Author Archives: Dan Lowry

27
Feb
For Chefs, On Herbs, On Spices, Product News

5 Chef Tips for the BEST Corned Beef In Town!

Posted on by Dan Lowry

For most Chef’s, preparing a Corned Beef brisket isn’t something you do every day.

It may actually be something that you only tackle once a year?

These 5 TIPS will give you a great start in making this years Corned Beef Dinner one of the best ever.

The first thing you have to decide is whether you’re buying a pre-cured brisket or, curing one of your own.

If it’s the latter, you’d better start now because typically, a brisket takes at least 7 days to properly cure.

The good news is that the Red Goose Spice Company makes a fabulous Pickling Spice Blend that is simply amazing and it’s our TIP # 1, right out of the gate.

          

From there, consider these 4 additional tips.

Trim your brisket and then totally submerge it throughout the refrigerated curing process, in this curing brine recipe below for a whole, 5-to-6-pound brisket. The optional pink curing salt is not essential.

Corned Beef Brine

1 Gallon            Water

1 1/2 cups         Kosher or Sea salt

1/3  cup             Granulated Sugar

1/3  cup             Light Brown Sugar

1/3 cup              Red Goose Pickling Spice Blend

1 TBSP             Pink Curing Salt / Prague Powder #1 (Sodium Nitrate) Optional.

  1. Place all of the above ingredients in a sauce pot of sufficient size, and bring to a simmer.
  2. Remove from the heat and refrigerate the brine until cold, leaving all the pickling spice in the brining liquid.
  3. Once the brine is cold, place your raw brisket in a non-reactive pan or food service storage container and pour the brine over the brisket to cover. Weight down the brisket so that it stays completely beneath the surface of the brine at all times.
  4. Cover the container and keep it in a secure area of the fridge.
  5. Inspect the brisket daily to be sure it remains beneath the brine. You may turn it over every other day to ensure the brisket is being evenly cured.
  6. Brine for a minimum of 7 days. 10 is even better.

Ok, so, if you’ve “corned” your own brisket, wonderful. Regardless, our # 2 TIP gives you a bit of additional flavor AND color to both the brisket and to your resulting broth.

Once your brisket is cured, rinse off any brine, pat it dry, then add a bit of vegetable oil to a MEDIUM hot pan, or griddle, and sear it on both sides until lightly browned. Nice and slow now, not too hot and don’t let it get too browned.

Remove the brisket from the pan and then sauté a couple of white onions, 2 large carrots and 2 ribs of celery, all cut in 1” to 1 ½” pieces. While sauteing, throw in a few whole garlic cloves at the end. The vegetable should have just a bit of color.

You’re sautéing these vegetable to extract some of their sulfur in the onions (and garlic), which in turn will make the resulting broth a bit better.

So, what are the best ways to cook corned beef brisket?

Depending on the number of briskets you’re cooking and the equipment available to you, you have a number of options at this point.

  1. Sous Vide
  2. Slow Cooker / Crock Pot
  3. Braising (Covered in the Oven)
  4. Range Top Simmering (The Traditional Method)

For all of the above cooking choices, we recommend that you strain the original brine mixture, and save the resulting herbs and spices.

TIP # 3  Rather than using just water and a bit of the spices, to cook the brisket in, consider using ½ water and ½ low sodium beef broth or stock. Other options are apple cider and water.

TIP # 4 Sous Vide is considered to be, by far, the best method of cooking corned beef but unfortunately it has some drawbacks, the first being that you may not even HAVE a Sous Vide device, and even if you do, not one large enough to cook a good size brisket… or 2 or 3.

If you do however, we recommend cutting the briskets in half, placing each half in a sous vide bag, then adding 1 tablespoon of the pickling spice, half of the sauteed vegetables and approximately a cup of the water/broth mixture before vacuuming the bag.

Set your Sous Vide for 180 F and your timer for 10 hours. You should have a tender, succulent and juicy brisket you’ll absolutely love.

A second sous vide option is to simply rinse the brisket after fully brining, then vacuum sealing with no additional garnishment, vegetables, spices OR liquids in the bag.

For the remaining 3 cooking choices, the procedures are pretty much the same.

Place the seared brisket in the crock pot, the stove top pot or in a brasier, add the sauteed vegetables, a tablespoon or two of the pickling spice, then your liquids.

If you choose the crock pot and braising method, you only need enough liquid to barely cover. For the stove top method, you’ll want to have nearly double as it is (generally) uncovered.

Cooking times comparison:

Sous Vide:                        10 Hours at 180 F.

Crock Pot:                         8 hours on a LOW setting to 5 hours on a high setting.

Oven Braising:                 3 to 4 hours at 325 F.

Stove Top Simmering:     3 to 4 hours (simmering in liquids)

Once your corned beef briskets are fully cooked, remove them from the cooking broth and reserve until sliced. The broth itself can be strained and used as a jus or, used to cook the traditional  vegetable garnishes including cabbage, small potatoes, onions and carrots.

Lastly, our # 5 TIP is that you don’t need “Irish Luck” to successfully cook a delicious corned beef brisket dinner this St. Patrick’s Day.

And that’s no blarney.

02
Jan
Culinary Education, For Chefs, On Spices, Spice History, Uncategorized

The Spice Trade’s Big BANG! A Time Line of How it All Got Started.

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Scientists agree that our “species” of humans has been walking the earth for at least 100,000 years. And that civilization, as we know it, goes back at least 6 thousand years.

And, not so coincidentally, that’s just about the time of “The Big BANG!”

Of spices that is.

Before that big bang, trees were just trees, bushes just bushes, and no one had any clue, or interest, or knowledge, about just how valuable the bark, leaves, berries, flowers or roots of these plants really were.

Then, for whatever reason, BANG! Humans suddenly discovered their amazing virtues, and we’ve never looked back.

It hasn’t been an easy ride for that pepper to end up in your peppermill.

The spice trade has been part of life, and unfortunately, death.

