Hi Rob:
I have heard that the balance between acid and oil is important when
making a vinaigrette, but not so much in a marinade. Certainly, if there is
far too much of one than another, the results could be disappointing, but
it's really as much a matter of function as well as flavor. The acid is
there to help us tenderize the meat, while the oil is there to provide
moisture and lubrication to the meat fibers. Some acids are stronger than
others. Most marinades I have seen where there is a lot of lime or lemon
juice are rarely marinated for more than about 6 hours. Other acids don't
work on the meat as quickly, so they can marinate longer. One of the best
recipes I have stumbled across lately is for something called firehouse
chicken where chicken halves are marinated in a large amount of
highly-seasoned vinegar for anywhere from one to three days, to no ill
effect. As far as using pineapple with grilled steak, I have two thoughts.
First, I'd grill the pineapple next to the meat, not on it, and second, I
think pineapple pairs much better with pork than any other meat. It works
fine with chicken, but in my opinion, pork is the best. Jon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <captinlogic@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2016 1:49 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: Grilled Sirloin Tips
Someone told me about a way he makes steaks. He uses those pineapple rings
and sets it on top of the meat, as it goes on the grill. It actually sounded
kind of interesting, but I think I'd rather try that with whole chicken
breasts or something like that. Maybe even a hamsteak.
I do know that you have to keep the acid/oil ratio in a marinade balanced.
Too much of one or the other makes for a disappointing result. I'm not up to
date on the various kinds of acids (for example, orange/lime/lemon juice
versus vinegar) and whether or not they make a difference, chemically
speaking. I have always gone by taste rather than worrying about
chemistry/science in the kitcehn.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Rawlings" <twosocks76@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 13:43:56 -0700
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: Grilled Sirloin Tips
I don't think you have anything to worry about, so long as you don't
marinate much more than 4 to 6 hours prior to grilling. The combo of orange
juice and chipotle is a good one for grilled meats. Beware, though, of
using fresh pineapple or papaya in marinades as these contain an enzyme that
will break down the meat. A friend of ours actually did marinate some
chicken in fresh pineapple juice before trying to grill it. Somehow, the
meat didn't fall through the grates, but the meat was scarcely palatable.
Jon
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob" <captinlogic@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2016 1:06 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Grilled Sirloin Tips
> last night I bought a sirloin tip roast (it was actually cheaper than
> buying steaks) and today I half froze it and cut it into steak shapes.
> I was contemplating making a marinade out of orange juice, oil, garlic,
> chipotles in adobo sauce and a little brown sugar.
> My worry is that a marinade like that will make the steak tips a little
> mushy. Any thoughts?
>
