This Pantry Staple Is Your Secret For Unforgettable Grill Marinades

Some store-bought marinades are absolutely fantastic, but there's nothing quite like whipping up a marinade that's totally your own. When you create marinades at home, you're able to carefully meld flavors and spices, creating unique tastes. One pantry staple you might not think to add to your homemade marinade blend though is white sugar. A bit of the sweet stuff can go a long way in helping your grilled chicken, ribs, or even steak develop a caramelization and a can't-quite-put-your-finger-on-it taste that will keep you coming back for more.

Creating a sweet marinade is easy: Follow the simple ratio you need for easy marinades and just add the white sugar to taste. Be sure to fully incorporate the sugar into the marinade, pour it over your protein, and let it chill in the fridge. The flavor-enhancing powers of marinades all come down to science, and when you throw sugar into the mix, you take things to the next level. Besides helping proteins caramelize on the grill, sugar acts as a natural meat tenderizer, so it'll help contribute to a melt-in-your-mouth result alongside the acid in your marinade — the two will work together to enhance both the texture and flavor of your meat.

Ready to sweeten up your next flame-grilled creation? There are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when creating a sweet marinade. If you're simply looking to add some sweetness without masking the flavor of other ingredients in your marinade, stick with white sugar. While honey, brown sugar, and other flavorful sweetener options certainly have their place in the world of marinades, they can be too overpowering and cover up the tastes you're trying to highlight. After your meat is done marinating, let excess liquid drip off of the meat before you put it on the grill. Dripping sugar and oil can fuel your grill's flame, potentially burning your meat.

It's important that you cook slowly and not over very high heat so that the sugar you've infused into your protein doesn't burn. This might mean igniting your grill (with the lid open if it's a gas grill — leaving it closed is a grill mistake that can cause an explosion) and letting it cool down for a bit before you add your sweet creation, since sugar burns pretty easily. As you cook, keep the grill on medium heat or lower, and keep an eye out to make sure your food is being cooked evenly (if you know your grill has a hot spot, you'll want to steer clear). When your meat nears the end of its time on the grill, you can add a little extra marinade that you set aside from the start (never use the marinade that you used on your meat — it's a major food safety hazard). Just be sure that you continue to keep a watchful eye to ensure that your sugar-infused meat gets a perfect sear without burning.