This
is a favorite barbeque recipe in Hawaii and some other islandy places. The secret is in the marinade. You may prefer
boneless beef short ribs, but I like them with the bones because I think the
meat is more flavorful. I ask the butcher to make them "thin cut." The photo to the right is thick cut.
This recipe is for about 4-5 lbs of meat.
Marinade Ingredients:
-
2 cups Kikkoman's soy sauce
-
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup pure water
1 onion cut into rings
4 cloves of fresh diced garlic
Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl. Place meat strips into the marinade under the onions and garlic. Marinade for 45-60 minutes. Don't leave them overnight in the refrigerator, because the marinade will overpower the taste of the steak. While barbequing, I sometimes like to re-dip the meat into the marinade because it tastes so great. They're delicious! You can also marinade chicken, but allow a few hours for the marinade to soak into the meat.
Variations:
Personally, I don't like any of the variations, I just use the basic simple
recipe above. However, variations include adding a teaspoon or two of
fresh black pepper, a tablespoon of Worchester sauce, a teaspoon of mustard
powder, some diced green onions, or possibly even a teaspoon of Sesame oil
for an Asian essence. You may want to add a few lemon slices as well. Some people prefer more or less vinegar,
or no vinegar, but I think the 2-to-1 ratio is
perfect. Lemon juice can be used instead of vinegar. You may also add one or two Tablespoons of sugar if you want
a sweet essence to the flavor. I like it both ways. You may want to experiment with the different ingredients to
suit your preferences, but like I said, I just use the basic simple recipe
above.
Barbecue Techniques
I've learned a few barbeque techniques over the years that most people don't know. A lot of people just dump their charcoal into the barbeque, like I used to do; but a better method is to make a pyramid so that the heat can center within the pyramid. This way you won't have to re-ignite your charcoal a dozen times to make it go. Also, you don't need to cover the entire grill. In fact, it's best not to so you can move food to the sides when it is almost done to prevent burning. Also, a lot of people burn their food because the heat is too high. A lower heat and a longer time to cook makes the meat more juicy. Never poke your meat with a fork or knife because it'll let all the juices out. Cooking low and slow makes meat more juicy.
Keep a little spray bottle handy with water, so if the juices in the meat catch fire you can gently spray the fire away (or you can just move the meat to the sides of the grill until the fire settles down). Another method is to place the barbeque lid over the meat to smother the fire. Keep the bottom vents open and the top vents closed. This helps make the meat juicier and also more flavorful from the smoke. The key is not to have the heat too high. I used to put way too much charcoal in my grill, which produced way too much heat and dried out the meat. Just make a pyramid in the middle, almost to the underside of the cooking grill. Turn the meat often.
And believe it or not, an electric fan is great for getting a stubborn fire going. Fire needs air and a fan provides forced air.
Enjoy!
