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GOOD WITH

Seafood: shrimp, scallops, salmon, any white-fleshed fish

Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen

Meat: beef, pork

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 11/3 CUPS)

½ cup water

½ cup tequila

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons triple sec

2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon grated tangerine or orange zest

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 30 seconds.

2. Put the bag in a bowl just large enough to hold it snugly. Open the bag and add the meat. Seal the zipper, leaving about an inch open; push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the zipper completely. Massage the liquid gently into the meat and refrigerate for the suggested time.

Tamarind and Mango Brine

Tamarind is the intensely tart pulp that surrounds the seeds in a tamarind pod. You can buy fresh tamarind pods in most Asian markets. Inside the reddish-brown, bulgy, smooth skin you will find several large seeds and a lot of brown-black viscous pulp. Soak the pulp in water and squeeze the fibrous mass from the seeds. Then strain off the flavored water. It is easier to buy already extracted pulp in paste form, which is sold in Asian and Caribbean markets, both frozen and in shelf-stable form.

TIMING

Prep: 5 minutes

Grill: 10 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

MAKING SUBSTITUTIONS

• Substitute 1½ cups mango nectar or orange juice for the mango, and omit the sugar.

• Substitute 1 tablespoon each lemon juice and balsamic vinegar for the tamarind.

• Substitute finely shredded lemon zest for the lemon grass.

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BRINING TIME

Brining small seafood and thin fish: 30 minutes

Brining thick fish and boneless poultry: 1 hour

Brining bone-in poultry, chops, and steaks: 2 to 3 hours

Brining roasts: 3 to 8 hours (depending on size)

GOOD WITH

Seafood: shrimp, scallops, salmon, any white-fleshed fish

Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen

Meat: lamb, pork, veal

INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS)

1 large, ripe mango (about 1 pound)

1 tablespoon tamarind paste (see headnote)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon ground dried lemon grass

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Light a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Put the mango on the grill, cover, and grill for about 10 minutes, turning the mango every 3 minutes or so, until the fruit feels soft and the skin is moderately charred. Remove to a bowl; cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Peel the skin from the mango with your fingers, scraping any flesh clinging to the skin into the bowl. Holding the skinned mango over the bowl, squeeze it with your hands, allowing the soft flesh to squish between your fingers (see photos on page 395). Keep squeezing and rubbing until all that is left is the pit; discard the pit.

3. Dissolve the tamarind paste in enough water to soften.

4. Combine the mango mush, tamarind mixture, and the remaining ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 30 seconds.

5. Put the bag in a bowl just large enough to hold it snugly. Open the bag and add the meat. Seal the zipper, leaving about an inch open; push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the zipper completely. Massage the liquid gently into the meat and refrigerate for the suggested time.

Red Wine-Rosemary Brine

Here’s the classic brine for tenderizing and flavoring wild game. The piney aroma of rosemary is a natural for animals that fed on forest vegetation, and the red wine complements gamy flavors well. The olive oil adds needed fat.

TIMING

Prep: 5 minutes

GETTING CREATIVE

• Vary the red wine with the meat being brined. Try a Zinfandel with oily fish or lamb, or a Burgundy (or Pinot Noir) with beef or dark-meated game.

TIP

• The flavor of shallots, onion, and leek are almost interchangeable. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of one for another.

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BRINING TIME

Brining small seafood