L IFESTYLE /C ULTURE
A Life-Changing Do-ahead Kitchen Hack
SOY-GINGER FLANK STEAK
F OO D
KERI WHITE | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
WE’VE ALL SEEN those
memes of moms who go on
“vacation” with the family only
to spend time cooking and
cleaning in a poorly equipped
kitchen, while the rest of the
clan swims, sunbathes, hikes
and canoes.

Now, I am not in any way
suggesting that is my experi-
ence these days, but I am
familiar with the concept. We
rented a cottage at the shore
for a few weeks in September,
and I was determined to avoid
such a fate. I devised a method
of provisioning that seemed
almost magical, was ideal for
traveling and I will probably
replicate it on the homefront for
its sheer convenience and ease.

It involved doing the prep
work in my well-equipped,
well-provisioned home
kitchen and freezing the food
in zip-seal bags. I had never
marinated and frozen meat
before, and it worked like a
charm. Arguably, the ingre-
dients permeated the meat
more thoroughly, resulting in
a more-tender, more-fl avored
result. Now, I only did this with
beef and poultry, so for vegetar-
ians and vegans, this might
not be an ideal technique.

However, as more and more
vegan products are developed
to mimic meat, this method
may well have applications to
diff erent dietary preferences.

Th ere was something truly
wonderful about moving a
zip-seal bag from the freezer
to the fridge in the evening,
allowing it to defrost overnight
and grilling it for dinner the
following day, accompanied by
corn from the farm stand and
a simply tossed salad, or maybe
some bread and purchased cole
slaw. No stress for the cook, but
a delicious, fl avorful meal.

Even when grilling season
ends (which for some people
is never) this technique can be
easily adapted to the broiler, a
skillet or a sheet pan roasted
at a high temperature. One pro
tip that really helped — be sure
to label the bags in detail: “1.5
lb fl ank steak w soy, ginger and
sesame” or “4 chicken cutlets
in garlic lemon dressing.” Th is
will ensure that you defrost the
right amount for your group
and avoid waste.

Serves 4
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh
ginger 1 tablespoon sesame oil
⅓ cup canola or vegetable
oil 1 tablespoon hot sauce
such as Sriracha (optional)
1½ pounds fl ank steak
choose, slice them horizon-
tally across to about ¼-inch
to ½-inch thickness — or have
your butcher prepare them as
scaloppini. Cooking times will
vary pending the thickness
of the pieces, so be sure to
check them for doneness before
serving. 1½ pounds boneless turkey,
sliced thinly
½ bottle or can beer (any
type) ½ cup your favorite
barbecue sauce
In a large zip-seal bag,
mix all the ingredients. Make
sure the steak is thoroughly
coated. Label the bag clearly
and lay it fl at in the freezer.

Th e night before you wish to
serve this, place the fl ank steak
in the refrigerator to defrost
overnight. Bring the steak to room
temperature before grilling.

Heat your grill to medium-
high, and place the steak on it,
cooking for about 5 minutes
per side for medium-rare.

Remove the steak from the
grill, cover it with foil and let
it rest for 3 minutes. Slice the
meat thinly across the grain on
a diagonal.

Mix all the ingredients in a
zip-seal bag. Be sure the turkey
pieces are thoroughly coated.

Label the bag clearly and lay
it fl at in the freezer. Th e night
before you wish to serve it,
place the bag in the fridge and
allow it to defrost overnight.

Bring the turkey to room
temperature, and heat your
grill to medium-high. Grill
the turkey for about 4 minutes
per side until cooked through.

Place it on a plate, cover it with
foil and allow it to rest for
several minutes.

BEER BARBECUE TURKEY
LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN
I prefer turkey breasts, but
many people prefer dark meat
as having more fl avor and
less of a risk of drying out.

Regardless of which cut you
Many recipes in this style call
for a marinade of yogurt or
buttermilk, but that is a no-no
for kosher diners. Mayonnaise
is an excellent substitute; the
Serves 4
Serves 4
vinegar it contains breaks the
meat down a bit in the same
way the yogurt and butter-
milk does, delivering a tender,
fl avorful result.

I prefer boneless chicken
breasts, but you can certainly
use bone-in pieces; simply
adjust the cooking time accord-
ingly. Large bone-in breasts
and thighs will take about 30
minutes, give or take, and will
mostly need indirect heat aft er
the initial sear.

1½ pounds boneless
chicken, cut thinly
½ cup mayonnaise
Juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves fresh garlic,
crushed 1 teaspoon oregano
Generous amount salt and
pepper Mix all the ingredients
in a zip-seal bag. Be sure the
chicken pieces are thoroughly
coated. Label the bag clearly
and lay it fl at in the freezer.

Th e night before you wish to
serve it, place the bag in the
fridge and allow it to defrost
overnight. Bring the chicken to room
temperature, and heat your
grill to medium-high. Grill the
chicken for about 4 minutes
per side until cooked through.

Place it on a plate, cover it with
foil and allow it to rest for
several minutes. ●
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16 OCTOBER 21, 2021
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