Sour -- a vinegar or citrus juice
Savory -- usually low-sodium soy sauce but may also use Maggi, Golden Mountain, Worcestershire, & Teriyaki (go a little less for those)
Seasonings -- whatever you think might be good or, you can leave those out, too.
Orange marmalade and teriyaki sauce makes a good marinade or put it on the meat and pop in the oven or bbq pit.
My favorite glaze-good over meats and in stir fry.
Take a tablespoon and dig a couple of big glops of your favorite preserves out of the jar......say apricot for example.
Mince a piece of fresh ginger about the size of your thumb joint.
Level tablespoon of crushed red pepper.
1/4 cup of water.
Put it in a sauce pan and bring to boil. If too runny, boil it to desired thickness or add more preserves. If too thick, add more water. If you don't like hot and spicy, use less ginger or red pepper.
Just starting to cook? Cooking is an adventure in taste, texture and visual appeal. Have fun with it, learn to like new things and discover new ways to prepare foods you already like.
I will admit to marinating mostly with storebought dressing right out of the bottle...right now we have a couple chicken breasts in the fridge in a toasted sesame asian dressing, one of my favs.
My favorite thing on chicken is the Creole seasoning you just sprinkle on. "Tony Chachrare's" is my favorite brand.
Beef...I have taken to rubbing down most cuts of beef that are cooked by a moist method with salt, pepper and horseradish (a simple vinegar and root preparation, homemade or storebought). It mellows out and isn't spicy anymore after it is cooked and gives it a special something.
For grilling cuts, I always turn to worchestershire and Montreal Steak seasoning (a spice, pepper and salt rub). I let that marinate in the fridge for at least a half hour, but longer is always better.
this morning I went to a dairy that sells state approved raw milk. she had grass fed beef she also sold. I bought a couple of rib eyes. she said to marinate them and cook slow because grass fed will be tough otherwise. I don't have experience w/grass fed & have heard it is not as tasty because it has less fat. it will be a new cooking technique for me. I haven't really done much w/marinades.
BJ, I think it depends on what you think of as tasty.
We had nothing but grass fed beef when I was growing up. Our calves were sold to the feed lot outfits. Beef for our freezer was taken straight to "Farmers Pack." We ate beef 3 times a day. Farmers Pack did the curing and smoking for beef bacon & sausage!
I am no expert on cooking anything but still buy beef in sides, quarters and family packs. I bet there are lots of differences between pastured beef from various farms. You will likely appreciate having oil in your marinade at least.
I bought a quarter of a grass-fed beef in '11 and regular grain-finished beef in '12. I waaaaay preferred the grass-fed because to me it was hard to taste anything over the grease on the other. I'll be looking for another grass-fed beef this year. Can't wait until someday when I can raise my own!
We all know that ALL beef are grass fed ( econ 101) ! We also know that the unique flavor is derived from the animal's fat. Ergo, finishing the animal in a feedlot in a grain rich diet for at least 90 days will impart that special flavor as well as increase juiciness and tenderness of the meat. Research evidense : Research testing from a few years ago at University of Cal. Davis Animal Husbandry Dept. ... carcass testing from strictly grass fed to mostly grain fed from early age, including carcass grading, marbling, specific gravity, sheer cut testing, etc., ending with blind taste testing including several hundred scientists, professors, students and staff ( including myself and family). The clear overwellming winner was ... the feedlot grain fed USDA Prime meat. One of my neighbors owns 5,000 acres and raises cattle on the hills then brings them into a feedlot to finish on grain plus alfalfa hay for over 90 days. I have my pick of the herd, then slaughter and butcher it myself. YUMMMMM !!! We are SPOILED !!!