
Add wine (and vinegar) and alcohol.
Add the bouquet garni, crushed garlic, herbs, spices …
Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes.
Cool completely, then place the meat, poultry, or game in the marinade as usual.
