Vietnamese-Inspired Marinade

Vietnamese-Inspired Marinade

This is an intensified version of the traditional Vietnamese soup called Pho. My favorite soup in the world. I intensified the spices so it would impart a lot of flavors into the beef. I use this recipe on beef short ribs. Enjoy!

Pho Bo (Beef Soup) Inspired Marinade

Ingredients:

4 c. hot water

2 tbsp. beef base

1/3 c. white onion

3 tbsp. fresh minced ginger

2 tbsp. cinnamon

4 tbsp. fish sauce

2 star anise

8 cloves of minced garlic

2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a pot (I used a large one). Simmer on low heat for 20 min. Cover with lid. Marinade will thicken slightly as it simmers, stir occasionally. Let marinade cool completely before adding to the meat. I actually let the meat marinate in this marinade for about 20-24 hours prior to smoking.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Chicken Rub

This is a rub I love for the aggressive spice flavors. I use this rub strictly on chicken.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Chicken Rub

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Turmeric

2 tbsp. Cumin

2 tbsp. Dried Coriander

2 tbsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. Nutmeg

¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp. Sea Salt

1-2 tbsp. strong flavored mustard (I either use a yellow mustard or Irish mustard)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and place on chicken. Marinate in a tight container for a minimum of 8 hours in the refrigerator. Use any extra rub with melted butter or olive oil and baste chicken while it is in the smoker. Discard any leftover rub after use. Safety warning: do not dip a hand that has already touched raw meat back into container. It will contaminate the rub. Always season with one hand, and keep another hand dry and untainted.

Japanese-inspired Marinade

I love Asian food. Whether it is Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean.. I love it all! I wanted to test a Japanese-style marinade on some chicken thighs. I absolutely love this marinade on chicken thighs. It is by far my favorite seasoning for smoked chicken. Enjoy!

Japanese-Inspired Marinade:

Ingredients:

½ c. of Rice Vinegar

½ c. of Soy Sauce

2 tbsp. Brown Sugar

Approx. 3 Tbsp. (or more) of Onion Powder

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Place chicken in a 9" x 13" pan (one that has a lid). Pour 1/2- 3/4 of the marinade on chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hrs. Approx. 20 min. before smoking, remove chicken from refrigerator and pour out the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and place on smoker. Use the extra reserved marinade to baste the chicken throughout the smoking process.

Chicken or Pork Dry Rub

I use this chicken dry rub on wings, thighs, drumsticks, and even pork shoulder. I like the unique flavor of this rub because it contains cocoa. The cocoa adds a deep flavor to the chicken or pork.

Chicken or Pork Dry Rub:

Ingredients:

1/8 c. Cocoa Powder

1 tbsp. Sea Salt

1 tbsp. Black Pepper

3 tbsp. Garlic Powder

3 tbsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Seasoned Salt

2 tsp. Celery Salt

1 tbsp. Paprika

Directions:
Mix ingredients together. Sprinkle the rub generously on your meat. Let the flavors absorb the meat for a minimum of 30 min. prior to smoking. I typically season the meat with the dry rub and let it marinate in the refrigerator for about 8-12 hrs. Store the remaining dry rub in a tight container and store in a cool place. Safety warning: do not dip a hand that has already touched raw meat back into container. It will contaminate the rub. Always season with one hand, and keep another hand dry and untainted.

Chicken Wing Dry Rub

Smoked Wings

Smofried Wings (smoked, then deep fried)

Chicken Wing Dry Rub:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Onion Powder

2 tbsp. Garlic Powder

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

2 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tbsp. Paprika

2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning

2 tbsp. Cajun Seasoning

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Use 1/2 of mixture on wings, and place in an airtight container. Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hrs. (preferably longer..I like marinating meat for a minimum of 8 hrs.). Before you place on smoker, leave wings out for about 15 min. prior to smoking and sprinkle more of the dry rub on. I even like to mix some dry rub in with chicken broth, beer, or butter and mop the wings while in the smoker. Safety warning: do not dip a hand that has already touched raw meat back into container. It will contaminate the rub. Always season with one hand, and keep another hand dry and untainted. Enjoy!

Maple Mustard Rib Glaze

This rib glaze was created to compliment my Rosemary Thyme Ribs. I love the hint of sweetness from the maple syrup! It is not overwhelmingly sweet like many rib glazes out there, which is a nice change. Enjoy!

Maple Mustard Rib Glaze:

Ingredients:

3/4 c. high quality maple syrup

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. ketchup

¼ c. apple juice

¼ c. Jack Daniel’s whiskey

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Sea Salt (I actually ordered this from Wales, UK..but you can add vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract to the mix in lieu of specialized Vanilla Sea Salt)

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

In a small saucepan, stir together the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, apple juice, Jack Daniel’s, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and mustard. Bring to a low boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Rosemary Thyme Rib Marinade

This is a recipe I came up with to just get a different flavor for smoked ribs, versus a traditional bbq rib that you would get in places like Memphis or KC. I'm typically not a rib fan, so I wanted to experiment with different flavors. Here is one of my rib marinade recipes. Enjoy!

Rosemary Thyme Rib Marinade:

Ingredients:

6 c. water

1 can of beef broth

1 c. orange juice

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. Sea Salt

¼ c. White Sugar

½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper

3 tbsp. Dried Thyme

3 tbsp. Dried Rosemary

3 tbsp. Dried Coriander

5 tbsp. Garlic Powder

5 tbsp. of Onion Powder

3 tbsp. salted butter

Directions:
Place your ribs in 9" x 13" container (which comes with an airtight lid). Mix all the ingredients together and pour in your container. Let it marinate for at least 12 hours. Before you are ready to put on a dry rub or place on smoker, pat the ribs dry. I let them sit out at room temp. for about 20-30 min.