Flavor Hunter

Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Meat

The artisan butchery and charcuterie movement has inspired a new generation of chefs and restaurants to make the most of every part of the animal, with techniques ranging from curing and charcuterie to raw preparation. The Flavor Hunter, Chef Andrew Hunter, has tips for enhancing flavor while marinating, brining, smoking and more.

Tenderizing
Some non-prime cuts of meat, like beef chuck, need tenderizing, and Kikkoman Soy Sauce can reduce the pH level in the meat and increase collagen solubility. Marinating the meat in a combination of soy sauce and acidic fruit juices like pineapple, papaya and mango creates great flavor and tenderization. The sweetness of fruit and the caramel notes in the soy sauce create a two-part harmony when grilling or roasting.

Wet Curing
Wet cures help tenderize meat and bring different flavors and colors to the cooking process. Cures often combine salty-sweet flavors, but also benefit from other complex notes – like herbal spices – in the mix. Kikkoman Soy Sauce is already aged and has roasted flavor notes. I like a barbecue-soy combination on salmon, which adds a nice dark exterior to the flesh. Kikkoman Kotteri Mirin and Rice Vinegar can bring sweet notes to a cure without having to add any sugar. Kikkoman ponzu sauces can add citrus notes to brighten a cure and help balance the fat in marbled meats or rich, fatty fish.

Flavor Enhancing
Whether you are trying to achieve an Asian flavor in your meat preparation or just developing other flavors, Kikkoman Soy Sauce is a great umami booster and flavor enhancer. Before smoking meat, marinating or curing with a small percentage of soy sauce can enhance other ingredients and even amplify the wood notes during smoking. The general rule of thumb is that 1.5% of Kikkoman Soy Sauce in the marinade will provide general flavor enhancement, and 2% or more is where you really start to identify the soy sauce, creating an Asian flavor profile.

Brining
My favorite brine for fried chicken or roast turkey includes all the usual ingredients – water, salt and sugar – but also some Kikkoman Soy Sauce and extras like peppercorns and citrus. This creates a perfectly juicy bird while adding subtle flavors. A soy brine works especially well with chicken thighs, where the caramel notes enhance the dark meat and change the texture to create a smooth, shellacked exterior.

Balancing Fat
With especially rich meat preparations like sausage, wursts, liver, pate and even tartares, I like to balance the richness with some bright notes, like Kikkoman Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce or Kotteri Mirin or Salted Mirin. These ingredients work well in an accompanying sauce, pickles, or as ingredients in the preparation. Vinegars and mirins are also great for preserving, and their acidity changes the composition of the meat in interesting ways.