Topic: How do you get that deep tikka marinade?

[Petrolhead360]

Hi to all,

I have had this question for years and it wasn't until I had a take away from my local curry house last night and cut into a chicken tikka piece that I asked myself the question again - why can't I achieve that deep marinade that enters into the chicken pieces and not just on the surface as I get?

This is a freshly cut piece and you can see ( I hope) that the orange colour penetrates quite a long way into the chicken.
Any tips on how to achieve this please?

[chewytikka]

p360
What was the Chicken like, as it doesn't look too clever to me.

Anyhoo, probably left it in a marinade/bucket too long and not how it should be.

cheers Chewy

[Garp]

The outside looks well impregnated with the marinade, but it does look a bit undercooked in the middle.

May be just the pic, but it looks a bit pink.

[madpower]

I have asked a tandori chef this question he said its because the chicken blisters as soon as it goes in the oven,i dont know exactly what he meant but thats what he said.

[JerryM]

Quite a pic. Never seen meat with marinade so deep.

I purposely keep marinade very thick (concentrated via little yoghurt) and keep for 3 days. I get nothing like depth.

I don't use food colour and obviously this must be key. After that struggling. Wild guesses

1) More oil
2) More acid lemon juice
3) Adding food colour and acid on there own as a stage 1 marinade. I think there is a post (curryqueen) suggesting stage 1 of lemon juice and chilli powder for something like 1 hr. I used to do it and can search if needed.

Would be interested myself on how it's done - I guess it's getting more flavour in. Whether it's needed once you get the marinade right I'm doubtful though

[Sverige]

You must use hung yoghurt so your marinade is thick and clings to the meat. It's about osmosis. Thin yoghurt or watery marinades just won't cut the mustard as they will never travel as osmotically into the meat.

[DalPuri]

This is an interesting article.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_marinades.html

[Naga]

This is an interesting article.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_marinades.html

Excellent piece, DP! Thanks for sharing it - the process simply explained and very informative.

PS: I agree with the comments about the chicken meat - something not right there.

[DalPuri]

PS: I agree with the comments about the chicken meat - something not right there.

Yes, reminds me of some 20 odd curries me old man once brought round (feeling sorry for me) when I lived in a spiceless mid Wales town.
They were frozen curries from a corner shop near Blackburn. Good flavour and value at 2 quid a throw, but the chicken! 
It was a very weird texture, soft mushy water injected, reconstituted god knows what!?
I said please don't  bring me anymore of those curries, but if you do, I'll just have the veg and the keema ones. 

[Petrolhead360]

p360
What was the Chicken like, as it doesn't look too clever to me.

Anyhoo, probably left it in a marinade/bucket too long and not how it should be.

cheers Chewy

Well it seemed Ok at the time, moist, firm and not as bad as it looks in the pic.
Yes it looks pink in the middle but taste/texture was fine.