Experiment that worked: Grilled Pork w/Lavender marinade
Lavender-Balsamic-Lemon Marinated Pork (or lamb)
This didn't taste like lavender, but the lavender buds gave the finished dish a really interesting-in-a-good-way flavor. You could also use regular fresh lavender, chopped stems and the like. If I'd had fresh, I would have added some chopped stems to the fire to make a lavender-smoke.
A "part" below = 1 Tablespoon. This was sufficient for 2 slices of lean boneless pork tenderloin with a pre-cook total weight of 12oz or 0.75 pounds. This quantity is probably suitable for "up to a pound".
2 parts Balsamic vinegar
2 parts olive oil
1-2 parts lemon juice
1 part dried lavender buds (McCormick's jar bought off Clearance table during reset). You could also use fresh lavender, chopped stems, etc, just adjust for fresh-vs-dry.
salt/pepper (didn't do it this time. Husband says we will be adding some next time)
Mix all together, making sure to get any dried spices thoroughly wet. Reserve up to a tablespoon for basting during late-grill stage*.
Pour the rest of the marinade over the meat, and let it marinate in a bowl or plastic baggie. Make sure the meat's coated well, the lavender's not all jumbled into one place and not going to absorb the liquid, etc etc. I've gotten to really like those zipper-sandwich bags for this thing, particularly since you can coat the meat with a surprisingly small volume of liquid this way compared to a bowl (and the bags get rinsed and used for disposing of compostables later).
We let these sit for ~2 hours before grilling. I don't know what a minimum time would be (you'd really want to make sure any dried herbs were thoroughly reconstituted, etc).
Grilled at 450F, initially direct to caramelize on both sides, then flipped and brushed with reserved marinade for a couple of minutes a side to cook to internal safe-temp. We did one that way, and one just as a straight-up no-sear (on cooler part of the grid), and the sear/caramelized version tasted much more interesting and better.
*For food safety: You don't baste nearly-done foods with the marinade that was in contact with raw meat. The marinade may not get hot enough to kill baddies.
It'd work as a pan-cook as well, you don't have to get all grill-fancy.
Notes for next time:
Cut the olive oil in half or out entirely
Marinade needs salt+pepper, says husband. I was happy with it as-is.
The lemon juice added a nice "tang" to cut through the balsamic sweetness. I would cut back from 2 parts to 1 if the marinating is longer than a couple of hours, because the pork loin is already tender and doesn't need that much of an acid treatment
This is easy-peasy. Well-suited to 2 minutes of prep in the morning: measure ingredients & start the meat soaking. Then throw on grill/stove when you get home.
This didn't taste like lavender, but the lavender buds gave the finished dish a really interesting-in-a-good-way flavor. You could also use regular fresh lavender, chopped stems and the like. If I'd had fresh, I would have added some chopped stems to the fire to make a lavender-smoke.
A "part" below = 1 Tablespoon. This was sufficient for 2 slices of lean boneless pork tenderloin with a pre-cook total weight of 12oz or 0.75 pounds. This quantity is probably suitable for "up to a pound".
2 parts Balsamic vinegar
2 parts olive oil
1-2 parts lemon juice
1 part dried lavender buds (McCormick's jar bought off Clearance table during reset). You could also use fresh lavender, chopped stems, etc, just adjust for fresh-vs-dry.
salt/pepper (didn't do it this time. Husband says we will be adding some next time)
Mix all together, making sure to get any dried spices thoroughly wet. Reserve up to a tablespoon for basting during late-grill stage*.
Pour the rest of the marinade over the meat, and let it marinate in a bowl or plastic baggie. Make sure the meat's coated well, the lavender's not all jumbled into one place and not going to absorb the liquid, etc etc. I've gotten to really like those zipper-sandwich bags for this thing, particularly since you can coat the meat with a surprisingly small volume of liquid this way compared to a bowl (and the bags get rinsed and used for disposing of compostables later).
We let these sit for ~2 hours before grilling. I don't know what a minimum time would be (you'd really want to make sure any dried herbs were thoroughly reconstituted, etc).
Grilled at 450F, initially direct to caramelize on both sides, then flipped and brushed with reserved marinade for a couple of minutes a side to cook to internal safe-temp. We did one that way, and one just as a straight-up no-sear (on cooler part of the grid), and the sear/caramelized version tasted much more interesting and better.
*For food safety: You don't baste nearly-done foods with the marinade that was in contact with raw meat. The marinade may not get hot enough to kill baddies.
It'd work as a pan-cook as well, you don't have to get all grill-fancy.
Notes for next time:
Cut the olive oil in half or out entirely
Marinade needs salt+pepper, says husband. I was happy with it as-is.
The lemon juice added a nice "tang" to cut through the balsamic sweetness. I would cut back from 2 parts to 1 if the marinating is longer than a couple of hours, because the pork loin is already tender and doesn't need that much of an acid treatment
This is easy-peasy. Well-suited to 2 minutes of prep in the morning: measure ingredients & start the meat soaking. Then throw on grill/stove when you get home.