Tag Archives: Meat

Pollo Rostido a las Hierbas or Oven-Roasted Herbed Chicken

Posted in Main Course, Mediterranean cooking, Poultry, Spanish cuisine by

When it comes to cooking, sometimes, less is more. For my oven-roasted meat recipe, I only use 5 main ingredients for the marinade. This is one of my favorite food to prepare as I only have to place it in the oven and just make it doesn’t get burned and I can do other household chores while the meat is cooking in the oven!

Oven-roasted herbed chicken legs

There’s no reason why you can’t use the same marinade for other meat. You can also add dried or fresh herbs to the marinade. Since I have kids, more often than not, I end up separating the meat and the marinade into two and baking them into two different pans: one plain and one with herbs. The most favorite herb/s in my household is the hierbas provenzales (provenzal herbs), followed by the romero (rosemary) and oregano.

For the marinade, you will need:

brandy, cognac or white wine (whichever you prefer)

lemon juice (the amount will depend on how much you like the taste of lemon. If you add too much, the meat will taste of “overpowering” citrus flavor and it will also depend on the quantity of meat you will be marinating)

a teaspoon of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

your choice: dried or fresh herbs of your choice and/or crushed garlic and laurel leaf (if I don’t use any dried or fresh herb, I add crushed garlic and laurel leaf to add some flavor to the marinade)

Directions:

Season the meat with salt and pepper. I don’t just sprinkle the salt and pepper on top. I rub it on. I also rub the dried herbs on the meat. ^^)

In a bowl, I mix the brandy (or cognar or white wine), lemon juice and olive oil. I dip each of the meat pieces into the mixture and neatly arrange them into a glass baking pan. I pour on the meat the excess marinade.

I typically do this the night before, refrigerate the meat and every now and then, turn the meat pieces.

Take the marinated meat out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking it. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 200º Celsius.

If I am using fresh herbs, I just place it beside or on top of the meat (if whole meat like suckling pig or lamb thigh). First, I cover the baking dish with foil during the first half of baking. I then take out the foil and let that side turn brown, spooning every now and then some of the marinade on the meat. When this side of the meat is already golden brown, I turn it and finish the cooking time by browning this side of the meat still spooning some of the marinade on top of the meat. You can choose to cook your meat on a rack but I like cooking the meat in a pan so it won’t lose it’s juices.

After the meat is done, I serve it hot with rice, vegetables or mashed potatoes. The marinade left after baking will not go to waste, either. After discarding the oil with a spoon, I heat it in a pan, let it boil and add some cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken it: instant gravy as dipping sauce! ^^)

Enjoy!

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Win a bag of Beek and Turkey Jerky from Perky Jerky, US, 8/8

Posted in giveaway by
 
THE ACTION PACKED SNACKTMIt’s real, and it’s spectacular!
 
“Perky Jerky is an all natural, ultra premium jerky that is unlike any other! It’s made with a seven ingredient marinade, which includes Guarana, a little berry from the Amazon that is commonly found in energy drinks. Our fans (aka “Jerkaholics”) are addicted to the awesome flavor, the tender texture, and its healthy perks! Because it’s The Action Packed SnackTM, Perky Jerky powers you from workout to night out. It’s great for a quick pre-game boost, busy moms on-the-go, or a mid-mountain hike snack. It’s a functional morning desk snack and the perfect munchie to survive a long road trip! Satisfying and portable, it’s perfect fuel to do, well, whatever it is that you do… (we don’t want to know!) “ – from the Web site.
 
 
I have always been a beef jerky lover and when I read about Perky Jerky, I had to try it. When I opened the package they sent me, I was in awe!! There was a slew of beef and turkey Ultra Premium Perky Jerky! The best thing about this jerky, besides the taste, is the nutrition factor. Although it contains a decent amount of sodium and cholesterol, it’s low fat, low carb, low cal, and high protein. It has no preservatives, no nitrates, and no added MSG. It’s a great snack, especially the 1 oz. packages. A 1 oz. package of beef jerky contains only 90 calories and the turkey jerky is just 50 calories!
 
The taste is awesome. I love a little spice and Perky Jerky has just the right amount. It is sweet and peppery, tender and chewy. I couldn’t resist downing an entire 1 oz. package. Purchasing Perky Jerky also contributes to a great cause. 
 
