I hated to keep glossing over this easy seasoning mix, because it is amazing and I abuse it – including in an upcoming video/post for blackened filet later this month.
I did a quick version of it in my ribs video a while back, but here is a quick post dedicated exclusively to this magical blend.
Ingredients:
1) Sea salt (roughly 40%)
2) Paprika (roughly 30%)
3) Cayenne pepper (roughly 15%)
4) Garlic powder (roughly10%)
5) Dried oregano leaf (roughly 5%)
Mix ’em all together and use on:
Homemade french fries, air-popped popcorn, seafood, steamed and sauteed vegetables, meats – for both seasoning and blackening and as a dry rub for broiled meats like ribs.
Using it as a blackening spice for blackened filet mignon is coming up next!
There is little in life that I enjoy more than ribs. Yes, I admit, much has to do with the sweetness of the sauce – which takes an otherwise good chunk of tasty, fatty meat and makes it like sheer crack cocaine. But I have some good remedies for that: make your own sauce and make it REALLY spicy.
Here is a short video on how I prepare the ribs. Note: in the video I do make an error – the time and temperature required for making perfect ribs. In the video I mention that the ribs will be done in a few hours at 275F. Even at sea level, it would probably still take 4 hours at 275F. To make sure your ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, in hindsight I would have recommended to cook them for at least 4 hours at 300 degrees F.
Anyway, really, really tasty stuff – especially during American Football playoff season. I will shred at least a half dozen slabs of ribs, this batch included, by the time the Super Bowl rolls around. Give these a try someday when you need to heat your house and you’re in need of an air-freshener that makes you salivate. Share them with friends, or people that you would like to be your friends. Works every time. It’s like giving bacon to a dog, or chocolate to your grandkids.
Homemade barbecue sauce recipe follows:
Chipotle barbecue sauce (monster batch)
Ingredients:
1 can chipotle peppers en adobo sauce
2 regular-sized cans of tomato paste
½ cup honey
½ cup molasses
½ yellow onion, peeled and cut into 2 or 3 chunks
6T mild chili powder and/or Hungarian paprika
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
6 Bay leaves (optional)
¼ cup apple cider, balsamic, or rice wine vinegar
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well and simmer on low heat for at least an hour – preferably longer. Add water if consistency if too thick. Remove lid to allow excess water vapor to escape if too soupy.
When it’s finished I don’t even bother straining it or attempting to fish out bay leaves before pureeing it, but you can if you want to. I just scoop around the whole chunks of onion, garlic, and chipotles.
Note that these amounts are not set in stone, they are just ballpark estimates. Tweak the flavors to your liking. A good barbecue sauce is smoky, spicy, and has a sweet n’ sour tang to it – a synergy of tomato, vinegar, and the added sweeteners.
This is sauce is very high in sugar, so don’t abuse it. It’s damn good though and beats sauces with too many chemical flavor enhancers and enough HFCS to ruin your day.
180 Kitchen 