Choose the best barbecue beef marinade by looking over the herbs and spices used as part of the marinade, thinking about the type of marinade you or your guests will prefer, and using fresh ingredients where possible. Determining what is the “best” when it comes to food is subjective and therefore difficult to achieve, but chefs can generally judge what their guests will prefer. Better marinades generally include fresh ingredients like onions and garlic, a blend of spices, and some fresh herbs. Marinades also commonly include an acidic substance like vinegar, but some cooks prefer a dairy-based barbecue beef marinade.
Fresh ingredients are an important part of a good marinade. Vegetables such as onion and garlic taste much stronger when they are fresh, and adding them into a marinade is likely to infuse more flavors into the meat. Generally, any barbecue beef marinade which includes fresh ingredients will be better than one which doesn’t. Many beef marinades include spring onions or shallots, and several use crushed garlic as a primary flavor.
Different marinades may produce beef dishes suited to a particular style of cooking. For example, a teriyaki barbecue beef marinade will produce a beef dish in an Asian style, which may or may not be suited to the chef’s guests. The cook should only choose a particular cuisine’s style of marinade if he or she is confident that all or most guests will like the style of food. Chefs should ensure the marinade includes key flavors for the particular style of cooking. Asian dishes commonly include ginger, soy sauce, and rice wine, for example.
Chefs should look at the specific blend of spices when choosing a barbecue beef marinade. Many different spices can be included in a marinade, and the flavors associated with each one should be scrutinized prior to choosing a marinade. Certain mixtures of spices may not be suited to the guests’ palates, and chefs should ideally taste any spice mixes before applying to the meat. A simple barbecue beef marinade may only include black pepper as a spice, but some recipes may make use of other herbs and spices.
A dairy-based barbecue beef marinade may be a better option than an acidic one. Some marinades use Greek yogurt as a base, with ingredients such as spring onions, garlic, and mixed herbs stirred in. This may be a viable option if the tenderness of the meat is of prime concern. Pricking the meat with a fork prior to marinating helps the flavor seep in.