FoodSaver

I am a HUGE fan of FoodSaver systems.

It's a great way to deal with left-overs, but even better for the family chef.  Buy in bulk, season, rub, marinade, etc divide up your meats and cheeses and vacuum seal them in bags, jars, canisters, marinade, etc.

You can prep your foods, freeze, and use them later.  The marinades and rubs will set into the food during freezing and defrosting and are ready to go when you are.  You can even cook some foods in the vacuum bags in a crock pot or by boiling before opening them.

I go to Sam's Club and buy my meats in bulk, season or marinade or just portion them out, seal them and freeze and they last over a year, thaw in minutes or overnight, and taste as fresh as when they were bought at the store.

Smoke, grill, cook your foods, and THEN vacuum seal them for that fresh taste months later.  Just like Store-Bought, except you know what''s in it, and where its been.  Nothing better for someone on a strict diet.

Some models have a Marinade setting, when used with one of their marinade containers it will draw the air out, make the meat expand, taking on extra marinade, upon releasing it, it shrinks back down, trapping the liquid inside, then cycle again.  In 15 minutes you have something marinated better than overnight in a dish.  Run it twice, and you're sure to have a well marinaded meat.

Vegetables, cheeses, meats, herbs and spices, everything stores longer and fresher when using a vacuum system.

Wine Marinade

First of all, mix up my Basic Marinade.

Then, for beef, add 2 oz of Red Wine.

For Poultry, Pork, and Fish, add 2 oz of White Wine.

Pour into container and marinate overnight, unless you have a vacuum marinading system (which I highly recommend, within 15-30 minutes you can have a deep marinade and start grilling.)

Basic Marinade

This marinade is great for beef, pork, and poultry as a stand-alone marinade or a base (add more ingredients at your desire.)

1/2 cup Mike's Smokey Sweet BBQ Sauce (mix with or substitute with Mike's Hellfire for more heat.)
1/2 cup apple juice (best), or water (Ok)
1 tblsp Beef Base (I use Tone's brand, it looks like axle grease, but is made from beef and gluten free.)
2 tblsp Brown Sugar
1 tblsp course Black Pepper
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt (optional)

Mix well, warm enough on low temperature to dissolve the brown sugar.
Pour into container and marinate overnight, unless you have a vacuum marinading system (which I highly recommend, within 15-30 minutes you can have a deep marinade and start grilling.)

Bourbon Marinade

I've found that Mike's BBQ Sauce can help make a pretty wicked marinade.  It's a great way to get flavor and smoke on meats that will go on the gas grill, crock pot or oven.  Only YOU will know you didn't smoke it on a wood fired grill! ;)

I've found a bit of bourbon in a marinade or sauce goes very well with beef.  From burgers to tenderloins.  I even have a recipe for a bourbon sauce that I make from time to time to sell that can be used as a marinade itself or a sauce, although it's a bit thinner than my regular sauces.

Or you can marinade with this variation:

1/2 cup Mike's Smokey Sweet BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 oz shot of Bourbon
1 tblsp course Black Pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Mix well, pour into container and marinate overnight, unless you have a vacuum marinading system (which I highly recommend, within 15-30 minutes you can have a deep marinade and start grilling.)

I often make variations, substitution and changes to recipes.  One variation is to mix Mike's Smokey Sweet BBQ sauce with Mike's Hellfire sauce, percentages vary depending on your taste and how hot you like it, from 1% to 100%.