It’s brought wealth to nations, and it has started wars.

To understand a little bit more about how we got from there to here, below is a snapshot of some of the more important and interesting sign posts along the spice trade path.

Important Dates and Events Along the Spicy Journey to Your Cupboard

When          Where                                          What

BC

5000               Middle East               Evidence of spices being used. Among the first are cinnamon,                                                                     cassia, cardamom, ginger, and turmeric.

4000               Asia/Middle East      The “Silk Road” becomes the most important trade route in the                                                                     world, connecting Asia and the Mediterranean spice Meccas.

3000               Egypt                          Spices used for embalming. Frankincense and myrrh are popular.

Frankincense resin in olive scoop

2000               Arabia                         Monopoly of the spice trade for 2000+ years.

1750               Mesopotamia             Clay tablets found with recipes using garlic, cumin, and coriander.

1000               Palestine                    Use of spices in anointing oil and incenses.

Incense holder with burning charcoal, incense resin, and myrrh

992                 Arabia                         Queen of Sheba brings spices to King Solomon.

500                 Greece                       Importance of spices in diet as a medicine.

200                 China                          Cloves imported from the Spice Islands.

AD

1st Century   Rome                          Extravagant use of spices and development of sea-trade with India,                                                              which lasted 3 centuries.

330                 Constantinople          Becomes a trading metropolis, Nutmeg and cloves brought to                                                                        Europe for the first time from Moluccan (Spice) Islands

500                 Arabia                        Controlled spice trade until the Middle Ages.

1100               Europe                       Crusades stimulated interest in spices.

1200               England                     Guild of Pepperers established; merged with the Spicers.

1250               Europe                       Spices regarded as aphrodisiacs.

1300               Italy                            Marco Polo’s book stimulates interest in Oriental spices.

1350               Europe                       Spices used as medicines & fumigants during The Black Death.

1350               Italy                           Venice and Genoa now begin to control the spice trade.

1400               England                     The Spicers’ Guild becomes the Grocer’s Company.

1450               Turkey                        Controls spices; forced other sea route discoveries.

1450               Spain                         Columbus finds spices in the Caribbean islands.

1500               Portugal                     Controls spice trade after Vasco da Gama sails to India.

1500               England                     It’s said that dockworkers now paid bonuses in cloves!

1500               Holland                      The Dutch and English East India Companies come on the scene                                                                and compete with Portugal for world spice trade dominance.

1521               Spain                          Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates the globe.

1525               Italy                            Venice’s spice wealth helps finance the Renaissance.

1550               England                     Drake circumnavigates globe; imports spices to England.

1600               Holland                      Gradually takes the Spice Islands from Portugal in an attempt to                                                                  monopolize spice trading.

1600               Spain                         Competes for spice trade.

1650               Holland                      Controls spice trade from East Indies.

1700               Ceylon                        Coffee trees planted; later, grown in Brazil.

1700                Europe                       Coffee, chocolate and tobacco favored over spices.

1750               Holland                      Destroys spices to try and create price increases.

1800               England                     Takes over the Spice Islands, briefly.

1800               America                     Pepper trade with East Indies makes millionaires in Salem, MA.

1850               Europe                       Spices decrease in significance a sugar becomes favored flavor.

1900               World                         Dietary fashions change; spices decrease in cost and importance.

 

Sources: UCLA History & Special Collections Library, CABI Digital Library (The Association of International Research and Development Centers for Agriculture).

 

Of course, nowadays you don’t have to form an army, or live a privileged life to afford or have your choice of the huge variety of herbs and spices available to you at the Red Goose Spice Company.

You don’t even have to own a ship; we’ll ship them to you!

Simply pick up the phone and give us a call.

02
Jan
Mediterranean Spice Blends, On Herbs, On Spices, Spice History

5 Amazing Spice Blends That Will Change the Way You Cook in 2023!

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Even Chefs get stuck in a seasoning rut once in a while.

We tend to fall in love with OUR favorite recipes.

The tried-and-true favorites we often call them.

And while our favorite recipes are great…you can’t go back to that well too many times without eventually creating a “stale” menu.

Even without realizing it.

The phrase “variety is the spice of life,” has never rang truer than when it comes to deciding what should be on your future menus, and when to consider “retiring” some “old favorites” to make room for some NEW favorites in 2023.

Yes, there will always be a few customers that will perhaps lament about losing a dish that they love, but consider the fact that they may also be one of the many customers that are desperately trying to get out of their time-share resorts.

First experiences can be magical, and for a while it’s THE “thing.” But sometimes, the magic just wears off.

People, whether they admit it or not, do like some variety.

With that said, we’d like to give you some “spicy” options that you may never have tried, to head you on a new course this year.

Five seasoning blends that just might change the way you cook in 2023.

Not surprisingly, most of these blends are from the ancient HOME of spice blends, namely the Middle East.

Even if your customers aren’t necessarily big into traditional Middle Eastern fare, don’t let that deter you. Most all of the spices that make up these blends are ones that your customers are VERY familiar with, including savory spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, fennel, and marjoram as well as sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.

Adding a bit of these unique spice blends to your current or future recipes can add an enormous range of interesting flavors in your culinary arsenal this year.

Dare to be bold.

Let’s start with…

Ras el Hanout

Most commonly found in the cuisine of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat, the capital of Morocco

Ras el Hanout translates from Arabic into English as “head of the house.” Meaning it’s the best and highest quality blend a seller has to offer.

Similar to curry powder, the recipe of herbs and spices that make Ras el Hanout, as well as their ratio to one another, can vary from shop to shop. You can however, expect to see the “usual suspects” such as: cardamom, black pepper, cumin, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, chili peppers, coriander, fenugreek, paprika, turmeric, and coriander seed to be in most all of the blends.

Safe to say, that unless you go to the trouble of making your own blend “in-house,” it’s best to find one to buy that you like and stick with it. Especially when you consider that many traditional recipes use more than 4 dozen herbs and spices in their recipes!

