Basic Stocks and Broths
Sauces
Salsas, Vinaigrettes, and Pickles
Marinades
Spices, Rubs, and Brines
THESE ARE ALL SIMPLE RECIPES you should have a handle on. They are either important flavor bases, such as a chicken stock, or enhancers, like a vinaigrette. These recipes would be staple pantry items in a restaurant, but home cooks rarely need them at all times, so consider making them in larger batches whenever possible, then freezing them to have on hand when you need them.
BASIC STOCKS AND BROTHS You don’t need to be a chef to make an excellent stock or broth. What you do need to know, though, is the difference between stock and broth. Stock is a neutral base of flavorful liquid to accommodate a lot of different recipes. Broth is a more assertively flavored liquid that may eventually become a soup. The main difference is salt. You must be judicious when using it—especially if a stock might be reduced. If the original is highly salted, the reduction will be gross. Science, right? Because a stock is made to be a lighter base, the flavors don’t have to be aggressive.
SAUCES The sauces in this section are great to have in the freezer so you can add them to a roasting pan to make a delicious last-minute pan sauce. Many of these sauces build on a demi-glace, a time-consuming reduction of veal or beef stock, so once you have invested the time to make it, finishing the sauce is actually pretty easy.
SALSAS, VINAIGRETTES, AND PICKLES I consider salsas, vinaigrettes, and pickles to be finishing touches because they have a level of acidity that cuts the richness of some of the fattier meats and a freshness that sings in your mouth.
MARINADES These marinade recipes are tried and tested. I recommend keeping some of them on hand in your freezer, ready to rub onto a roast or chops to give them a little extra oomph. I usually marinate meats for at least 8 hours so the flavor has time to seep into the surface of the meat before cooking.
SPICES, RUBS, AND BRINES Spices, including salt, and rubs applied to the outside of meats, like pork ribs or roast chicken, add flavor. Brines penetrate below the surface of meats, like ham or pork belly, to season them and add moisture.
Chicken stock is one of the simplest and most versatile of all stocks, and I try to have it on hand at all times. Whether you’re deglazing a pan for a sauce or poaching vegetables for a bit of added flavor, chicken stock has many uses.
CHICKEN STOCK
Makes 5 quarts
5 pounds chicken bones, preferably carcass or back bones
5 tsp salt
3 onions, cut in half widthwise
5 garlic cloves
4 carrots, cut in half
3 celery stalks, cut in half
1 leek, cut in half
6 thyme sprigs
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the chicken bones with the salt, arrange them in a single layer in a roasting pan, and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
While the bones are roasting, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cut side down, and sear until they’re dark brown. Remove them from the pan and chop.
Place the roasted bones and onions in a stockpot with the garlic, carrots, onions, celery, leeks, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add just enough water to cover the bones and bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low, use a spoon to skim off any scum that’s risen to the top of the stock, and simmer for another 2 hours.
Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool for 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, like a mason jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Beef stock is another great stock to have on hand. It’s the best stock to use for pot roasts and other slowly braised dishes, as its rich flavor complements the meat to create a savory masterpiece.
BEEF STOCK
Makes 5 quarts
5 pounds beef bones, preferably from the neck or knuckles
5 tsp salt
3 onions, cut in half widthwise
5 garlic cloves
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, chopped
5 tsp tomato paste
6 thyme sprigs
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the beef bones with the salt, arrange them in a single layer in a roasting pan, and roast until lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes.
While the bones are roasting, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cut side down, and sear until they’re dark brown. Remove them from the pan and chop. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, leeks, and tomato paste and toss to coat the vegetables.
At the 30-minute point, add the vegetables to the roasting pan and roast for another 30 minutes.
Transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a stockpot and add the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and just enough water to cover the bones and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low, use a spoon to skim off any scum that’s risen to the top of the stock, and simmer, uncovered, for another 6 hours.
Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool for 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, like a mason jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Veal stock is one of the foundational stocks in modern European-style kitchens. It is used predominantly as a reduction for Demi-Glace (this page), which is the base for many sauces in French, Italian, British, and German kitchens.
VEAL STOCK
Makes 5 quarts
5 pounds veal bones, preferably from the neck or knuckles
5 tsp salt
3 onions, cut in half widthwise
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, chopped
5 tsp tomato paste
6 thyme sprigs
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the veal bones with the salt, arrange them in a single layer in a roasting pan, and roast until lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes.
