Sauce Piquant

Back in the early days and still holds true today the Cajun people were  hearty people accustomed to roughing it.  Their meals more than likely came out of one pot, one dish which combined all of the natural ingredients of South Louisiana; fish, rice, pungent spices, shellfish and abundant vegetables.  jambalaya, gumbo, sauce piquante, and crawfish etouffee’ are all delicacies of Cajun one-pot meals. 

I thought I would share a one pot meal recipe. Sauce Piquant is a dish that uses a darker roux (cooks longer), this is a spicier dish, the name "Piquant" meaning hot.

In Cajun Country it is no telling what you will find in a pot of sauce piquant, Shrimp, Crawfish, chicken, Catfish and yes Alligator but one thing for sure it will be some kind of good.

 Alligator Sauce Piquant
Ingredients:
3 pounds alligator, cut into 1-inch cubes (I recommend using the tail meat because it is lighter in color and more tender)
1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 cups flour
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced bell peppers
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 (10-ounce) cans ROTEL tomatoes
3 quarts water or beef stock
JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning, salt and cracked black pepper to taste
JAC's Tailgaters Cajun Garlic Essences  hot sauce to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup sliced green onions
Method:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until a dark brown roux is achieved.
Add alligator and saute 10 minutes or until well browned.
Stir in onions, celery, bell peppers and minced garlic and saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.
Stir in tomatoes and water or stock. Blend well then season to taste with JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Bring mixture to a rolling boil then reduce heat to medium. Simmer 2 hours or until meat is tender, adding water to retain volume if necessary.
Add parsley and green onions and adjust seasonings to taste using salt, pepper and JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning. Serve hot over cooked white rice.

note if you can get Alligator where you live fell free to use shrimp, chicken heck what ever meat you can get will work. 
 
 

Ham and Turkey Hash

Oh yeah here in bayou country nothing goes to waste especially Thanksgiving leftovers. This recipe is so good everytime we make it I cant seem to get pictures because all I want to do is eat it. 

Ingredients:

3 cups of diced turkey
3 cups of diced ham
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup flour
2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 TBS minced garlic
2 quarts of chicken stock
2 TBS chopped basil
1 TBS chopped thyme
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Season with JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Cajun Seasoning to taste.
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 package of puff pastry shells, baked according to package directions.

Method:

In a cast iron dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. wisk in flour, stirring constantly until a light brown roux is acheived. Saute onions.clery,bell peppers and garlic in roux for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Blend in meats and mix well. Add hot stock 1 ladle at a time, to reach a stew like consistency. Stir in basil and thyme. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes. Add potatoes,carrots, green onions and parsley. Return to simmer and season with JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add more stock if necessary to retain stew like consistency. To serve, spoon in pastry shells.

Leftover Turkey Gumbo

Here in Louisina, chicken and sausage gumbo is one of the most popular dishes.  In this recipe, we will substitute leftover turkey for the chicken.  I promise this is far better than that tired, old turkey sandwich that you've eaten for the past two days.











Ingredients:
 2 pounds of leftover turkey  (remember you can use chicken too)
 1 pound smoked sausage
 1 cup of oil
 1 1/2 cups of flour
 2 cups diced onions
 2 cups diced celery
 1 cup bell pepper
 1/4 cup minced garlic
 3 quarts chicken stock
 2 cups of sliced green onions
 1 bay leaf
 1 sprig of thyme
 1 TBS chopped basil
 1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
  JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning to taste.
 1/2 cup chopped parsley
 cooked white rice

Method:
Cut Turkey into 1/2 inch bite size pieces.
Cut smoked sausage up into 1/2  slices and set aside.  In a 2 gallon stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until golden brown roux is achieved. Stir in onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic.  Saute 3 - 5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.  Add sausage to vegetables and saute about 15 minutes. Add chicken stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer, and cook approximately 30 minutes.  Add turkey and continue simmering for 30 more minutes. Skim away any oil or fat that rises to the top of pot. Stir in green onions, thyme, bayleaf, basil, worcestershire sauce; season with  JAC's Tailgaters Fling On Seasoning to taste.  Cook additional 1-2 hours if necessary until turkey starts falling apart. Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning. Serve over hot white rice.    

Chile and Cheese Flautas

In honor of the Hatch Chile harvest I thought I would post a green Chile recipe just to get your mouth watering.

• 16 small flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup canned green chiles (or roasted, peeled and seeded green chiles coarsely chopped)
• 1/2 cup of diced sauteed onions
• 2 cloves of garlic minced and sauteed 
• 1 cup jack cheese
• 1 cup sweet corn, frozen and thawed or canned
• 1/2 cup green chile sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon JAC's Tailgaters Smokin Dust. 