Of course, as you might expect, Red Goose has created a traditional blend what we think you will thoroughly enjoy.

Ras el Hanout is pretty much a 50/50 sweet and savory spice blend with a mild amount of heat, if any at all. Its complex flavor is typically used as a meat or a fish rub in specialty dishes.

Moroccan roasted root vegetables: parsnip and carrot with Ras el Hanout .

It’s also added to pasta or rice as a flavoring, and stews and meat casseroles cooked in a tagine.

Harissa Spice Blend

The main ingredient in Harissa is chiles, so it’s no wonder that this North African spice blend was created by this region after chiles were introduced there in the 14thcentury by spice traders.

Spicy hot, is probably the best way to describe Harissa.

You’ll often find it used as a condiment when it is pureed with olive oil and/or water. Considering its name derives from the Arabic term meaning “to crush, grind, or puree,” it’s quite often how this spice blend is used, as it creates a condiment similar to sriracha and Tabasco sauce.

The dry Harissa blend is also used as a meat rub (especially kabobs), and as a flavoring in stews, soups, vegetables, and rice dishes.

Its flavor is considered to be spicy, peppery and a bit smoky and its typical ingredients include more savory than sweet spices which include: chili peppers, coriander, paprika, red pepper, dehydrated garlic, salt, cinnamon, caraway and ginger.

Biryani Spice Blend

Biryani spice is named after the rice dish called biryani, developed by the Muslims of South Asia. This dish eventually spread throughout India, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Similar to how curry powder came into being, the blend, represented the usual combination of individual herbs and spices used to make Biryani, and if you buy the blend, it makes the final preparation much easier.

While the ingredients and their proportions vary from region to region, the most common ones are: fennel seeds, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint, ginger, dried onions, green chiles, star anise, allspice, and garlic.

As is true with curry powder, once again there are many spice blend recipes for Biryani, and they all differ according to their region and all with different pre-fix names as a result.

Indian Chicken Biryani served in a terracotta bowl with yogurt over white background. selective focus

For example:

Sindhi biryani, which is popular in Pakistan.

Hyderabadi biryani: This biryani is one of India’s most popular types of biryani.

Malabar biriyani: From the Indian state of Kerala.

Calcutta/Kolkata biryani, likewise from Calcutta

Ambur biryani: From the leather-tanning city in Tamil Nadu

Lucknowi biryani: Based on the Persian cooking style.

Mughlai biryani: With cheese curd, chicken, almond paste, ghee, dry fruits, and green chilies.

Zahtar Seasoning

More savory spiced than sweet spiced, Zahtar or Za’atar Seasoning (not to be confused with the herb za’atar, a wild, mint-related herb similar to oregano and marjoram), is a mainstay seasoning blend popular all over the Middle East.

Once again, and forgive me if you’ve heard this story before, its recipe varies from region to region adding or subtracting various herbs as spices to satisfy the tastes and traditions of the locals.

While the original recipe does call for the use of the za’atar herb, its not easy to find. So more often than not, the recipes use thyme, oregano, or marjoram as a substitute.

The other key components in Zahtar are sesame seeds and sumac while still others add: dill, savory, cumin, fennel, coriander, orange peel, caraway seed, cinnamon, allspice, hyssop, and even rose buds!

Being a more “savory” flavored seasoning, Zahtar can be used in so many ways, such as: a meat rub, in hummus, as a topping on crusted breads, and even in salads and salad dressings.

It is however, recommended that if using Zahtar seasoning in a cold dish recipe, that it first be “bloomed” by adding it to a heated oil to help release its full flavor potential before then adding it to the recipe.

Berbere Spice Blend

Translated to “pepper” or “hot,” you’ll love this 5th century Ethiopian spice blend used in its national dish Doro Wat, which is a spicy chicken stew, or, perhaps mixed with oil, mead, or red wine to make a condiment called awaze.

Made from key ingredients such as: red chili peppers, fenugreek, ginger, coriander, cardamom, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and some lesser-known spices grown in that region such as korarima, ajwain, and long pepper, its complex flavor is known as slightly spicy with warm notes of citrus.

The Ethiopian traditional, delicious Derek tibs meat dish

Berbere is also used as a meat rub, in braised casserole dishes, and when used as awaze, as a dipping condiment for breads.

Other honorable spice blends to try this year are: Tandoori Seasoning Blend, Herbs de Provence, Garam Masala, and Rosemary Rotisserie Marinade Seasoning

Of course, ALL of these seasoning blends are readily available at the Red Good Spice Company and we hope that you’ll take the opportunity to try one or all of these amazing seasoning blends as you create some of your NEW favorite dishes of 2023!

08
Nov
Culinary Education, Festivals, For Chefs, Mustard, New Customers, On Spices, Product News

Make Your OWN Prepared Mustard!

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Prepared mustard.

It’s in nearly every fridge or pantry in the modern world and used in, or on, thousands of dishes ranging from the classic and iconic, to today’s contemporary recipes.

The list is simply exhausting!

Salad dressings, sauces, deviled eggs, potato salad, beef, lamb, pork, seafood, and of course, on our beloved hot dogs.

Yet as ubiquitous as prepared mustard around the world, it’s a recipe rarely made in our homes, or, in professional kitchens?

Why is that?

Because it’s beyond simple to make.

Mustard surely gets enough love otherwise. In fact, there are numerous festivals all around the world extolling mustard’s culinary virtues.

From Napa Valley, California to Berlin, Germany, mustard festivals are held each year and feature famous dozens of contests.

Famous Chefs at these events offer demonstrations, and there are numerous opportunities to feast on fabulous dishes using mustard in every imaginable way.

How is prepared mustard made?

Let’s look at how a prepared mustard recipe is made. Maybe, along the way, you’ll discover that it’s something you’d really enjoy making in your kitchen.

“House” prepared mustard is a pretty impressive (and very simple) way to add a distinctive and artisanal flair to your menus.

The basic ingredients needed to make mustard can be as simple as mustard and a liquid. The method however, can done in one of 2 ways.

