Recipe - The Secret to Great Outdoor Cooking

Fabulous Marinades

The beauty of outdoor cooking lies in its simplicity. A few quality ingredients, a hot grill and a little preparation can transform even the most everyday cuts into something memorable. That's where a great marinade comes into its own.

While these marinades are incredibly simple to make, their impact is remarkable. A handful of fresh herbs, citrus, spices and aromatics work together to tenderise, flavour and elevate ingredients long before they reach the barbecue. As they cook, the heat releases their fragrant oils, creating those irresistible aromas that drift across the garden and announce that summer has truly arrived.

Whether you're grilling delicate fish, marinating chicken for a family gathering, or slow-cooking a leg of lamb for a weekend feast, these recipes deliver maximum flavour with minimal effort. Each one has been carefully balanced to enhance rather than overpower the main ingredient, allowing the natural character of the food to shine through.

So, as the evenings are long and the weather encourages us outside, these marinades are a simple way to bring bold flavours, wonderful aromas and a little extra occasion to every barbecue.

Mediterranean Lemon & Herb Marinade

This is such a delicate yet at the same time punchy marinade with the intense citrus notes being softened by the sweet warmth of the garlic.

Makes enough to marinate around 1.5 kg meat

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 2 oranges
• 2 limes
• 8 cloves garlic
• 5g thyme
• 5g oregano
• 90ml balsamic vinegar
• 125ml olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Grate the zest from 1 of each lemon, orange and lime using a fine zester.
2. Juice all the fruit and remove any pips. 
3. Peel the garlic cloves then either crush or grate.
4. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together well. 
5. Sit your chicken in the mixture for as long as possible, but at least 1 hour.

Jerk Marinade

Deeply aromatic yet wonderfully balanced, this marinade combines the intense warmth of allspice, cinnamon and Scotch bonnet chillies with the sweetness of brown sugar and the bright freshness of lime. The result is a rich, punchy marinade packed with layers of flavour.

Makes enough to marinate 1.2 kg of meat.

Ingredients

• 1¾ tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp allspice berries
• 2 tsp ground mace
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 4–5 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 Scotch bonnet chillies, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Zest and juice of 2 limes

Method

1. Place the sea salt, black peppercorns, allspice berries, mace, cinnamon, onion, thyme, bay leaves and brown sugar into a food processor and blend until finely combined.
2. Add the chopped Scotch bonnet chillies, softened butter and olive oil. Blend for 2 minutes.
3. Finely grate the zest from the limes, then juice them and remove any pips. Add the zest and juice to the food processor.
4. Blend again until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
5. Use as a rub or marinade for chicken, prawns or pork, allowing time for the flavours to develop before cooking.

Recipes by mike_kitchenbanter

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