The 3-Ingredient Marinade For BBQ With 10x The Flavor

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Perhaps because it evokes warm afternoons and the company of good friends and family, food that comes off the grill is somehow automatically more delicious. Whatever the protein or vegetable — or the marinade, for that matter — there is nothing quite like the smoky flavors of barbecued foods. But if all you use is plain old barbecue sauce, it can still get boring after a while. Consider exploring a little south-of-the-border flavor combinations to liven up your grilling. Just three ingredients — canned chipotles in adobo sauce, lime juice, and cumin — can make all the difference.

These ingredients often appear in various Mexican-leaning barbecue and marinade recipes. Carried in many grocery stores, chipotles in adobo sauce consists of chipotle peppers (smoked and dried jalapeños) canned in a tomato-based sauce with various spices. Lime juice doesn't only add flavor, but also helps tenderize animal proteins. And cumin, especially when ground, will amp up the depth and warmth of a marinade. Combined, this trio makes for an easy and versatile marinade for barbecuing a variety of meats and vegetables.

To take your barbecue in a more Mexican direction, begin with a can of chipotles in adobo sauce. Highly rated brands that are easily available include La Costeña and La Morena, both praised for their balance of smoky, tangy, and sweet flavors. La Costeña in particular also includes caramelized onion pieces, which add a flavor and texture bonus without having to purchase more ingredients. To make into a marinade, simply remove the chipotles from the can and chop them finely, while reserving the adobo sauce. Place the chopped chipotles in a bowl, then add a bit of the adobo sauce, a few good squeezes of lime, and a generous pinch of cumin powder. Mix, then taste and adjust the proportions to your preference. If the sauce is too chunky, use an immersion blender to puree it all into a smooth consistency.

Once you have the marinade prepared, use it for all sorts of proteins and vegetables destined for the barbecue grill. Beef, pork, and chicken are obvious choices that will take well to strongly flavored marinades. Try it with this quick and easy BBQ half chicken recipe, or, if you have time, use it in this tender grilled spare ribs recipe. Or jazz up a barbecued tofu recipe with it, and because all the ingredients are vegan, it will be a hit with plant-based eaters. Slather it on corn cobs, thick eggplant or zucchini slices, or go even further with the sweetness and pair it with thickly-cut squash.