Hey "chef" (and I use the term very loosely) when are you going to start
giving credit to those people from whom you plagerize your information???

http://homecooking.about.com/library.../aa011700a.htm

Word for word...but you didn't even provide the pictures, probably because
you know that that could get you into trouble...






Chef R. W. Miller wrote:
> Marinades serve two different functions: as a tenderizer and flavor
> enhancer.
> The cooking process itself turns connective tissues into gelatin
> to varying degrees. Depending on the cut and type of meat, it may
> need a little assistance to bring it to a palatable range of
> tenderness. Certain plant and fungi enzymes and acids can break
> down muscle and connective proteins in meats. As far back as
> pre-Columbian Mexico, cooks found that wrapping meats in papaya
> leaves before cooking made for more tender results. The active
> enzyme in the papaya leaves is papain, now refined from papayas
> and commercially available. Connective tissue that comes in direct
> contact with the protein-digesting enzymes gets broken down.
> These tenderizing enzymes also reduce the capability of the meat
> to hold its juices, resulting in greater fluid loss and thus drier
> meat. Enzymes are also heat activated at levels between 140 and
> 175 degrees F. and deactivated at the boiling point, so it really
> serves no purpose other than flavoring to let meat sit in a
> marinade at room temperature. In fact, refrigeration is
> recommended to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria. Let meat come
> to room temperature before cooking.
>
> Marination requires contact
> Direct contact is the important point, since it is necessary for
> the chemical reaction to occur. This means that soaking a piece of
> meat in a marinade will only penetrate just so far into the
> surface of the meat. If you marinate a large cut of meat in a
> tenderizing marinade, you end up with a mushy exterior and an
> unaffected center. Puncturing the meat for the marinade to
> penetrate gives an uneven result, with the further undesirable
> side effect of allowing the meat to lose even more juices while
> cooking. Thus, flat cuts of meat benefit most from tenderizing
> marinades. Place meat in a plastic baggie with the air squeezed
> out and turn it often to be sure all surfaces benefit from the
> marinade.
>
> Some slaughterhouses now inject papain into the animals just before
> slaughtering. The injected papain is carried through the
> bloodstream to all parts of the animal and is later activated by
> the cooking process. This sometimes results in a mushy piece of
> meat due to the enzyme destroying too much of the muscle fiber
> firmness. The newest method being researched is a machine which
> immerses tough cuts of meat into a water bath and then sends a
> shockwave through the meat, breaking down tough fibers.
>
> Marinate for flavor
> Acid-based marinades both tenderize and flavor many different
> types of foods, not just meats and seafood. Acids such as citrus
> juices, pineapple, yogurt, buttermilk, and wine tenderize by
> denaturing or unwinding protein strings. They also lend flavor to
> the end product. According to Cookwise author Shirley Corriher,
> marinades containing oils with emusifiers mono- and diglyceride
> (check the labels) penetrate deeper and faster. Extra-virgin olive
> oil naturally contains monoglycerides and is a good choice for
> marinades.
> Dry marinades or rubs are used to enhance flavor as opposed to
> tenderize, although some may have some beneficial tenderizing side
> effects. This type is usually a mixture of herbs and spices,
> sometimes mixed wth an oil, which is rubbed into the meat, poultry
> and seafood. Those recipes using dry rubs usually specify a grill,
> pan-fry or broil cooking method.
>
> Don't overdo the marinade!
> As a rule, poultry and seafood are not tough cuts and could turn
> to mush or leather if left in a tenderizing marinade for an
> extended period. In fact, fish can be "cooked" in acid, requiring
> no heat at all as in one of my favorite dishes, Ceviche. Extended
> marination of tender seafood can actually toughen it by
> "overcooking" it. One-half hour of marination time before cooking
> should be sufficient to impart the flavor of the marinade to
> seafood. Marinated recipes that will not be eventually oven-cooked
> may specify a much longer time. Thirty minutes to one hour is
> usually sufficient time to successfully marinate poultry.
>
> Nature's tenderizers
> Nature gives us many tenderizers to choose from, both enzymatic
> and acidic. When using an acid-based marinade, be sure to use only
> containers made of glass, ceramic or stainless-steel, never
> aluminum. The chemical reaction produced between alkaline and
> aluminum not only imparts an unattractive discoloration to the
> food but can also darken and pit the aluminum container. Many
> marinades will include one of the following along with various
> herbs and spices.
>
> Using leftover marinades
> It seems a shame to discard that flavorful mixture, but do not be
> tempted to reuse leftover marinade without first cooking it.
> During the contact with raw foods, the marinade most likely has
> picked up harmful bacteria that could make you very ill. For the
> same reason, it's wise to cook leftover marinade before using it
> to baste with. Frugal cooks can put the leftover marinade to use
> as a sauce, but it must first be boiled for five minutes to
> destroy any harmful bacteria. Of course, this boiling process will
> render it useless as a tenderizing marinade, but it can still
> impart some flavor as a sauce. Alkalines leaked from the first
> marinated food will interact with the acids to diminish the
> sharpness or acidity of the original marinade.
>
> Natural Tenderizers
> Pineapple
> Figs
> Papaya
> Ginger
> Kiwifruit
> Mango
> Honeydew
> Wine
> Citrus
> Beer
> Vinegar
> Tomato
> Yogurt
> Buttermilk
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Marinade Recipes
> http://homecooking.about.com/library...ve/blcon10.htm
> "MEow" > wrote in message
> .4...
>> I've bought some wonderful, marinated and spicy food: water
>> chestnusts marinated with what I think they called a Tom-yum
>> flavour, and some mushrooms marinated in something very spicy. I
>> love that, but I'd love even more to be able to marinate like
>> that, myself.
>>
>> If anyone can give me some tips and recipes, or reccomend a good
>> book on it to me, then I'd really appreciate it.
>>
>> Thank you in advance,
>> Nikitta.