Why you should be treating your vegetables like meat

Cooks have developed a plethora of methods to transform meat into something delicious. Brining, curing, and smoking are just three techniques that can add flavor to and enhance the texture of meats. But we shouldn’t limit these methods to meat, we should also be applying them to get the most out of our vegetables, says Bon Appétit.

The magazine lists five different techniques that work just as well with vegetables as they do with meats. Brining, for example, can be used on dense vegetables that take a long time to cook, and is especially effective if you’re grilling them outdoors. To achieve perfectly al dente results without overcooking the exteriors, use a brine of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and aromatics. This “infuses veg with character while jump-starting the cooking process.”

Salt curing is another technique that can transform vegetables. Salting savoy cabbage ahead of time can allow the core to be seasoned while tenderizing the outside leaves. Marinades likewise can be used to add flavor, especially with vegtables like eggplant, which can soak up a marinade “like a sponge, and leafy greens, which easily absorb infused oil,” according to the article.

Photo of Grilled brined vegetables from Bon Appétit Magazine  by Chris Morocco