Marinades

Or, as I like to call it, the marinade that will make you forget about all other marinades. It’s that good.

This Asian Marinade has become my go-to marinade for pork chops. Since we did a ton of grilling the past few months we ended up eating pork chops with this marinade at least once a week. And, until our grill is completely covered with snow, it will continue. So incredibly delicious. It works really well on chicken and steak too, but on the pork? Home run. There are so many wonderful flavors going on; salty and spicy and even a touch of citrus from the orange zest. Everything blends together perfectly.

The only reason I don’t use this on steak much is because we are trying to cut back on red meat. But when we do treat ourselves, this is definitely one of the marinades I whip up. It is very easy to put together and really doesn’t require too many ingredients. I usually allow the meat to marinate the entire day, preparing it in the morning and letting it penetrate the meat for about 8 hours. There have been times when I was rushed and only had 2-3 hours for marinating and it was just as delicious. Of course, it helps to have thinner cut meat.

The sambal oelek does give this a bit of a kick, so start with my suggested 1 teaspoon the first time you try this. If you can handle the spice and want it spicier, you can always add a bit more (with caution!) the next time around.

Here’s what you will need to marinate 4 pork chops…

Recipe

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

splash of toasted sesame oil (about 1/8 tsp)

1 tsp Sambal Oelek

zest of 1 small orange

1″ piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1 large garlic clove, grated

Method

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over your favorite meat and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Asian Marinade

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
splash of toasted sesame oil (about ⅛ tsp)
1 tsp Sambal Oelek
zest of 1 small orange
1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 large garlic clove, grated

Method

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over your favorite meat and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

chimichurrispoonresize

Originally from Argentina, chimichurri is a marinade and sauce traditionally served with grilled meats. It is somewhat similar to an Italian pesto without the cheese and nuts that thicken it. Also, chimichurri is made with parsley and cilantro instead of basil. It is bright and fresh with a hint of tang and heat.

I am so happy that I found this recipe and gave it a try. My favorite way to serve this is over loin lamb chops, I feel the pairing of lamb and this sauce is a marriage made in heaven. I also love to toss grilled shrimp with a few tablespoons of this sauce…so yummy! I have also drizzled it over an oven roasted chicken breast. It is such a versatile sauce.

I want to point out that if you are going to make this sauce ahead of time, or are planning on making extra to keep in the fridge please be aware that the vinegar does become more prominant as it sits. If you are going to be eating it all at once, go ahead and use all the vinegar in this recipe. If not, you might want to cut back a touch.

It takes all of three minutes to prepare this chimichurri sauce. Here’s what you will need…

Recipe

1 cup parsley (packed)

1/4 cup cilantro (packed)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/8 cup vinegar

2 small cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Place all ingredients into a food processor and mix until well combined. If the vinegar is too much, you can add a bit more olive oil.

Chimichurri Sauce

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 cup parsley (packed)
¼ cup cilantro (packed)
½ cup olive oil
⅛ cup vinegar
2 small cloves garlic
½ tsp cumin
¾ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
½ tbsp lemon juice

Method

Place all ingredients into a food processor and mix until well combined. If the vinegar is too much, you can add a bit more olive oil.