  • Soak the whole seeds in the liquid, then blend or grind the mustard seeds into a paste. Or,
  • Grind the seeds to the desired fineness BEFORE adding your liquids. The additional grinding afterwards isn’t necessary.

Chemistry in action.

There’s a lot of chemical stuff going on when you make mustard.

The “heat, or bite” that comes from prepared mustard is within the seeds, and then it reacts with the liquids. So, breaking the seeds open is a part of the process.

It’s already been done for you with powdered mustard but it’s something you must do if you’re also using whole seeds.

Spicy or mild?

Temperature “heat”, (even hot water) negates much of the chemical reaction that give you the “spicey heat” component in prepared mustards.

If you want a mustard with more of a “bite” you should use cold water.

Warm water also works, but gives you more of a “mild” mustard reaction and flavor.

Using water alone, generally only gives you a few days (or less) of great mustard flavor. This can, (and should) be “stabilized”, by adding an acid (such as vinegar, lemon juice or horseradish) and some salt.

It also gives you that traditional taste, that most people love and accept.

Which seeds?

Three seeds used to make mustards, they are: white, brown and black.

The white mustard plant, actually makes the mustard seeds that we call yellow, and they make a very pale-yellow powder, not the bright yellow you see in the bottle. They also make a rather mild mustard while, brown and black mustard, are a bit more “robust” in flavor.

The yellow “salad” mustard you see in your grocery store is typically made with the yellow seeds from the white mustard plant with turmeric spice added for color.

The ingredient statement on a bottle of Heinz mustard reads: DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, WATER, SALT, TURMERIC, NATURAL FLAVOR AND SPICES.

Brown mustard seeds are found in many premium prepared mustards including the popular Grey Poupon brand.

Black mustard seeds (called rai) are the most pungent and the least common seed to be found in American mustards but they are popular in Southern Indian cuisines.

Many people who enjoy making prepared mustards for their kitchen prefer to use at least 2 mustard seed varieties to create a more “complex” flavor.

A common combination is a hand or machine ground, brown seed, with a white (or yellow mustard powder added as a base).

Making your prepared mustard.

Since making a prepared mustard is rather easy, try making a batch using this recipe. We think you’ll agree that adding your own house-made mustard to your culinary repertoire might just plant the “seed” for many great recipe ideas.

We’ll use method number 2 with brown mustard seeds and yellow mustard powder.

Simple Prepared Mustard

Makes about 2 cups

½  cup brown mustard seeds

1  cup ground yellow mustard powder

1 tablespoon salt

2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)

2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar (optional)

1  cup cold water

¼ Cup + 1 tablespoon apple cider or white wine vinegar

  1. Grind the whole mustard seeds for a few seconds in a spice grinder, or by hand with a mortar and pestle. Leave the seeds only coarsely ground to give the final prepared mustard some whole seed identity.
  2. Add the ground seeds into a non-reactive (Stainless steel or glass) mixing bowl and add the salt and mustard powder. If you choose to add the turmeric and sweetener, add that as well.
  3. Pour in the water, then mix together well. When everything is incorporated, let this rest for at least 15 minutes, then add the vinegar.
  4. Pour into a glass or plastic container and store in the fridge.
  5. Your mustard will initially seem thin, but fear not, as the liquids are absorbed by the mustard, it will thicken up in a day’s time.

Perhaps the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the mustard to fully mature, which takes at least 2 days.

You’ll be tempted to taste it right away, even the next day, but fair warning, you’ll likely be disappointed because it will taste a bit bitter as the vinegar will just be beginning its to do its transformational “mellowing”.

Having said that, if it’s your first go at it, give it a try right away, and then a few days later. You’ll definitely notice the difference!

Once you’ve made your first batch, you may want to make some tweaks to suit your own personal tastes, or to fit a particular menu item you’ve created.

Among the things you can “experiment with” are:
  • Changing the mustard seeds to powder ratio.
  • Using beer or white wine as all or part of the water
  • Changing the sweetener
  • Adding some “heat”…chopped chiles or horseradish.
  • Adding chopped herbs (tarragon is a very popular option)

Your finished mustard, if stored properly under refrigeration, can last up to a year. Even longer if you process it as you would any canning technique.

Of course, you’ll want to use a great source for your mustard seeds which is why so many Chefs buy their mustard seeds from the Red Goose Spice Company.

If your goal is to eventually make larger batches of mustard, we sell our mustard seeds in any size quantity that suits your seed needs.Prepared 

08
Nov
Culinary Education, For Chefs, Honey

Braising vs. Stewing, What’s the Difference?

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Call it stew or call it a pot roast, either way, the method used to cook this delicious entrée is called braising.

This simple cooking method has been around for centuries and has been adapted by many cultures to prepare some of their signature dishes such as; Beef Burgundy / Bourguignonne in France, Irish Stew, Carne Guisada in Spain and the Caribbean, and Birria in Mexico, just to name a few.

One thing that they all have in common, is that it uses “less tender” cuts of meat and “tenderizes” them by cooking with long, slow moist heat.

Often, a broth and vegetables are added for additional color, flavor and texture.

The distinction between a stew and pot roast is pretty blurred.

About the only “real” differences between these 2 dishes are that a stew uses smaller pieces of meat (usually 1 to 2 inches) versus a pot roast which uses a larger, 1 to 3 pound (or more) whole piece of meat.

The other difference is that stews generally use quite a bit more liquid, resulting in a finished dish that’s pretty much a hearty soup.

Whichever variation you prefer, the basic outcome is that this long, slow, moist cooking method slowly breaks down the connective tissues and collagen in the meat, resulting not only in a tender dish, but a delicious broth which you can thicken at the end.

A poor man’s meal? Not at all.

While stews and pot roasts were often thought of as a “working class” meal, this cooking method has recently been resurrected by some of the world’s most famous Chefs and versions of it have appeared on their very expensive menus to rave reviews.

Braising basics.