While the bones are roasting, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cut side down, and sear until they’re dark brown. Remove from the pan and chop coarsely. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, and tomato paste and toss to coat the vegetables.
At the 30-minute point, add the vegetables to the roasting pan and roast for another 30 minutes.
Transfer the roasted bones and vegetables to a stockpot with the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, add enough water to just cover the bones, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low, use a spoon to skim off any scum that’s risen to the top of the stock, and simmer, uncovered, for another 6 hours.
Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool for 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, like a mason jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
A broth is similar to a stock except it has more flavor, more oomph, more balls. It is perfect for adding sparingly when reheating a ragù to loosen the sauce. It is used in risotto because the intense aroma encapsulates every grain of that rice and hugs it in an embrace of flavorful deliciousness. It is the best base for soups, as a well-made broth needs only a garnish and perhaps a little more salt to be eaten as is. Broth gives strength where stock gives sustenance, which may sound like little difference, but a stock just isn’t as hardcore as a broth. We make broth onsite at the shop, and sell it fresh by the quart as well as hot from an urn in coffee cups. Customers go nuts for bone broth during the colder months, and while we’re happy to make it for them, it’s quite easy to create at home.
BONE BROTH
Makes 4 quarts
2½ pounds chicken carcass bones
1 pound beef knuckle bones, cut in small pieces (ask your butcher)
1 pound beef marrow bones, cut in small pieces (ask your butcher)
2 Spanish onions, cut in quarters
2 garlic bulbs, cut in half widthwise
4 medium carrots, cut in half widthwise
4 celery stalks, cut in half widthwise
2 parsnips, cut in half widthwise
2 Tbsp tomato paste
5½ cups water, cold (divided)
2 Tbsp whole peppercorns
5 tsp salt
8 thyme sprigs
6 bay leaves
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the chicken and beef bones in a single layer in a roasting pan and roast until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove the bones from the oven and place them in a large stockpot. Don’t wipe out the roasting pan.
Place the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsnips, and tomato paste in the roasting pan, stir to pick up some of the fat from the bones, and roast, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and scrape the vegetables into the stockpot.
Pour 1 cup of the water into the roasting pan, place it over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and add them to the stockpot.
Pour the remaining 4½ cups water over the bones and vegetables in the stockpot. If the bones aren’t completely covered with the water, add just enough to cover them. Add the peppercorns, salt, thyme, and bay leaves, and place over medium heat. Bring the broth to a simmer, then turn down the heat to low so it is just bubbling, maybe a bubble or two every 10 seconds. Allow the broth to simmer, uncovered, at this temperature for at least 8 hours, carefully skimming off any scum from the surface with a spoon.
After 8 hours, strain the broth first through a large colander and then through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. (This extra step helps ensure a clearer broth.) Season to taste, adding more salt to your liking. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Demi-glace literally means “half glaze” and it is made by reducing a rich stock—usually veal or beef—to create a concentrated, highly flavorful liquid that can be swirled into or drizzled over other foods or used as a base for other sauces.
VEAL DEMI-GLACE
Makes 2 cups
1 batch Veal Stock (this page)
Place the veal stock in a saucepan, uncovered, over medium-low heat and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, up to 8 hours.
Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and allow to cool to room temperature. Use immediately, or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
This sauce builds on the flavors already developed by the straight-ahead demi-glace with the introduction of red wine. This is the perfect sauce to complement a beef roast.
RED WINE DEMI-GLACE
Makes enough for 6 to 8 servings
2 Tbsp butter, cold, cubed (divided)
½ pound beef trimmings (ask your butcher for some) or ground beef
½ cup minced shallots
1 cup red wine
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
½ cup Veal Demi-Glace (above)
Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the beef trimmings (or ground beef) and cook until browned. Stir in the shallots, turn down the heat to medium-low, and sweat the shallots until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Drain the meat and shallots through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the rendered fat. Return the meat and the shallots to the pot over medium heat.
Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Reduce the wine by half, then add the demi-glace. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot.
Whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter until the sauce is emulsified. Serve immediately, or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Knowing how to thicken a sauce can be very helpful. Here are a few techniques you can use at home.
