Keystone
Keystone CO Patios for Great Grilling
By The Walsh Group

It is picnic time at your new vacation real estate in Keystone, Colorado!  That means it’s time to roll out the grill and invite friends and family to join you out on the patio or deck of your new Keystone CO real estate resort home or condo.  (If you do not already own Keystone real estate, such as a home or a ski-in/ski-out condo, The Walsh Group and RE/MAX Properties of the Summit will show you options for Keystone Colorado real estate second homes or investment properties—with decks and patios for grilling—that fit your budget and style!)

Grilling is a dry-heat form of cooking.  There is nothing like our crisp Rocky Mountain air to contrast with the taste of freshly grilled chicken, turkey, beef, fish, pork, baked potato, corn and vegetables.  Although tender cuts of beef may be quite tasty as they are plucked from the grill without any effort, the less-tender cuts of the chuck and round such as beef top-round and flank steak must be marinated first.  Tender cuts may be marinated, also, to enhance their flavor.

Those tougher cuts need tenderizing marinades that include a food acid or tenderizing enzyme.  Some acidic ingredients are lemon and lime juice, vinegar, Italian dressing, salsa, yogurt, and wine.  In lieu of the tasteless marketed tenderizers, you can make good use of tenderizing agents in fresh ginger pineapple, papaya, kiwi, and figs for many wonderful grilled delights.  Depending on the combination of herbs, spices, and the necessary acidic or tenderizing ingredient, a wide array of international flavors and aromas will be wafting from your patio.

All marinades take place in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.  For flavor, steep your meats and vegetables for 15 minutes to 2 hours.  To tenderize and flavor, plan to marinate for 6 to 24 hours.  Beyond that time, your food may lose its texture and become soggy.  A fourth to a half cup of marinade should be enough for each pound of food. 

Short of buying bottled marinade or BBQ sauce for convenience, you can easily pick up a cookbook, find recipes online, or create your own special brew.  Generally speaking, white wine works best for chicken and red for beef, with the fruity ideas best complementing chicken, fish and pork.   If you plan to serve the delectable morsels with the extra marinade, it must first be boiled. 

Here are a few simple recipes for starters:

• Fish.  ½ c. oil, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 2 tbsp. parsley, minced garlic, 2 tbsp. minced onion, ½ tsp. oregano, ½ tsp. rosemary, 1 crumbled bay leaf.
• Thai.  1/3 c. rice vinegar, 1/3 c. water, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger, ¼ tsp. garlic salt, ½ tsp. pepper.
• Teriyaki.  ½ c. oil, ½ c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. soy sauce, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 1 c. pineapple juice.

Summer is a fun time to try out a variety of recipes, marking family favorites to pass on to others.  Remember us at RE/MAX Properties of the Summit if there are leftovers!  Call us, the #1 broker in the area, at (866) 513-0404 or (970) 513-0404 for expert assistance and real estate advice.