Braising is easy, but the success of its outcome is dependent on a few important things, the most important being the cut of meat you start with.

The most commonly braised meats are beef and veal. And the most popular cuts come from the Chuck, Bottom Round, Brisket, Flank, Short Ribs and Shank (Veal).

Vintage poster with a cow and its butchering scheme for restaurant or menu

Many people are surprised that the worst cuts of meat for braising are actually the most expensive and tender ones.

Cuts such as the rib, loin & tenderloin are very poor choices for braising.

Why?

First of all, they’re already tender so there is no reason to braise them.

Second, their muscle fiber is so fine, braising would only turn them into a shredded “beef spaghetti”.

Lastly, quite honestly, the less tender cuts have more flavor.

One of THE most popular cuts of beef for braising is short ribs. Ones that are both meaty and well marbled with evenly specs of fat throughout the meat.

There are so many recipes used in braising that we could go on forever with recipes that use wine, beer, sake, cider, tomato puree and fruit juices such as pineapple and cherry.

They’re all excellent in their own right.

Today, we’d like to share with you a braised beef recipe that’s one of our favorites.

You may like it SO much that you’ll be tempted to make a large batch of this recipe and freeze (yes freeze) portions of the braised beef, together with some of the sauce, so I can enjoy it more often.

What makes memorable short ribs?

Here’s are some criteria:

  1. Choose the right ribs. Meaty but with great specks of fat marbling throughout. Not too fatty, not too much bone.
  2. Ideally cut about 2” thick.
  3. Seared in hot oil on all sides until well caramelized to develop good color and flavor.
  4. Cooked in a VERY flavorful liquids, whether stock, wine or other. More about that later.
  5. Cooked VERY slowly (basically poached) over a long period of time (3 hours minimum) until the meat is falling off the bone tender, but not entirely “bleached” of all of its fat and natural beef flavor.
  6. Served with a sauce (made from the cooking liquid) that’s not too thick and seasoned just ever so slightly. It should be medium-dark in color, and almost “sticky” to the lips coming from the gelatin that’s naturally in the rib bones. And lastly, so savory, that you’ll enjoy it as much as the ribs themselves.

If you follow these basic guidelines, it will result in ribs that are neither dry, stringy or chewy.

Contrary to the usual rule of thumb that less tender cuts of meat are less expensive, pound per pound, short ribs (once braised and removed from the bone), are actually more expensive to make than beef tenderloin.

That alone will definitely change your notion of short ribs being a poor man’s meal!

Have we got a GREAT braising recipe for you!

Before you make this recipe, keep in mind that you really should have a heavy-gauged saucepot to sear, then to cook your beef ribs in.

It should also have a rather tight-fitting lid.

Second, while you CAN use a pressure cooker to shorten the cooking time, we prefer the longer, slower cooking method of braising in a covered pot, not a pressure cooker. This will develop more flavors in the sauce, and maintain the integrity of the meat shapes.

For the recipe below, here are a few additional tips:

  • Purchase a low-sodium soy sauce if possible.
  • Kitchen Basics brand beef stock works well.
  • Cut your veggies into large 1” pieces. Cutting them smaller will allow too much vegetable flavor into the sauce.
  • Any honey will do.

Soy & Honey Braised Short Ribs

Serves 3 to 4 persons

4 pounds  beef short ribs

2 tablespoons  vegetable oil

1 cup  white onion, cut 1” dice

½ cup  carrot, cut 1” dice

½ cup  celery, cut 1″ dice

1 each  garlic clove, chopped

1 ½ cups strong beef broth / stock

¼ cup  honey

½ cup  soy sauce, low sodium

2 tablespoons. Kitchen Bouquet® liquid seasoning (optional)

Pinch  dry oregano, crushed

Pinch  dry basil

To taste  salt and pepper

1 cup  rutabaga, cut in 1” pieces

1 cup  carrots, cut in 1” pieces

1 cup  red skin potatoes, cut in 1” pieces

As desired        Roux (cook together over medium heat approximately 3 to 5 minutes) 3 tablespoons of  butter with 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pot, then sear the short ribs on all sides on medium high heat, until well browned. After each rib is browned, remove them from the pot and reserve them temporarily on a plate nearby.
  2. In that same sauce pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery and garlic for a few moments to soften, then add the reserved beef ribs back to the pot.
  3. Pour the beef stock, honey and soy sauce over the beef and vegetables.
  4. Add Kitchen Bouquet® (optional) and seasonings to the liquids and cover the pan tightly with a lid.
  5. Cook in a 300 F oven (covered) for three hours or until the largest piece of meat is fork tender, being careful NOT to break apart the meat pieces.
  6. Carefully remove meat from the cooking liquids then gently trim the meat away from the rib bones and place all the meat pieces in deep-sided service dish. Cover and keep warm.
  7. Strain the resulting cooking liquids back into the saucepot and add the second set of vegetables including the potatoes. Cover and simmer until those vegetables are tender, (approximately 20 to 30 minutes).
  8. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and add them to the reserved beef rib meat in the casserole dish.
  9. Skim off ALL the resulting fat from the surface of the remaining liquid and whisk in the prepared roux a little at a time, until the liquid is JUST thickened slightly.
  10. Strain sauce once more. Adjust the sauce’s seasonings with salt and pepper and ladle the sauce over the meat and vegetables in your casserole dish.
  11. Reserve additional sauce for those who would like more sauce.
  12. *Additionally, if you love mushrooms, sear large diced white mushrooms and serve over the ribs or stir them into the sauce.
03
Oct
Culinary Education, Festivals, For Chefs, On Spices

White Bean Chicken Chili

Posted on by Dan Lowry

For nearly everyone, when you think of chili, you think of a mahogany red colored stew of beef (and perhaps beans), with both savory and sweet spices.

It can be delicately spiced and very approachable, or it just might burn the leather off the soles of your shoes…, just because.

Whether mild or blistering hot, almost everyone agrees, it’s all about the beef, the tomatoes and the spices.