REDUCTION: Simmering a liquid to evaporate the water (and in a meat-based liquid, to concentrate the natural collagen) not only thickens the sauce but also concentrates its flavor. A demi-glace (see facing page) uses this technique. It’s best used with veal or beef stock because these stocks have the highest concentration of collagen; a reduced chicken stock will be much lighter. I find a neutral stock makes the best reduction because it can be seasoned afterward if needed; too flavorful a stock may become overwhelming when reduced.
CORNSTARCH SLURRY: Mixing equal parts cornstarch and a cold liquid (most commonly water) to form a slurry and adding it slowly to a sauce gives it body. This technique is best used when you want to thicken a liquid that is already very flavorful, because cornstarch doesn’t add any flavor. I often use it to thicken a braising liquid and serve the thickened sauce or gravy alongside the roast that was cooked in it.
ROUX: Cooking equal parts flour and fat (most commonly butter) over medium heat until it has the consistency of toothpaste and then adding a hot liquid and whisking well to avoid lumps creates a thickener with a slightly nutty flavor. This method is great for thickening turkey and chicken gravies (and adding finely diced giblets or livers to the roux as you brown it gives the whole gravy more flavor).
BEURRE MANIÉ: Kneading equal parts flour and softened butter by hand to create a soft, malleable paste and whisking it into a sauce adds body and a soft sheen. It’s best used as you would the cornstarch slurry, for sauces and braising liquids that you want to thicken without the glossy look that cornstarch can impart.
This sauce is great on a striploin or tenderloin steak. I like to cook the steak in a heavy-bottomed pan and then deglaze the pan with this sauce before pouring it all over the meat. Pickled peppercorns can be found in most grocery stores alongside the pickles, but if you can’t find it, substitute 2 tablespoons of freshly cracked peppercorns.
BRANDY PEPPERCORN SAUCE
Makes enough for 6 to 8 servings
2 Tbsp butter, cold, cubed (divided)
½ pound beef trimmings (ask your butcher for some) or ground beef
1 Tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup minced shallots
½ cup brandy
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
½ cup Veal Demi-Glace (this page)
¼ cup heavy (35%) cream
2 Tbsp pickled green peppercorns
Salt and pepper
Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the beef trimmings (or ground beef) and pepper, and cook until the beef is browned. Stir in the shallots, turn down the heat to medium-low, and sweat the shallots until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Drain the meat and shallots through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the rendered fat. Return the meat and the shallots to the pot over medium heat.
Add the brandy, and then the bay leaves and thyme. Reduce the brandy by half, then add the demi-glace. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add the cream and bring back to a simmer, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot.
Stir in the peppercorns, then whisk in the remaining 1 Tbsp butter until the sauce is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
A good tomato sauce is easy to make and way tastier than any versions you can buy in a jar. And it’s incredibly versatile: toss it with pasta, use it as a base for a meat ragù, or pour it over a pan-seared chicken breast. Use the best-quality canned plum tomatoes you can find—San Marzano from Italy are great, but I’ve had delicious results from Californian tomatoes as well. Your kitchen will smell wonderful while the sauce is simmering, so invite some friends to sip wine with you while you prepare dinner.
BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
Makes 2 quarts
6 Tbsp olive oil
½ Spanish onion, finely minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (each 28 ounces) cans whole plum tomatoes
Salt and pepper
6 whole basil leaves
Place a large saucepan over medium-low heat and warm the oil. Add the onions, stir, and cover the pot. Allow the onions to sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Cover and sweat until the onions and garlic are almost golden, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and their juice and season with salt and pepper. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer, and use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to break them up. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
Use a food mill to process the tomato sauce into a clean pot (see note), discarding any seeds or skin. Return the sauce to the stovetop to simmer and add the basil leaves. Allow the basil to infuse for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Serve immediately, or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
NOTE: For best results, use a food mill to separate out the seeds and skin, which can give the sauce a bitter flavor. If you don’t have a food mill, use the potato masher to break up the sauce as much as possible and serve it a little chunky. Avoid using a blender, which will purée the seeds and could lead to a bitter tomato sauce.
Use this sauce to marinate thinly cut short ribs or as an ingredient in a stir-fry. Start the sauce the day before you plan to use it so the flavor has time to develop.
