Got Milk?

[kjwalker]

I searched around the site a bit and didn't find any mention of one of my best-kept secrets. I will, however, share it with this group as it is not mine originally, but one that was passed on to me by an old barbeque pro who had a small barbecue shack in Oak Hill, just southwest of Austin, in the 70s and 80s.

This ol' guy was the father of one of my best friends. He probably liked the bottle more than smokin or friends, and therefore would hole up in his little shack for days getting drunk and cooking barbecue. He did, however, have a loyal following and served a lot of barbecue before his early death from drinking in the late 70s or early 80s.

Anyway, the marinade that went on his brisket had a milk base. That's right. He would spice up the milk and then set his brisket into it overnight. Not a lot of milk, just a half cup or so, which acted as a conduit for the delivery of spices, but also tenderized the meat unbelievably.

The best aspect is that after meat is cooked using milk, there isn't any other flavor than the spices you have used. In other words, no flavor of vinegar, beer, wine, apple cider, orange juice, etc., that is common with other marinades.

Anyway, I now use milk as a base for any marinade I use for fajitas, steaks (cheaper cuts), and of course, brisket.

Just mix whatever dry rub seasoning you like with the milk to taste...I like a pretty strong spice mix....whisk it and let the brisket (or meat) set in it in a dish in the fridge (covered of course). Turn it every now and then to keep it coated. You will notice that the meat actually soaks up quite a bit over time.

For fajitas or cheaper cuts of steak, I use a zip lock baggy and then work the marinade around the meat.

Anyway, give it a shot and let me know if you like it.

Like I said....use it with any dry rub spice mix you like to use....and then add extra black pepper!

KW
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Bubba's BBQ Shanghai, China
Smoking the Good Stuff Since 2006
www.bubbasasia.com
Home of NCAA Football in China
Host of Shanghai Chili Cook-off

[Rocky]

Hi. That isn't that strange really considering buttermilk is also used for marinating and tenderizing meat. Yogurt is also used. Most of the recipes I have seen using this method are Greek, Moroccan, African. People also soak strong tasting fish and wild game to remove some of the unpleasant taste.
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Rocky Richmond - Big Drum Smokers

http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com

[allsmokenofire]

KJ, I've used a milk marinade before for venison, wild duck and pheasant before to remove some of the gamey taste, I'll have to give it a try with "domestic" meat. BTW, did you have a chance to use the "new" SP for the brisket yet? How did it go?
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Mike
Team Enoserv

[DawgPhan]

hmmm...I think that what you are getting when you use milk is that the milk pulls impurities out of the meat..maybe that is why you use it to get rid of the gamey taste in wild meat. As for tenderizing I would think that you would have to go with a buttermilk to get a higher acid content, and even then I dont know that you would notice any difference with it..

Putting chicken in buttermilk before frying it is an old southern thing...no surpise that it found its way to brisket...

[kjwalker]

Ahhhh yeah. It just dawned on me about buttermilk. In fact, I have used buttermilk on shark before to take away the gamey flavor (didn't work). lol

Allsmoke, we had to postpone the "test run" with the SP. I am hopeful we can do it sometime next week. I'll let everyone know how it goes, with pictures.
_________________
Bubba's BBQ Shanghai, China
Smoking the Good Stuff Since 2006
www.bubbasasia.com
Home of NCAA Football in China
Host of Shanghai Chili Cook-off

[Steve-O]

I use buttermilk to soak fish in before frying. I'll try milk on meat next time. This actually seems reasonable....
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"BBQ may not be a religion in Texas, but the two institutions are closely associated."
- Robb Walsh "Legends of Texas Barbeque Cookbook"

[bigabyte]

I would think you want the milk to be a bit sour, more acidic that way...
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--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!