How to Make The Mother of All Marinades (Hint: The Secret is Coke!)

Growing up Italian, I never knew what traditional barbecue sauce was till I was 15 years old and tasted bottled Bar-B-Q sauce at a neighbor's house!  I was used to homemade barbecue sauce. But it's not just a ketchup-based barbecue sauce as many people know it. The base has some wonderful flavors: lemon juice, oregano and garlic, for starters.

I still have to admit that my stepdad's barbecue basting recipe I grew up with endures one of my favorites . My stepdad was a pretty inventive cook as our budget was more ground beef and chuck steak than T-bone and filet. Chicken also was a staple when we made barbecue.

Today I’m giving up some of my favorites for beef and chicken ! Below you also will find a couple of  recipes for barbecue sauce/marinades that you may not have known about; they include colas, coffee and juices. The properties in these ingredients help to tenderize the meat without overwhelming the flavors!

 Chicken Italiana a la Charlie (my stepdad)

• 1 whole fryer chicken, cut
• 3 cups lemon juice
• 2tbs minced garlic
• 1/4 cup oregano
• 1tsp onion flakes
• pinch of pepper

 Brush chicken with this mixture, and baste frequently while cooking.

 Chicken/Beef Asia

•  zip loc bag
• soy sauce 1 cup
• 1tsp chinese five spice
• 1tbs minced garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder

 Place beef or chicken in bag and seal tightly, squeezing as much air out as you can. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

 Coca-Cola Beef/chicken  marinade

•  1 can any cola (don’t use diet, but you can use a cherry or lime cola for a different kick!)
• 1tsp garlic
• 1tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

 Put all ingredients in sealable bag- marinate for at least 2 hours.

 Wake-up your beef

•  1/4 cup coffee (decaf or regular is fine)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice (optional)

 Put all ingredients in sealable bag; marinate for at least 2 hours.

After these are marinated, spray and pre heat grill. Never turn meat with a fork on a BBQ! It pierces the meat and allows juices to escape! Use wide tongs. I know a lot of us have those temperature forks, and yes, it's ok to use those, but try not to poke the meat too much!  All of these recipes go great with all your other BBQ favorites, and next time I’ll show you how to give them a new twist.