How to use a BBQ sauce marinade to grill meats and veggies

Few things come close to the perfection of the tastes of smoke-kissed meats and veggies, grilled to perfection. An amazing way to take these tantalising flavours above and beyond is with the use of a BBQ sauce marinade.

These finger-licking concoctions take everything that is great about BBQ sauce and infuse those flavours into the grilled food itself, creating the perfect smoked dish for BBQ food lovers.

And the best thing about it is, these marinades work well with any food fit for grilling—whether it’s meat or veggies!

Understanding BBQ sauce marinades

BBQ sauces are a cornucopia of tastes, offering everything from sweet and savoury to tangy and spicy tastes. If you are looking to create the perfect grilled dish for your friends and family, learning how to perfectly combine these flavours is key.

A BBQ sauce marinade is the perfect way to ensure that you get the rich flavours of the BBQ sauce alongside the complementing ingredients of your marinade in your grilled meat or veggie platter.

Since these marinades can break down the proteins in meats and veggies, they penetrate the food perfectly, enriching the flavour and tenderising, in the case of meat, to perfection.

Creating the perfect flavours with a BBQ sauce marinade

We’re sure you can’t wait to jump in and fire up your grill to cook up a mouth-watering serving of grilled goodness enhanced with BBQ sauce marinades.

But before you do, check out the following for a handy guide on how you should go about it.

• Choose the right BBQ sauce

There are many BBQ sauces available in the market, but choosing what works with your planned dish is an important part of the journey.

BBQ sauces cater to a variety of palates, from the classic sweet and tangy tastes to the popular bold and smoky flavours, there’s something for everyone.

When choosing a BBQ sauce for your marinade, make sure to consider the meat and veggies you’re going to grill and match them up to create complementary flavours. For example, a more tangy BBQ sauce may be a better choice for veggies while a smokier sauce may work well with beef.

Remember to consider the ingredients in the BBQ sauce too, as sauces with natural ingredients are always a better choice for a marinade than ones with artificial additives and preservatives.

• Pick meats and veggies that work

With your BBQ sauce picked out, you can delve into your stock of meat and veggies to pick what foods to throw on the grill for the platter.

Almost any meat option works well with marinades with a BBQ sauce base, but the best options are chicken, beef, pork, and seafood.

Veggies that are able to absorb flavour well are the best options for grilling with this type of marinade. Popular choices include mushrooms, zucchini, and aubergine.

• Marinate the food

This is arguably the most important part of the process. Properly marinating the meats and veggies you chose allows the food to really absorb the tastes of the marinade, creating flavours that will delight anyone who digs in.

For meat, make sure they are trimmed and portioned properly so that the flavours are easily absorbed. It also helps you get an even cook. For bigger pieces of meat, you can consider puncturing them for better marinade penetration.

For veggies, remember to dry them before marinating so they absorb the flavours properly. You could also choose to grill them before marinating.

Learning tips and tricks for marination

Here are some tips and tricks to get the perfect flavours out of your BBQ sauce marinade.

• Marination times
  Go for a shorter marination period (15 minutes to 2 hours) for seafood and delicate cuts of meat to prevent them from becoming too soft. Opt for a longer marination period (2 hours to overnight) for food that can benefit from a more intense flavour infusion.
  

• Refrigeration process
  Remember to keep raw meat in the refrigerator before the marination process begins and always marinate in the fridge, not at room temperature.
  

• Cross-contamination risks
  Use separate cutting boards and containers for meat and veggies, and always store marinating meat in a sealed container or plastic bag.
  

Elevate your grilling game with a BBQ sauce marinade for meats and veggies

Marinades are an amazing option to infuse delectable tastes into your grilled goodies. You can create a flavour experience beyond the usual with the use of BBQ sauces in your marinades.

Now you’re ready to journey into the world of BBQ sauce marinades—embrace experimentation and discover flavours that delight!