TERIYAKI SAUCE
Makes about 2 cups
8 green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped ginger
2½ Tbsp chopped shallots
1½ Tbsp chopped garlic
1½ cups soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
3 Tbsp honey
2½ Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1½ Tbsp cornstarch
1½ Tbsp cold water
In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the green onions, ginger, shallots, and garlic into the soy sauce and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, transfer to a nonreactive container, and refrigerate overnight.
Strain the soy mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan and set over medium heat. Add the mirin, honey, and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and mix in the sesame oil.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly add it to the sauce, stirring constantly, to thicken. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, then allow to cool to room temperature. Serve immediately, or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
My dad has never made barbecue sauce, but he definitely uses it. And I thought it sounded cool to have his name in this recipe title. Now that I’m a father myself, I suppose this is my barbecue sauce, which I use for my Baked Saucy Ribs (this page) or even as a burger topping.
DAD’S BBQ SAUCE
Makes 1 quart
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup diced white onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt
Pinch chili flakes
1¼ cups ketchup
1 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
½ cup fancy molasses
¼ cup yellow mustard
1 Tbsp Frank’s RedHot sauce
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste and cook for 3 more minutes.
Add the sugar, salt, chili flakes, ketchup, vinegar, molasses, mustard, and hot sauce and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, and purée with an immersion blender. Use immediately or pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Use this mild fresh salsa as a side sauce for grilled meats, especially chicken breast and pork chops.
TOMATO SALSA
Makes about 1½ cups
6 plum tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced
½ cup finely diced seedless cucumber
¼ cup finely diced red onions
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper
Place all the ingredients in a bowl, stir well to combine, and allow to marinate, covered, for 1 hour at room temperature before serving. Leftover salsa will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 5 days but I don’t recommend freezing it (you’ll eat it before that need arises anyway).
Serve this vinaigrette in a bowl as a dipping sauce for Whole Roasted Suckling Pig (this page) or Simple Poached Chicken (this page).
SOY GINGER VINAIGRETTE
Makes just about 1½ cups
½ cup light Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
½ cup sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup sliced green onions
1 heaping Tbsp minced ginger (use a microplane)
In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients and serve. Refrigerate leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Originally from Argentina, chimichurri is an herb pesto of sorts that is a traditional sauce for grilled steaks. It is also delicious on beef heart, pork, and chicken kebabs.
CHIMICHURRI
Makes about 1 cup
2 cups finely sliced Italian parsley
¼ cup finely sliced cilantro
¼ cup finely sliced oregano
¼ cup finely diced shallots
2 Tbsp finely diced garlic
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup olive oil
⅔ cup red wine vinegar
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and purée until emulsified. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Use with butterflied chicken or lamb chops or as a side sauce for grilled meats. This is also delicious with poached fish.
HERB PESTO
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup Italian parsley leaves, picked and washed
1 cup basil leaves, picked and washed
2 Tbsp tarragon leaves, picked and washed
½ cup chopped green onions
1 tsp capers
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Grated zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp chili flakes
Salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil
Place parsley, basil, tarragon, green onions, capers, mustard, zest, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender or small food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil, puréeing until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Bulgogi is a Korean dish of thinly cut meat, usually beef short rib meat or pork belly, that is grilled right before serving. This is my version of the marinade that gives those cuts a depth of flavor. If your grocery store doesn’t carry gochujang (a spicy pepper and fermented bean paste essential in Korean cooking), I recommend sourcing it online.
BULGOGI MARINADE
Makes 2 cup
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped green onions
½ cup diced Spanish onions
¼ cup diced pears
1 Tbsp finely diced ginger
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp pepper
½ cup gochujang
2 Tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1½ tsp Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
1½ Tbsp sesame oil
In a food processor, purée the garlic, green and Spanish onions, pears, and ginger until smooth. Add the sugar, pepper, gochujang, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil and purée until emulsified. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
This is a basic all-purpose wet marinade, excellent on beef kebabs, hanger steak, and chicken breast.
HERB AND GARLIC MARINADE
Makes 2 cups
⅓ cup finely diced green onions
¼ cup finely diced white onions
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
2 Tbsp chopped thyme
1½ Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2½ Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
Place the green and white onions, garlic, parsley, rosemary, thyme, zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Add the lemon juice and purée. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until the marinade is emulsified. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Angelo, an electrician associate of the shop from Cuba, often talked to me about the best steak sauces having tons of lime juice and cilantro. I tinkered for a bit to develop this recipe, and now we sell tons of bavette and flank steak rubbed in this marinade. It’s also excellent with skirt steak, pork shoulder chops, and chicken legs.
