Expert: Whitestag - 5/1/2004

Question
Hi loren, i really like to barbecue and was looking for some good marinades for steaks, some thing tangy or spicy or with good flavor.  Also when grilling fish is it best to use a wood plank, and whats a good wood to smoke with could you give me a few suggestions.  Much apreciated thx.

Answer
Regarding steaks:

If the meat is good quality, I tend not to marinate -- I use various seasoning mixtures instead.  My preference is to use just little bit of salt and to rub the steak with a sliced garlic clove.  If it's a really thick steak (2" or more), you can make little cuts in the steak and stick garlic slivers in the cuts.  Another good way of seasoning steaks in smear them with a thin layer of good quality dijon mustard.  Some herbed mustards are also very good -- I especially recommend tarragon or basil mustard.  If you want a really intense spicy flavor, try this: dredge the steaks in freshly cracked black peppercorns so that they're completely covered in pepper, then grill as usual.  The reason why I tend not to marinate good steaks is that marinades are designed to tenderize and add flavor.  Good steaks are pretty tender and flavorful to start with.  There are a number of good sauces that you can serve with steaks after they've been cooked -- one of the more traditional sauces in Bearnaise, which is sort of like a more highly flavored Hollandaise sauce.  _Joy of Cooking_ has a good recipe for it, but I'll warn you -- it's a pain to make.

Regarding fish:

I have never made planked fish.  Traditionally, you're supposed to use a cedar plank -- I've seen them for sale in various places.  What kind of smoke you use is dependent on the kind of fish.  Fatty or highly flavored fish cab take a stronger smoke, but the milder fish should take a milder smoke.  Alder is very traditional for salmon in the Pacific Northwest.  Kippered herring is traditionally oak-smoked in the UK.  You can use the more strongly flavored smokes with the milder fish, but you should use less wood.  I have successfully used oak, mesquite, maple, and cherry with a lot of different kinds of fish.

Hope this helps.  Happy grilling!

-- Whitestag