This is the secret ingredient for the tastiest grilled meat
You can grill meat like a pro. At least, if you’ve already mastered our 6 professional grilling tips. But you want to take it to the next level. You want meat that’s even better, more flavorful, more tender and juicier. Good news, because we have an amazing tip for that too. Namely: marinate your meat in… soft drink!
We’ve heard of marinating meat in drinks before. Do you remember the spareribs in Jack Daniels marinade? There’s simply something about sweet drinks that works in a meat marinade. And it has everything to do with the sugar they contain.
Soft drink in your meat marinade
Soft drinks are packed with sugar. That is, if you don’t choose the zero varieties. In everyday life, we might choose those for health reasons, but if you want to grill meat, zero soft drink is definitely a no-go. You specifically want that sugar. Why? Because it speeds up the caramelization process. That’s how you get, for example, that delicious crust on your meat.
But there’s something else that makes soft drinks particularly suitable for marinating meat: they have a high acidity. This is also referred to as a high pH value. In fact, the pH value of cola is almost as high as that of a lemon. Cola scores 2.8, while a lemon has a value between 2 and 3. The acidity of the soft drink breaks down tough muscle fibers in the meat. As a result, your meat becomes much more tender.
Cola marinade
We found an example of a delicious cola marinade at Jumbo. Not one that comes in a bottle, but one you make yourself: mix 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 200 grams of ketchup and 200 ml of cola. Marinate your meat in this for a few hours and, while grilling, regularly brush the meat again with the marinade. Delicious with pork chops, spareribs, chicken and steak.
Experimenting with 7-Up and orange soda works too, of course. Orange soda, for example, will give your marinade a light orange flavor. Anything is worth trying, as long as it isn’t the zero variety. Just this once.
Also read:
- 7 tips for the best grilled vegetables (+ extra frozen vegetable tips!)
- Grilling fish on the barbecue: top chef shares 7 simple tips for success
- Panel test: this is the tastiest cola zero and it costs next to nothing
Sources: bonappetit.com and Jumbo