CUBAN MARINADE
Makes 2 cup
1 cup chopped cilantro
¾ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1½ Tbsp grated lime zest
½ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup chopped green onions
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
¼ cup salt
2 Tbsp pepper
2 Tbsp Spanish paprika
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup lime juice
1 cup olive oil
In a medium bowl, mix together the cilantro, parsley, lemon and lime zests, red and green onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Add the lemon and lime juices and oil, and mix to combine. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Another great all-purpose marinade. Use it on pork tenderloins, chicken wings, chicken kebabs, and spatchcocked Cornish hens.
HONEY MUSTARD MARINADE
Makes 2 cups
1 cup Dijon mustard
½ cup grainy mustard
1 cup honey
3 Tbsp prepared horseradish
3 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until emulsified. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
I call this my Middle Eastern marinade because it contains the warm spices of coriander, cumin, and fennel, all popular in the cuisine of the Cradle of Civilization, and works especially well with lamb. Use this on lamb leg, lamb chops, bavette steak, and whole chicken.
MIDDLE EASTERN MARINADE
Makes 2 cups
½ cup finely sliced green onions
½ cup chopped garlic
3 Tbsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp chopped thyme
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground fennel seeds
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp pepper
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
In a food processor, purée the green onions, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, oil, and lemon juice until the mixture has the consistency of pesto. Add the salt, coriander, fennel seeds, cumin, pepper, and cinnamon, and blend until emulsified. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
If shawarma were facing a run for its money by another other meaty street snack in Toronto, it would definitely be facing off against souvlaki. Commonly made with chicken or pork, skewered, then grilled, the addition of this marinade really pops the flavor profile.
SOUVLAKI MARINADE
Makes about 1½ cups
¼ cup finely diced garlic
¼ cup salt
1½ Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 cup olive oil
6 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp hot mustard
In a food processor, purée all the ingredients until emulsified. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
The south of France is a glorious place and makes use of delicious ingredients such as olives, rosemary, and capers. This recipe was developed with these Provençal flavors in mind and is great on lamb leg cutlets, chicken legs, and lamb chops.
PROVENÇAL MARINADE
Makes 2 cups
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated
1½ Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp pitted black olives
2 tsp capers
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped thyme
1 tsp dried marjoram
1½ Tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ cup olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
In a food processor, purée all of the ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Shawarma is a dish of marinated and slowly roasted meats served with rice or in a pita, and it has to be one of the most popular street foods in the world. In Toronto, it seems like we have more shawarma shops than Starbucks! This marinade is great on chicken thighs and beef kebabs.
SHAWARMA MARINADE
Makes 2 cups
¼ cup minced garlic
3 Tbsp finely diced red onions
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
4 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili flakes
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1¼ cups olive oil
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Use on roast beef, roast pork, and whole chicken.
HERB SALT
Makes just over 2 cups
4 bay leaves
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped thyme
1 tsp chopped sage
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 cups kosher salt
In a food processor, purée the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and garlic at high speed until well combined. Add the salt and pulse until the mixture is slightly green. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Use on pork ribs, whole chicken, and chicken breast.
BBQ DRY RUB
Makes just over 3 cups
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sweet paprika
3 Tbsp onion powder
3 Tbsp garlic powder
4 tsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp pepper
2 tsp rubbed dried thyme
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Use with ham, chicken, and pork loin. If you want to brine a large cut, like a whole turkey, multiply the recipe by 10.
ALL-PURPOSE BRINE
Makes 2 cups
3 juniper berries
1 star anise
1 tsp peppercorns
1 garlic clove
1 rosemary sprig
2 cups water
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spread the juniper, star anise, and peppercorns on a baking tray and toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
With the side of a knife, smash the garlic clove with the rosemary.
Place the water in a small pot, add the toasted spices, garlic, rosemary, salt, sugar, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately turn off the heat and allow to cool completely before using. If you’re using the brine immediately, leave the spices in. If not, strain out the spices after 8 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Use with pork roast for cassoulet and pork chops for smoking.
SWEET PORK BRINE
Makes 2 quarts
1¼ cups salt
½ cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp whole cloves
1 bay leaf
2 quarts water
Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