Top photo: Ultra Premium Turkey Jerky Bottom Photo: Ultra Premium Beef Jerky
A portion of their proceeds goes toward Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Down Syndrome causes.The customer service is another positive of this company. Working with them has been a great experience. They are quick to respond to any comments or questions you might have and are very friendly! You can purchase a 1 oz. bag for $2.99, a 2.2 oz. bag for $4.99, or a 5 oz. bag for $9.99 via their online store.
 
 
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Disclaimer: Kara’s Deals and Steals received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from Perky Jerky. To Cook With Love did not receive any of the product mentioned above. Review is done by Kara’s Deals and Steals. To Cook With Love is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.


 

 

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Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Posted in Beef, Main Course, Pork, Poultry by

I have always loved barbecued meat. I especially love it barbecued on coal, skewered, marinated the night before and basted with a sweet and sour sauce. But this basting sauce recipe is so versatile as you can use it as dipping sauce, too especially if you love extra sauce for your meat. It’s delicious enough to be spread on top of a jack potato, steamed vegetables or rice. This sauce will never disappoint!

sweet and sour baby back ribs

Oven Roasted Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Sour Sauce

This recipe is for a kilo and a half to two kilograms of meat. This is not just for skewered meat but would also work with chicken or turkey thighs, breast and wings. It is also great for pork belly, thighs and even baby back ribs!

Ingredients:

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger (optional. I know some people who doesn’t like it’s taste)

1 3/4 cups of peach jam (I use the Diet low in sugar type of the Hero brand. I have tried this with strawberry jam, too and it was great, maybe just a little too sweet for my taste. Find which one works best for you)

1 1/4 cups of tomato catsup (I use Heinz as I find it’s acidity is just right for this recipe. This is a personal preference though ^^)

2/3 cups of soy sauce (I use Kikkoman which is sweeter than other brands so you might consider that. If you use one with a saltier taste compared to Kikkoman, then you might want to add less than the 2/3 this recipe calls for. But then, it’s still a personal preference.)

2 teaspoons tabasco (You can use lesser or more than that. It’s still a personal preference)

Marinade the meat the night before you’re cooking it. What I always do is season the meat pieces with salt and ground pepper. I crush a couple of garlic cloves, squeeze the juice out of 2-3 lemons and crush a couple of laurel leaves. I mix all of these three ingredients and dip each meat pieces into the mixture and pour on top of it the rest. I would turn the meat pieces every couple of hours or so. Cover the pan or tray with a cling film.

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet on a stove on low heat. Add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Sauteé the minced garlic and ginger until the garlic has slightly changed in color but not burnt.

2. Add all the other ingredients in any order.

3. Turn of the heat once everything is thoroughly mixed.

Cook the meat as desired. You could cook it in a coal grill or in an oven. When I cook the meat in the oven, I bake it at 200 degrees Celcius with the marinade included with the tray on low-middle of the oven. Once the top starts to turn golden brown, I start basting with the sauce using a silicone brush. Everytime I turn the meat, I baste it with the sauce.  At the end of the cooking process, I leave it on grill (250 degrees Celcius in my oven) for 4-5 minutes.

If you don’t like to encounter bits and pieces in your dipping sauce, sieve it first. To use as dipping sauce, I just add a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch/water mixture and I let it boil over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency. If it’s too light, add more cornstarch/water mixutre. You can start at 1 tablespoon (as this will depend ont he amount of sauce left after basting the meat) and just increase gradually according to your needs.  After the first sign of bubbles, I turn it off without stopping from stirring the sauce so it won’t stick to the bottom of the skillet . For a cup of water at room temperature, I use 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Beef ribs with sweet and sour sauce

Beef ribs with sweet and sour sauce

Serve meat with jack potato, steamed vegetables, sauteed mushrooms or steamed rice. Enjoy!

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The Pantry Feature: Hoisin-Honey Pork Riblets

Posted in The Pantry by
Hoisin honey pork riblets

Hoisin-Honey Pork Riblets, Smitten Kitchen

Smitten Kitchen got me at hoisin and honey. This combination turns out very well with either pork, beef or poultry meat that it must be heaven just biting into those riblets!

She served it with snap peas and wasabi roasted potatoes. Sounds delicious, right? Head on to her blog to get the Hoisin-Honey Pork Riblets Recipe!

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