Marinating is the best way to add flavour to meat. Injecting the marinade into the meat helps to get flavour throughout. Because most marinades are acidic, they can help tenderise tough cuts of meat. However, using a very acidic marinade for too long can actually cause the meat to be mushy. A marinade can also include oil to help prevent the meat from drying out during cooking. We like to use our Classic All Purpose Rub because of its solubility and compatibility with most meats. This knowledge can empower you to confidently enhance your meat's flavour and tenderness.
On large cuts of meat, marinades will not penetrate very deeply. Injecting the marinade into the meat can disperse the flavour throughout. Note that an injection recipe does not always need to follow the oil/acid formula for marinades. An injection or a marinade, for that matter, can use many different ingredients. Experiment with different injection needles, such as a 4-oz one with holes on the sides, to discover what works best for your meat. This flexibility can inspire you to explore new flavour combinations and techniques.
Injecting the marinade is relatively simple. Place the meat in a large aluminium foil pan to catch any overflow. The meat should be fat cap down, just as it would be if placed on the smoker. The meat should be injected at one-inch intervals. Insert the needle down into the meat
as far as possible without punching through the other side. Then, as you slowly pull the injector needle back out of the meat, slowly push down on the plunger. This technique helps to eliminate pockets of marinade in the meat.
After injecting, place the meat in a non-reactive bowl, such as plastic, and store it properly to ensure safety and maintain quality during marination.
Large cuts of meat can be safely marinated for longer periods than fish or poultry. Beef and pork can marinate overnight if the marinade doesn’t contain much acid. Usually, 8 to 12 hours is sufficient. Seafood should be marinated for no more than one hour. We never did marinate or inject ribs.
A marinade can also be used as a basting or mop sauce. It is best not to baste with any of the marinade used on the raw meat. It is possible to boil the used marinade to kill any harmful bacteria, but boiling the marinade can cause it to lose flavour intensity. It is best to make extra marinade to be used as a basting sauce.