 Mix chiles, cheese, chile sauce, corn, sugar, JAC's Tailgaters Smokin Dust, onions and garlic in a medium bowl. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling down center of a tortilla and roll it up tightly. Secure with a toothpick and place seam side down on a plate. Roll up all of the flautas and fry 3 or 4 at a time in 350 degree hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

SMOKIN’ DUST RIBEYE STEAKS WITH CHIPOTLE BUTTER

Okay it has been awhile since I last posted on here but I promise it was not because I have not wanted to.  We have been so busy with our jobs and business and doing a few new things which y'all will find out soon enough that we were spread to thin. We are back now and will be posting a few new things starting this weekend,  Watch for some new exciting sauces to be introduced and some great recipes. and a Great review on the new Johnsonville patties.   No I am not going to turn this site into a reviewing site but I love just about everything Johnsonville makes.

Just so I don't leave y'all hanging for something tasty to grill up this weekend here is one of my favorite dishes of all times

 

SMOKIN’ DUST RIBEYE STEAKS WITH CHIPOTLE BUTTER

Total Recipe Time:  35 to 40 minutes

2 beef ribeye steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 12 ounces each)

OLIVE OIL

JAC's TAILGATERS SMOKIN’ DUST

1 TBS JAC's TAILGATERS CHIPOTLE DIP MIX

1 STICK OF UNUSALTED BUTTER SOFTENED

CHIPOTLE Butter: Once butter is softened, mix in 1 TBS of JAC's TAILGATERS CHIPOTLE DIP. Mix until well blended. Form into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, place in freezer unti firm.     

     Brush each steak with a light coating of olive oil and season with JAC's TAILGATERS SMOKIN’ DUST. Marinate in fridge for up to 4 hours.

     Grill steaks, covered, 10 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill 9 to 14 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Just before taking steaks off grill place one pat of CHIPOTLE BUTTER on top of each steak and let melt. Remove  steaks from grill and  let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with a pat of CHIPOTLE BUTTER spread on top of warm steak.

 Hope y'all enjoy and please let me know what you think of the recipe.

Tracy

Hamburgers America's Food The Burger Bash Part 1

A few weeks ago I was thinking about what could possibly be the most grilled food in America. Through a few quick Google searches and survey questions asked on Facebook and other forums, I came to the conclusion it had to be hamburgers. Not that my conclusion is correct by any means just my take on the data I read.
My idea behind my thought process was doing a blog post series on hamburgers but I could never get a good feeling if that is what I should write about.  Yes, I am one of those who has to be inspired to write. So my inspiration came when my son gave me a cookbook about hamburgers. Since he had no idea I had been thinking on this subject, I took it as a sign that I need to get busy.

So I give to you my first installment on the Burger Bash of JAC's.  I start this series off with something a little simple.

  

Raspberry Chipotle Crusted Hamburgers!!

 

These burgers were sinfully delicious.

Ingredients

2 pounds of hamburger meat I prefer 80/20 ground chuck.

2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce

2 TBS AI Steak Sauce

1 TBS of your Favorite Steak Seasoning (I use JAC's Steak Seasoning)

1 Bottle of JAC's Tailgaters Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

French's Fried Onions or Homemade is even better

8 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese

And all the trimmings you like on a burger

 Directions 

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (450 degrees). Make sure your grill grates are clean and lightly coated with oil. 

2. Mix together the beef and seasoning, being careful to evenly distribute the seasoning but don't overwork it . Divide into 4 equal portions about 8 oz each and form into 4 to 5 inch round patties should be about 1/2 inch thick patty. Make a little indention on one side of each patty. This will keep it from humping up as you grill it. 

3. Grill the burgers until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 5-7 minutes per side. 

4. When you make your first flip start glazing the burger with the Raspberry Chipotle sauce. About 6 to 7 minutes later flip the burger and glaze that side of the burger. When burger has reached your desired temp place two pieces of Pepper Jack Cheese until it has melted. 

5. Server burgers on toasted bun topped with the fried onions and your favorite toppings.  

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did.  As always fire up those grills invite friends and family over and make some memories. 

Apple Cinnamon Glaze for Pork

Sometimes you need to make that perfect pairing of sauce and meat.   When I think of pork, I always remember when I was younger- my mom would cook pork chops, and if we had the extra money, she would buy some apples and make baked apples with cinnamon and sugar to go along with the pork.  On our trip back from Houston, I kept thinking about apples and cinnamon and pork chops.  I could not wait to get home and try creating what was rolling through my brain. Hope you all enjoy this recipe from the ramblings of my mind.

I am only going to give you the sauce recipe here. 'TRUST ME' this will be great on any of your grilled pork.

Apple Cinnamon Glaze

8 oz Apple Jelly
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 TBS + 1 tsp molasses
1 TBS JAC's Tailgaters Bayou Gold Mustard Sauce
2 tsp JAC's Tailgaters Bayou Gold Dust
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

Apply glaze to pork about 10 minutes before taking off the grill.