Teriyaki wings

With the Super Bowl coming up, I decided to make some wings since it has been a while since I’ve had some.  My favorite watering hole closed and I haven’t ventured out to find a new one.  So in the meantime…

  • 1/2 C oil, vegetable or neutral in flavor
  • 2 C soy sauce
  • 2 C dry sherry
  • 1 C honey
  • 2 T ground ginger
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • 2 T dry mustard
  • 1 T onion powder
  • 1 T fresh ginger, minced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 T onion, minced
  • 1 t cayenne chile powder (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a pot of sufficient size.  If cooking in a smoker baste with sauce several times.  If cooking on a high heat grill baste once.  When crispy they are done!

Jamaican Jerk recipe

Ingredient list:

  • 3 scallions, rough chop
  • 4 large garlic cloves, rough chop
  • 1 small onion, rough chop
  • 4 to 5 fresh Scotch Bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 1/4 C fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 C cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C dark rum
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 3 T oil, neutral flavor is best
  • 1 T salt
  • 1 T minced fresh ginger (1 t if ginger powder)
  • 1 T packed brown sugar
  • 1 T fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 t ground allspice
  • 2 t black pepper
  • 3/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 t cinnamon

Place all the ingredients into a blender and mix until you get a relatively smooth paste.  Don’t over kill it.  Stop and scrape a couple of times to make sure everything is blended equally.  Add just a little bit of water if it seems too thick or it is not blending properly.  For an extra level of flavor lightly toast the spices (allspice, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon) in a small saute pan over low heat before adding them.  The heat helps to release the essential oils to fully bring out the spices flavor.  If you are new to Scotch Bonnet/Habanero peppers you might want to air on the side of caution and use only 1 or 2.  The first time I made it I used a couple jalapenos and a couple serrano peppers.  The scallions along with a white onion give a nice well rounded onion flavor.

Put your chicken and marinade in a plastic bag and then place it in a leakproof container.  Keep it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and even up to 24 hours.  The longer the meat is exposed to the marinade, the more flavor you get. You can even mash the meat and marinade around every few hours to ensure complete coverage.

You can grill or smoke the chicken, my preference is usually smoked but that little charring you get from grilling is phenomenal.  In Jamaica the smoke flavor comes from meat seasoned with pimento spice (allspice) placed on top of a bed of pimento leaves, and pimento wood sticks. Then the meat is slowly barbecued over the fire. Pimento wood is the wood of the Jamaican allspice tree, found only in Jamaica.

Now if you are lucky enough to have been to Jamaica, and have been fortunate enough to enjoy jerk chicken (or shrimp or fish or…) then you’ll appreciate the genuine smoky flavor of pimento wood along with the tangy spice of pimento leaves and berries.

Jerk Chicken is believed to have been conceived when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak. The method of smoking meat for a long period of time served two practical purposes: keeping insects away from the raw meat and preserving it for longer once it has been cooked. This process also introduces a strong smoky flavor to the meat.

There are two commonly held theories regarding how the name “Jerk” came to be used.  One is that it originated from the Spanish word “Charqui” which described dried meat.  Over time this term evolved from “Charqui” to “Jerky” to “Jerk”.  There is another theory that the name is derived from the practice of jerking (poking) holes in the meat to fill with spices prior to cooking.  Nowadays, the word “Jerk” is used as a noun to describe the seasoning applied to jerked food and as a verb to describe the process of cooking used.

Watch Alton Brown smoke a pork shoulder in a clay pot

This is from Alton’s series Good Eats in which he converts 2 clay pots into a backyard smoker.  You can probably find a used hot plate at Goodwill or similar thirft stores.  The clay pots should be new, otherwise you run the risk of adding ‘unpleasant’ flavors to your meat.  Also note the size of his shoulder as compared to the size of the clay pots.  Most shoulders (known and labeled as a picnic or Boston butt) come packaged whole and the hunk he is smoking is about half of that.  He did trim some of the fat cap off as no smoke can penetrate the fat and flavor the meat inside.  Only meat that is exposed to smoke will absorb the smoke flavor.  The fat typically just runs down the side of the meat and into your smoker or drip pan.  The more fat on the outside just results in more fat being rendered off and into your smoker.  There are different theories as to fat cap up or down and if you have a drip pan I suggest fat cap up.  Otherwise the fat should be placed between the meat and heat source.  Some even start with the cap up and flip the meat halfway through.  Pork shoulder is relatively bullet-proof and you can over cook it without doing a lot of damage.  Most meat you cook for a long time via the slow and low can handle over cooking.  The meat itself contains plenty of fat and connective tissue and only extended cooking at low temperatures can break them down.

 

Eggnog recipe courtesy of @AltonBrown

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Making your own eggnog is always better than buying that pre-made packaged stuff.  This recipe comes to us via one of my favorite chefs out there today.  I usually try to not re-invent the wheel every day and you don’t need to when it is basic and works.  I did add cinnamon to the recipe as I like cinnamon in my nog.  As always try to use whole spices and grind or grate as you need them.  You can make it the day or night before to let the flavors meld together.

from @FoodTV

Ingredients

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 16 oz whole milk
  • 8 oz heavy cream
  • 3 oz bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon *
  • 4 egg whites

 

Directions

In a large bowl beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

* – not in original recipe

The Meat Shop in Phoenix, AZ

These guys are great and have great products with superior customer service, go check them out!  This is from their website:

If you are looking for an OLD FASHIONED BUTCHER shop you have come to the right place.  The MEAT SHOP brings in FRESH meat every week to be custom cut for you by our skilled butchers.

Our All Natural Pork with true pork flavor comes from our farm in Palo Verde, AZ to you in one day.   Our Grass-Fed beef is brought in from the Black Mountain Beef Company to be dry aged for at least 14 days.  Periodically throughout the year we bring in Free Range Veal and Pasture Raised Lamb also from local farms. Chicken is now available whole or in parts from Ridgeview Farms in Paulden, AZ and Fowl Play in Palo Verde, AZ.

At The MEAT SHOP you can get to know your butcher, watch how meat is processed, and learn which cuts to buy.  Our meat is additive free.  This means fresh cuts of meat never have coloring, water, chemicals, salt, or any other preservatives added to them.  Our sausage is made with all natural seasonings and we have over 15 flavors to choose from.  The MEAT SHOP’s ham, bacon and other smoked products are minimally processed, have NO Sugar, and are low in salt and sodium nitrite.

Old Fashioned means asking the butcher to custom cut your meat for you.  You can get it cut as thick as you like, bone-in or boneless and even with a little more or a little less fat than usual.  We package all our meat in vacuum sealed bags to preserve the freshness and quality of the meat.

We look forward to meeting you at The MEAT SHOP.  When you walk in you will see a fresh case with a nice selection of meat and we have more in our cooler waiting for your cut instructions.  While you are with us do not hesitate to ask questions, share recipes or even request specialty items.  We know you will love the meat that comes to you Fresh and local and will do all we can to make your visit a great experience in our “Small place with Huge Taste”.

www.themeatshopaz.com

 

Tuesday – Saturday 8AM – 5PM
202 E Buckeye Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602)-258-5075

fresh pork