Chicken? Wait a minute…did you just say chicken?

If orange, is the new black.

Chicken (or turkey), is the new beef.

At least when it comes to chili.

How and when chicken chili came about is certainly a guess but it those extolling the virtues of poultry as a substitute for red meat certainly pushed its popularity to an all-time high in the past decade.

Most everyone agrees that our modern-day Chili Con Carne,  is an American adaptation of a similar Mexican, Canary Island or Moroccan dishes going back hundreds of years.

Being the melting pot that it is, Texans, more specifically San Antonians gradually assimilated these multiple culinary influences within what was their simple peasant style stew of hashed beef and peppers and, over time, turned a local stew, into a nationally renowned, destination worthy dish.

Known locally as a “bowl of red”, it was even the featured dish at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 at the San Antonio Chili Stand and then eventually made the official state food of Texas in 1977.

Beans.

If you think the subject of using chicken instead of red meat in chili might be sacrilegious to the chili purists, just bring up the subject of beans.

It’s not a matter of which beans or what proportion to meat, it’s a matter of no beans.

No, no, no and #@!*%#! no.

Chili today.

Purists aside, the real “power” behind chili is The International Chili Society, (ICS) which holds the World Championship Chili Cook-off.

It was formed in 1967 and divides the chili competitions into the following categories:

  • Traditional Red
  • Chili Verde
  • Homestyle Chili
  • Veggie Chili

And you might be interested to know that not only does the Homestyle Chili allow the use of ANY meat (you go CHICKEN!) but the recipes MUST have beans in them!

And, well, that’s a good thing because the International Chili Society’s World Cook-Off’s presenting sponsor, is none other than….

Wait for it…..

Bush’s Best beans….

If you’d like more information about the International Chili Society or any of its upcoming competitions, hit the following link with your wooden spoon…

https://chilicookoff.com/

And, as promised, here is the Red Goose recipe for our delicious White Bean Chicken Chili

Makes about 3 quarts.

12 oz  boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 links  chicken Italian sausage

½ stick butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno

½ cup  chopped white onion

1 pound  ground chicken meat

½ cup  diced red bell pepper

¼ cup  chopped green onion

¾ cup  diced (seeded) Roma tomato

½ cup   cut corn

2 cups  Northern beans, drained

3 cups  strong chicken stock

2 tablespoons ground cumin

¼ cup  dark chili powder

to taste  ground black pepper and salt

Optional garnish: sour cream, green onions, red bell pepper and fresh jalapeno

  1. Begin my grilling both the 12 ounces of chicken breast and 2 links of chicken Italian sausage, then finish cooking them to 165 F in a 350 F oven. Cool and dice into ½” pieces.
  2. In a small saucepan, cook together the butter and flour over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, making a roux. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for later use.
  3. In a medium-large sauce pot, sauté the onions, garlic and jalapeno with vegetable oil, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add the ground chicken and cook until opaque and fully done.
  5. Add the red bell pepper, green onions and Roma tomato, cut corn, Northern beans, diced grilled chicken and cut chicken Italian sausage. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the chicken stock and the roux and stir together well until it reaches a simmer. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
  7. Add the cumin, chili powder, ground pepper and salt to taste. Simmer slowly an additional 20 minutes.
  8. Serve with sour cream, green onions, slivers of red bell pepper and a thin slice of fresh jalapeno.
18
Sep
Festivals, For Chefs, Mustard, Mustard Seeds. Oktoberfest, On Spices, Product News, Uncategorized

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels with Everything Topping

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Long since known for its blast on bagels, Red Goose Everything seasoning is a fabulous topping on Soft Pretzels!

Enjoy these delicious pretzels with mustard or just warm, fresh out of the oven, all on their own.

Red Goose Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels with Everything Topping 

Makes 6 – 5 ounce Pretzel Sticks

2 lbs.                 Frozen Bread or Pizza Dough (Any Brand)

3/4 Cup             Baking Soda

2 Qts.                Water

½ Cup               Red Goose Everything Seasoning

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Thaw frozen bread dough in the refrigerator overnight or until completely soft and pliable.
  3. Place the water in a non-reactive saucepan or metal casserole dish of at least 2” of depth and 9” to 10” in diameter then stir in the baking soda until it dissolves. Place the solution over medium low heat until it JUST simmers.
  4. Portion the dough into 6 equal pieces approximately 5 + ounces each.
  5. Roll out each portion of dough into an 8″ long, thick stick. Repeat for the remaining pieces.
  6. Let the sticks rest 5 minutes.
  7. Place the dough sticks in the gently simmering baking water and poach on both sides approximately 2 to 3 minutes rolling over the sticks as they “poach”.
  8. Remove the sticks with a slotted spatula and place on a non-stick baking pan (approximately 2″ apart from one another). You may also want to spray this pan lightly with a non-stick vegetable spray.
  9. While the dough sticks are still moist and VERY sticky, sprinkle evenly, and heavily, with the EVERYTHING SEASONING so that it will stick to the dough.
  10. Before baking, slash each dough stick with a sharp knife with diagonal cuts approximately 1/4″ deep and 1″ to 2″ apart. Bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until the “Pretzel Loaves” are medium brown and baked through.
  11. Serve plain or with your favorite mustard.

 

24
Aug
Culinary Education, For Chefs, New Customers, On Spices, Spice History, Tahini, Uncategorized

Sesame, From Tahini to the Arabian Nights

Posted on by Dan Lowry

For a lot of Chefs, their first encounter with sesame seeds probably came with a “jingle” that went: “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a…”

And you know the rest.

https://youtu.be/jSmAibfvCeU

Big burger and chips on the table

Of course, later in life, you learn that the LEAST of what sesame seeds can offer to the culinary world…

Is a topping on a bun.

But the fact remains that at one time, the vast majority of the sesame seed crop of Mexico went directly to McDonalds for toppings on their famous hamburger buns.

You still see sesame seeds on some bakery products in the United States but our country is nowhere near the leading importer of sesame seeds, nor its uses.

