Here are a couple of great ways to use our Reggae Rub and Kick Ass Cajun spice blends!
After the crash of the holiday season and the inconvenient adjustment to saving daylight our eating habits begin to shift as we begin to enter the darker months. Many retreat into their homes in search of comfort which often changes our eating habits. As winter begins to set in, we often take comfort in our food as well.
It is also a time for us to dust off the slow cookers and dig out the Dutch ovens as we delve into heartier meals. The longer slow cooking processes of comfort foods build anticipation for the next meal as their aromas. We are genetically wired to seek out more calorie-dense foods as food historically speaking was often scarce at best in winter and we sometimes need to put some meat on our bones for the cold weather ahead of us.
Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and fish all taste better when cooked with their bones intact. Bones add flavor to foods, texture to meats composition and can enhance plate presentation. That said consumers ironically have sacrificed flavor and their health for convenience by purchasing boneless cuts of meat.
Bones are full of minerals, mainly calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Bones also have connective tissue like tendons, ligaments, and cartilage still attached to them which contain glucosamine. When we removed bones from our diet we then increased our needs for nutritional supplements to help sustain our body’s needs for the raw materials that aid in bone and cartilage formation.
Bones are porous and transfer heat slowly which in turn slows down cooking times. The benefit to this is that meats will not cook as fast allowing the proteins to denature and relax which guarantees tender meat that is juicy and flavorful.
The following recipes for our Reggae Rub Chicken Wings and our Kick Ass Cajun Southern Fried Chicken are both bone in comfort food s that are easy to prepare and enjoyed by many. It is best served with corn, mashed potatoes, slaw, gravy and of course some fresh baked rolls to ensure that your plate is clean when you’re done.
Reggae Rub! Perfect for the Jerk in your life!
Reggae Rub Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
3 lbs bone-in chicken wings and drums
½ package Reggae Rub
3 green onions, minced
1 tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Method:
Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Combine all of the remaining ingredients together in an mixing bowl and mix until evenly incorporated. Add the wings to the Reggae Rub mixture and toss them about to make sure they are liberally coated.
Reggae Rub Wings are best when grilled over charcoal!
For best the best possible flavour cook the wings on a pre-heated charcoal barbeque. If you don’t have charcoal you can use a gas grill, or if necessary you can roast them in the oven. Use a medium-high heat. On the barbecue they will take about 20-30 minutes in the oven at 425 °f you will need about f 45 minutes. More importantly you will need to ensure the chicken is cooked to a proper internal temperature of 74 °c / 165°f. This is best checked with a food thermometer. Serve immediately with a light beer like Smithworks Hefeweizen. Serves 4-6 people depending on what else you set out on the table.
Kick Ass Cajun delivers a great tasting Cajun seasoning that is balanced with an east to swallow heat!
Kick Ass Cajun Fried Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken 2 -3 pounds
3 eggs
½ cup butter milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1-2 tsp. Kick Ass Cajun spice blend
A pinch of both salt and pepper
Vegetable oil or peanut oil, for frying
Method:
Using a knife break the chicken down into smaller cuts and pat the pieces dry with paper towel to remove any moisture.
Preheat your deep fryer to 350 °f and your oven to 200 °f.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk and set aside. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, garlic and ginger powders with salt and pepper.
Dip the chicken pieces one at a time into the egg mixture, then evenly coat them in the flour mixture and gently submerge them into your preheated fryer. Make sure each piece of chicken has plenty of space to cook in the fryer without touching anything. If necessary fry the chicken in small batches and transfer the cooked pieces using tongs or a slotted spoon onto a baking tray line with a roasting rack in your preheated oven.
Fry the chicken until brown and crisp, about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. More importantly you will need to ensure the chicken is cooked to a proper internal temperature of 74 °c / 165°f. This is best checked with a food thermometer.
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