Berbere Marinade
Roast onion, garlic, ginger, and whole spices until fragrant, blend with olive oil and lemon juice for a potent Ethiopian marinade that transforms tuna, pork, or beef.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
5 minREADY
10 minThis berbere marinade takes the traditional spice blend and turns it into a thick, spreadable paste that clings to meat and infuses it with complex Ethiopian flavors overnight.
Roasting the aromatics and spices together in a dry skillet unlocks essential oils that create smoky, layered depth.
Olive oil and lemon juice bind everything into a smooth purée that’s intense enough to flavor 1½ pounds of meat with just one batch.
The warning bears repeating: this stuff packs serious heat, so a little goes a long way.
Spread it on tuna steaks before searing, rub it under chicken skin, or massage it into pork tenderloin for grilling.
Pro Tips
- Keep the heat at medium during roasting to prevent burning the spices
- Let the roasted mixture cool slightly before blending to protect your blender
- Start with less red pepper flakes and taste; you can always add more
- Marinate overnight for best flavor penetration (minimum 4 hours)
- Works beautifully on firm fish like tuna, swordfish, or salmon
- Reserve a tablespoon to brush on during grilling for extra punch
Ingredients
Directions
Finely chop onion.
Mince garlic and ginger. Place onions, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, red pepper, coriander, cardamom, fenugreek, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, salt and paprika in dry skillet and cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, or until spices are lightly roasted and fragrant.
Combine roasted spice mixture, olive oil and lemon juice in blender and purée to smooth paste.
Spread paste on meat and marinate overnight.
WARNING: A little of this spicy mixture goes a long way! Makes enough marinade for 1½ pounds tuna, pork tenderloin and sirloin steak.
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