Sesameis a flowering plant grown in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods.

Sesame is thought to be the oldest oil-seed crop known to humanity and has one of the highest oil contents of any see and world production of sesame seeds in 2018 was 6 million metric tons.

Golden sesame

Interestingly, the top exporters of sesame seeds are India, Burma, Sudan Tanzania, China and Pakistan and India.

The top importers of sesame seeds are China, Turkey, Japan, South Korea and Israel.

From a nutrition perspective, eating sesame seeds have many “potential” health benefits and was once thought to have mystical powers, as first mentioned in the command “Open sesame!,” used in the Arabian Nights tale of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.”

Albeit a poorly remembrance of the actual command, which was, “open says me”, (which opened the secret cave’s entrance), “Open Sesame!” made its way into common expression anyway.

Many studies have extolled sesame seeds virtues since, due to the numerous vitamins and minerals they contain. The health benefits of sesame seeds seem almost endless. A few highlights include claims such as reducing your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, bone health, type 2 diabetes, and the list goes on.

Unfortunately, other studies say that you REALLY love sesame seeds in order to see any significant results from eating sesame seeds.

Like handfuls a day.

With a rich, nutty flavor, it’s no wonder that sesame seeds are used as garnishment and in foods all over the world.

From toppings on breads to thickeners in soups and savory dishes, sweets and coffee-like drinks with exotic names like: ”Benne”, Wangila, Chikki, Halvah, Goma-Dofuand and in Za’atar, there’s no shortage of recipes and spice blends that use this diverse seed.

But perhaps the most well-known food product that uses sesame seeds is Tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds and a key ingredient in the classic dip, Hummus.

Hummus, the Turkish word for mashed chick pea, is one of the oldest (prepared) foods, dating back to ancient Egypt.

There was time, that if you loved hummus, you’d probably only find it in a local specialty store, or hidden somewhere in the back aisles of one of the more popular national chains.

Today, it’s one of THE most popular dips in America.

You can of course buy Tahini to make your hummus but it’s SO easy to make and tastes infinitely better so why not make it yourself.

The recipe is below but you can watch it being made right here!

Tahini

Makes 3 Cups

1 Cup                        Sesame Seeds

¼ to 1/3 Cup             Olive Oil

  1. Place the sesame seeds (by themselves), in a frying pan or skillet on medium low heat, stirring often until the sesame seeds begin to lightly color and give off a toasty aroma.
  2. Remove the seeds from the heat and fully cool.
  3. Place the seeds in a food processor and blend until a paste is created.
  4. Add the olive oil in 2 or 3 stages, scraping down between each addition.
  5. Blend until the desired smoothness is achieved.

Classic Hummus

Makes 3+ Cups

2 – 16 oz Cans                  Canned Chick Peas

1 to 2 teaspoons                Garlic, Fresh, Chopped

1/3 Cup                              Tahini Paste

½                                        Lemon, Freshly Squeezed Juice

3 TBSP                               Olive Oil

1/3 Cup                              Cold Water (Or More as Needed)

1 tsp                                   Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt)

1/4 tsp                                Hot Sauce (Tabasco or Other)

  1. Drain off all liquids from the canned chick peas and rinse well with cold water to remove all of the canned juices.
  2. Add chick peas to a food processor using an “s” blade attachment.
  3. Add the fresh garlic, tahini paste, lemon juice and olive oil.
  4. Blend on medium then high speed 1 to 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You want to make this paste rather smooth before adding the water.
  5. Begin adding the cold water in 2 to 3 steps, blending each time and scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. The resulting hummus should be smooth and creamy looking and easily hold its shape when mounded.
  6. When you feel you have the consistency you want, add the salt and hot sauce and blend one last time for 15 to 30 seconds.

To the recipe above, once finished, you can blend in, OR add other ingredients, as toppings. These are a few of our favorites.

13
Aug
Culinary Education, For Chefs, On Herbs, Product News, Spice History, Uncategorized

Tarragon, Bearnaise and Beyond…

Posted on by Dan Lowry

If there was a Mount Rushmore of herbs, tarragon would certainly be a strong contender.

Its glossy, slender leaves and highly aromatic, licorice/anise-like flavor, (with a bit of peppery, mint finish), is unmistakable in any dish it’s used in.

And for good reason.

Tarragon is one of the key components of the French herbs mixture known as “Fines Herbes”, which “classically”, consists of: tarragon, chervil, parsley and chives.

Some say that tarragon provides an elegant addition to so many recipes, from salads, almost ANY protein, and numerous soups and sauces as well.

Others say that it’s licorice flavor makes it a “love it, or hate it” herb. Much in the same way that some people feel about cilantro.

But make no mistake, this herb is a star among the many who know that tarragon is an essential herb in any kitchen.

The most common tarragon used in cooking is the French variety, which pairs brilliantly with chicken, fish, and in egg dishes.

With the addition of garlic and shallots, it’s also remarkable in compound butter used as a garnish over char-grilled beef steaks.

Additional varieties of tarragon include Spanish/Mexican and Russian.

But perhaps the MOST widely known use for tarragon is in the classic sauce, Bearnaise, which is a derivative of Hollandaise sauce. It’s often used not just once, but 3 times within the recipe. First as tarragon vinegar, the second, as part of the tarragon reduction, and lastly as a chopped garnish.

Each form of tarragon, introduces its own unique contribution of flavors which meld together so completely in the final sauce.

The French love this classic herb, but it’s also popular in other countries around the world, and used in salads, stews, soups, pickles, pastries and even soft drinks!

It’s also an herb which can be used in the same dish both dry and fresh as BOTH uses take on their own unique flavor properties and truly complement each other in the recipe. Such as is the case with sauce Bearnaise.

Dry VS Fresh

Tarragon’s oils intensify during the drying process.

When using dry tarragon versus fresh chopped tarragon in a recipe, the usual substitution ratio is 1 tsp dry to equal 1 tablespoon of fresh.

