Raspberry vinegar produces a darker, nicer looking meat when grilled. It helps produce those nice, dark grill marks, which every chef desires. Using a raspberry vinegar is a quick and easy trick. Anything with sugar or fructose (all fruit contains fructose) creates a darker crust on meat, whether fried or grilled. I often use balsamic vinegar, but was attracted to this raspberry vinegar while shopping when I was hungry! Gee, my tastes sure have changed. Years earlier I would have purchased junk food, like chips.
You do not have to spend money on high priced vinegar, though. You can make your own either using concentrated juice or adding a little water to some fresh raspberries to a small sauce pan and cooking on top of the stove, pureeing it in a blender or food processor and then straining it through a sieve. Either way, you then add distilled white vinegar and you have yourself a gourmet vinegar! Making your own with allows you to use a no sodium vinegar, like rice vinegar, for those who are on a low-sodium diet, not to mention if you use fresh fruit it’s healthier!
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If you are looking just for a darker color for your meat or some nice grill marks, you don’t have to marinated it for hours, just about 5 minutes. Just pour some in a bowl and flip flop the meat every minute or so. Then preheat your grill or pan and cook until desired temperature.
Traditional Marinade
Otherwise for a more tender meat, marinade for at least 4 hour or overnight, flipping the meat or tossing it in a tightly covered bowl 2-4 times.
Low-carbers get a little sugar, here, but no as much as they would with barbecue sauce, and still have a little extra flavor.
Grilling Tips
- Allow your steak to sit at room temperature prior to cooking. It will cook more evenly this way.
- Do not salt your meat prior to grilling. Salt draws out the juices. Salt and pepper right before it’s done. However, something I just learned, which I have not yet applied, is that salting the sides of the meat helps to pull the juices from the outside, creating a caramelize texture on the surface of the meat.
Meanwhile, find a recipe below for a raspberry vinaigrette marinade. Cook it over the stove and thicken with starch if you desire to serve it as a condiment instead of ketchup.
A homemade gluten free raspberry marinade recipe with optional instructions to create a thick savory raspberry sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 12 oz. frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup agave syrup
- 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon pineapple or orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional for heat)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions:
- Preheat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onions and saute over low heat until translucent.
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add remaining oil, raspberries, agave syrup, vinegar, juice, and if using, ginger.
- Cook until raspberries are tender.
- Using an immersion blender, stand blender, or food processor, puree until smooth.
- Return to pan, if using a stand blender or food processor over medium-high heat.
- Make a slurry with the starch and water and add to saucepan. Stir constantly until thick.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool, and refrigerate leftovers, covered.
- Use on steaks, hamburgers, pork or chicken.
- Add everything to a bowl except the cornstarch. Whisk to combine and add meat.
- Marinade covered and refrigerated, for 4 hours or overnight, turning over at least once an hour.