Unlocking Flavour: How Vinegar Transforms Your Summer BBQ Meats

Marinating is a cultural tradition that transcends borders, cultures and history, adding flavour and texture to dishes (Chef IQ). Historically marinades were used to slow food spoilage, but now we marinate our meats to make them moist, tender and flavourful.

We’re talking about why and how marinades are useful to prepare meats for that summer barbeque. These meats are the toughest cuts e.g. ribs, flank steak or eye-of-round. In essence, marinades are salty (“marinus” Latin) acidic solution flavoured with spices/seasonings and a sweet element. For example, Vinegar & Spice Baked Baby Back Ribs (katesbestrecipes.com/ribs; June 2, 2025) features apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic, paprika, pepper and allspice. Such marinades balance acidic, sweet and savory flavours. Ya, I know … I’m getting hungry too!

Enhanced tenderness

Marination tenderizes meat before cooking because they always contain acids like vinegar or lemon juice. Acids are a central ingredient because they act by naturally denature (unwind) and breaking down muscle connective proteins like the fibrous collagen that provide structure and strength to meat. The acidic environment of marinates is also conducive to other forms of tenderizing like enzymatic degradation. Pineapples have an enzyme named bromelain and papaya has papain which break down muscle proteins that cause toughness.

Juicier

The salt in marinades acts like a brine, to disrupt the structure of muscle proteins increasing tenderness. Salt-induced protein unfolding also increases the water holding capacity inside the muscle cellular structure aka they take up water. As the water is absorbed by the meat the spices and flavourings follow inward penetrating the meat with flavour. (McGee 2004).

Timing

Marination is a process that requires a few hours to overnight in a refrigerator. Marinating too long, say over 24 h, is discouraged as your met will become too soft or mushy.

The summer barbeque season is calling. Answer with delicious, melt-in-your-mouth marinaded meats, slowly grilled to perfection.

Ian's favourite marinade:

100 g high smoke point oil (grapeseed, avocado, or peanut)

170 mL Your favourite Vinegar, St. Eugene's naturally! (apple cider or red wine vinegar)

1 T brown sugar

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 heaping t of kosher salt

To this general recipe can be added any herbs, spices, and any other flavorings like onion powder or mustard you so desire.  If that flavoring is acidic, like orange juice, lemon juice, chili adobo, or tabasco, then reduce the salt, vinegar, and sugar correspondingly to preserve the basic ratio of sweet/salty/sour. Just experiment and enjoy!

References

McGee, Harold (2004) On Food and Cooking; The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Scribner Press, New York, NY