It is the time of year to fire up the grill and BBQ. Bottled sauces can be good, but putting your own spin on sauce can raise the bar for your grilling experience.
Turning up the heat
The heat level in your sauce will be determined by the heat level of your peppers; how many types of chiles you use; how many other spice aromatics you use; and the other added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, citrus, vinegar or mayonnaise.
A higher fat content can ease the heat or cause it to linger in different ways. Some sauces show up with a bite at the front of your tongue, some hit as you swallow and some warm your whole mouth. Remember heat is cumulative! What seems not bad the first bite may seem atomic later! Actual physical temperature also makes a difference. My young always ask, is this temperature spicy or does it taste spicy? If you are eating hot food and the temperature is hot you will get twice the burn.
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Everyone has their own way to cool off a hot bite. Some of the ways people set it off are dairy in the form of milk, yogurt, ice cream, lassi, or kefir. Some prefer a little beer to soothe the sting. Some swear by lemon juice or a piece of bread, and some just go for ice. Whichever process you choose, understand that time is the real healer.
Haute tip
Working with chiles can cause burning of the eyes and nose before you even taste them, and even induce coughing. If you leave in the seeds or pith of a chile the result will be a hotter sauce. Avoid touching your face when eating or working with chiles. Understand that washing your hands may not be enough to remove the oils. Rinse with vinegar, lemon or even milk. Wear gloves to protect yourself.
Alabama Jerk
Alabama White Sauce was created by Robert Gibson at Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. At Big Bob's BBQ joint, they dunk smoked chicken into vats of the sauce before serving.
Jerk cooking is native to Jamaica. It is a cooking method where meat is either marinated or dry-rubbed with a mixture of seasonings and ingredients referred to as Jamaican Jerk Spice. Jamaican jerk sauce is integral to authentic Jamaican jerk food so much so that the Jamaican government wants to copyright the term "Jamaican Jerk." They say that "just as Mexico is known for its tequila, and France for Champagne, Jamaican jerk is protected internationally from misrepresentation."
Because I am always looking to make things Mo'Betta, I decided that I would riff on two favorites to bring a new kind of heat.
Ingredients
Jerk Sauce
- 4-6 Scotch Bonnet peppers, chopped
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 stalks scallions, ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup vinegar (use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, to your preference)
- Juice from half a lime (about 1/4 cup lime juice)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or use fresh, if available)
- Salt and pepper to taste (I usually use 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Or use purchased jarred jerk sauce or spice blend.
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Instructions
1. Puree all ingredients except mayo until smooth.
2. Cook down until caramelized.
3. Fold half of the sauce into the cup of mayo for Alabama Jerk and serve with meat.
4. Save remaining jerk for another recipe.
Pineapple Ginger Tongue Twister
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
- 1/2 onion minced fine
- 2-4 cloves minced garlic.
- 1 habanero or scotch bonnet chile
- 24 ounces pureed fresh pineapple or half can frozen pineapple concentrate
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
1. Finely mince chiles, garlic, and onion.
2. Sautée in olive oil until most of the liquid is removed.
3. Add pineapple, sesame oil and ginger concentrate, bring to a simmer.
4. Add brown sugar and coriander. Taste and adjust to taste.
Elote Style Salad
Mexican street corn on the cob is delicious but a bit messy. When corn is in season, grilling ahead and freezing for a cool salad makes cool salad prep easy. However, if you can't prepare ahead, cooking time is minimal. This salad cuts down on the spills while adding a plant based protein to create a complete meal.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups corn (one corn cob averages 3/4 of a cup of kernels)
- One sliced yellow onion
- 1 sliced red pepper
- 1 sliced green pepper
- 16 ounces black beans
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup scallions including the green
- 8 ounces queso fresco cheese (pregnant or immune challenged people can substitute with harder white cheese)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup lime or orange juice
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1-2 tsps chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp tajin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic
For the salad:
1. Shuck corn and grill on the cob either over coals or on a stove top indoor grill pan for 15 minutes. You just want some caramelization with little to no char. You can use frozen corn as a substitute.
2. Remove the pith and seeds from the jalapeno, wrap in foil and grill at the same time.
3. Remove corn and set aside to cool before cutting from the cob.
4. In a large bowl, combine the following: Rinse and drain black beans. Wash and halve cherry tomatoes. Cut scallions into 1/2 inch dice.
5. Remove corn from the cob and add to bowl.
6. Sprinkle with salt. Chiffonade cilantro for garnish.
For the dressing:
1. Whisk lime juice and spices into mayonnaise and sour cream.
2. Microplane two cloves of garlic and whisk in as well.
3. Coat ingredients with dressing to taste. Add crumbled cheese. You can plate on top of spring mix and serve with additional cheese, dressing and cilantro on the side.
The protein profile for this salad can be raised with pre-cooked chicken, shrimp or pork.
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Pineapple Salad
(Pictured, top)
Sometimes with heavier grilled options, you just want to keep it cool and light. This is a Mo'Betta take on a summer salad. Feel free to get creative and try other combinations with this dressing.
Ingredients
For salad:
- 1 medium red onion sliced thin
- 1 whole cucumber large diced (hothouse or regular, peeled and seeded as preferred)
- 1 pineapple cubed
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 bunch basil
For dressing:
- 1 tbsp olive oil to
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup agave or honey
- 1 to 2 tsp tajin (add more if you like the taste)
Instructions
Toss the veggies and fruit gently with the dressing and chill for one hour before serving.