When you mention the word, “tarragon” nearly anyone would immediately associate it with “Sauce Bearnaise” and for that reason, it’s a good recipe to share with you here.

Bearnaise is one of 5 “Grand Sauces” that all chefs and devoted cooks learn to make early on. It’s also one, that non-professionals are told is just too difficult to even attempt.

Hollandaise sauce is made from only 4 basic ingredients, but it’s the 2 main ingredients (egg yolks and butter) that can give you real headaches if you don’t to pay attention to what you’re doing.

Here’s how you avoid the headaches, and to show you, we’ll make an average-sized recipe of Bearnaise sauce.

Start by making the tarragon Bearnaise reduction which you will add to the Hollandaise sauce once it is finished.

Set this reduction aside, THEN begin your Hollandaise sauce.

Bearnaise Reduction for Hollandaise Sauce

2 TBSP                      Dried Tarragon Leaves

1 TBSP                      Chopped Fresh Shallots

¼ Cup                        Cider or Tarragon Vinegar

¼ Cup                        White Wine (nothing too sweet)

¼ tsp                          Cracked Black Pepper

  1. Simmer these ingredients together in a small saucepan until reduced to a wet paste. Be careful not to burn it!
  2. Set it aside and NOW begin your Hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce

Makes about 1 Cup

  1. Before you begin to cook your egg yolks, in a microwave on the defrost setting, melt 1 ½ sticks of butter until the fat separates, and then skim off that clarified butter and reserve.
  2. Squeeze the juice from a half lemon and reserve.
  3. Choosing the right bowl and saucepan to make your hollandaise is super important. You want about a small-to-medium-sized saucepan and a mixing bowl that nests within the saucepan, leaving at least an inch of space from the bottom and an inch or so lip at the top. This way, you can easily lift the bowl in and out of the pan as you cook your yolks.
  4. Put only a half inch of water in your saucepan and bring it to a simmer. You should have a space between the bottom of your mixing bowl and the water, and that will mean your egg mixture will be cooking gently over the steam and not directly on the water.
  5. Place 2 egg yolks in your mixing bowl, and for each yolk, a half egg shell of water–in this case 2 half egg shells worth.
  6. This step will help you to cook your egg yolks into a “pudding.” Place the bowl over the simmering water, and using a whisk, beat the egg yolk mixture on and off the steam heat (about 15 seconds each round). This method will take a bit longer to turn this raw mixture into a thickened egg pudding, but it will also prevent your mixture from cooking too fast and turning into scrambled eggs.
  7. When the egg mixture is sufficiently cooked, the whisk will create tracks in the mixture. This will let you know it’s time for the next step.
  8. Remove the water from the saucepan and lay a damp kitchen towel or paper towel over its mouth. Replace your bowl and nest it in snugly. This neat trick will allow you to do the next step more easily.
  9. This step gets everyone in trouble now, but if you just take your time, there’s NO reason you should ever have a problem. You’re going to make an emulsion here by SLOWLY–and the key word is SLOWLY–adding the clarified butter to the cooked egg “pudding.” That means whisking somewhat briskly while adding the clarified butter in very small amounts, especially at first.
  10. Start by drizzling in less than a tablespoon; don’t dump it in all at once. Drizzle it in a thin stream. Once that is incorporated, add another, the same way.
  11. After the 3rd tablespoon, you’ll notice the mixture is getting thicker. Now is when you begin to whisk in a bit of your squeezed lemon juice–about a teaspoon. Continue alternating butter and lemon juice until they’re both used up.
  12. The hard part is over, now all you have to do is add the tarragon mixture you made earlier. Whisk it in briskly and season with a pinch of salt if you like.

Of course, tarragon is one of THE most popular herbs sold at the Red Goose Spice Company. We stock the French variety and is available in any size container or bulk box you prefer.

07
Aug
Company News, For Brokers & Distributors, For Chefs, New Customers, On Spices, Product News

Red Goose Welcomes Cattleman’s Meats as Another Valued Customer

Posted on by Dan Lowry

Having great partners in the business world is not only a blessing, but an affirmation that you’re doing something right.

At the Red Goose Spice Company, one of our missions is to partner with Chef’s, restauranteurs, clubs, hotels, and major food service corporations throughout the United States to provide them with the seasonings they count on to provide the high-quality dishes on their menus.

Not JUST containers of oregano, granulated garlic, or paprika, but custom blended seasonings, rubs, flours and mixes as well.

All destined to be used throughout their facility, in many different ways, to produce innumerous products they prepare for their customers.

Chefs who work in the ever-growing Gourmet Grocery Retail sector of the food service business, not only see products from The Red Goose Spice Company in their kitchens, but on their grocery store shelves as well.

Both Red Goose and Savvy Goose provide retail packaged products to give the “every day” cook at home “Chef”, the opportunity to use the same seasonings that the “pros” use.

Two examples located in the Southeast, Detroit are the four Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace stores and more recently, Cattleman’s Meats, located in Centerline and Taylor, Michigan.

In both cases, the retail products produced by Savvy Goose are under the Savvy Goose brand, while all the traditional herbs, spices and blends uses for everyday cooking are produced and co-packed by Red Goose under the Salvaggio and Cattleman’s brand labels respectively.

Both markets also take advantage of Red Goose’s ability to create proprietary blends which are only offered at their locations.

Executive Chef Michael Key’s, at Cattleman’s Meats not only oversees all of the cold prepared foods offered in both full and packaged self-service, but full-service hot foods counter, an a la carte café menu, as well as their tremendously popular smokehouse and barbecue offerings sold at the store.

Beyond using the Red Goose brand herbs and spices for all of his recipes, Chef Key’s also worked with Red Goose to create a proprietary seasoning flour for his fried chicken, as well as his rubs for his smokehouse products.

Considering the many ways Red Goose and Savvy Goose can provide solutions to all your kitchen’s seasoning and coating requirements, both are excellent choices to consider as partners in your food service or retail grocery business.