Simple spice blends can give it the best flavor.
Everyone loves to barbecue in the summer, but if you want to throw a big party on the patio, try a seasoning to enrich the flavor of meats, poultry, fish and vegetables .
These spice blends require very little time and effort to prepare and are made from what you probably have lying around in your kitchen pantry. They impart great flavor in an incredibly healthy way.
Sprinkled all over the outer surface of food before cooking, seasonings traditionally combine savory and sweet ingredients, helping to amplify flavor while giving meat an appealing exterior.
The ABC’s of seasonings
The amount of seasoning that can be used is approximately two tablespoons per pound of meat. And if there’s any spice mix left over, don’t throw it away. Store leftover seasoning in an airtight jar for your next cookout .
Dry seasonings are generally the most versatile and work best when cooked over low heat and simmer on a barbecue or kamado smoker. If you prefer to grill on high heat, your best bet is a simple salt and pepper seasoning, since seasonings made with other spices burn on high heat. If you plan to use a slow cooker or convection oven, another option is to use a wet seasoning (a cross between a marinade and a dry seasoning made from oil, spices, and an acid, such as vinegar or citrus juice).
But remember, says Jinnie Coleman, owner of Clay’s House of Pig in Tupelo, Mississippi, that barbecue seasonings should never be used as a primary flavor, but rather to enhance the flavor of meat, fish or vegetables.
What foods are best prepared with seasonings?
Chicken is “a mild-flavored, neutral meat that lends itself well to both seasoning and smoking,” says Coleman. A good basic seasoning for chicken starts with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, he adds.
“If you want to add more herbs, use a pinch of powdered sage,” says Coleman. Rather than be too strict with precise measurements, she suggests that you create your seasoning based on your personal preferences, tweaking the ingredients to suit your palate.
After applying the seasoning, you can immediately place the chicken on the grill to cook at 275 degrees for 90 minutes. Then brush it with a final sauce of ketchup, a dash of sugar, and apple cider vinegar before cooking it for another 20 minutes.
Some meats are tastier without seasoning, says Adam Hoffman, grill expert at Big Hoffa’s Smokehouse in Westfield, Indiana, who estimates he has cooked more than half a million meats in his career.
When grilling any type of meat , whether it’s flank or skirt steak , you’re better off just using a salt and pepper seasoning, he says, since the meat already has so much flavor that it arises by itself.
Dry seasonings tend to work well on cuts like brisket , as they give the meat a delicious flavor while cooking over smoke and embers, as well as on pork shoulders and ribs, where the seasonings also work to bring out the texture of the meat, he says.
Most dry seasonings work best when applied to meat 24 hours before cooking “to really give it great flavor,” says Hoffman. An exception to that rule is brisket, he notes, which can be seasoned just before cooking.
