Jerk seasoning spice blends can kick up both the heat and the flavor of almost any dish.

If you’re looking for a spicy, earthy, and savory seasoning recipe, then look no further than this ultimate jerk seasoning recipe.

The first time I tried using jerk seasoning was for a Psych party we threw for my wife’s birthday one year. On the show, Shawn and Gus are big fans of jerk chicken – you know that’s right! And since we were having a ton of Psych-related foods on the menu (including a whole lot of pineapple), I dabbled for the first time in making jerk chicken.

This is a very versatile seasoning, similar to the blackened seasoning that I posted a few months ago. There are a lot of similar spices, but jerk seasoning includes a lot more earthy flavors from cloves, allspice, and cinnamon.

This is one of my favorite ways to season meat, poultry, and seafood. I’ve used it in several of my recipes and have shared my method with several friends who have also enjoyed the results. There is no better way to say – I want to give you an awesome recipe to spice up your next cookout and get the whole family excited about jerk seasoning.

Choose the Right Spices

The right spices are essential to the perfect meal.

Without them, there isn’t usually a whole lot of flavor. Spice also helps to set the mood of the meal. And with this recipe, you can instantly add the specific flavors of Jamaican jerk to almost any dish.

For jerk seasoning, the mix needs to include allspice and some kind of pepper. All of the other flavors are added in to help round out and balance the flavor profile. In typical Jamaican jerk, Scotch bonnet peppers are typically used. But that one is a little spicy for most since it is closely related to the more commonly known habanero.

Also, Scotch bonnet powder is not widely available – though in the world of the internet you can find it online. Since we need a dried and powdered pepper to include in this seasoning mix, I have made a few substitutions. I use a mix of ground cayenne, paprika, and chipotle to include some of both the fruitiness and heat that peppers bring.

Try to include fresher spices in your mix. If you do not frequently use up all of your herbs and spices, then they may become stale and lose much of their signature flavor.

Set the Heat Levels in Homemade Jerk Seasoning

Some like it hot.

But others don’t. And you likely know which category you land in. Or the category others that live in your house enjoy most. I tend to like a bit more heat than the rest of those I live with.

And that is one of the best reasons to make your own homemade jerk seasoning mix. You can easily adjust the recipe below to include more or less of the spicy heat in the seasoning mix that is provided by ground peppers.

Smoked paprika is typically very sweet even though it is ground peppers. So you shouldn’t need to change out any of this pepper to make it less spicy. Though you can also find some specialty spicier versions of smoked paprika if you want to turn the heat up. Be sure to use smoked paprika though, for that extra punch of smoky flavor.

Cayenne pepper is what adds the majority of the heat to the spice mix. So this is the easiest one to adjust up or down depending on your own preferences. If you are thinking about changing the spice level, remember that you can always add more cayenne but it would be much more difficult to balance out having too much.

Chipotle pepper adds a bit of heat along with a ton of smoky flavor. I love, love, love the flavor of chipotle powder in almost everything. So I would not suggest removing any of this from the recipe. See my recipes chocolate chipotle chili con carne, chipotle hot honey, and spicy chipotle crema for evidence of this love.

How to Use Jerk Seasoning in Recipes

Use this seasoning to make jerk chicken, jerk ribs, jerk shrimp, and so much more.

Jerk cooking is typically done by rubbing the seasoning onto the meat along with a bit of oil. Traditional methods typically used smoking fire pits to cook everything and today a grill would most replicate that experience. But that shouldn’t make you feel limited to only cooking that way.

I’ve also used the crockpot to make some jerk chicken thighs

It’s like adding a little heat and savoriness for a tasty change. You can also simply use it in place of other hot spices like cayenne pepper or chili powder for a more complex flavor.

I really like making my own seasoning mixes, labeling them, and keeping them on hand for quick access to a bunch of spices that complement each other well. Plus, a well-stocked kitchen will likely have most of these herbs and spices on hand already.

So why not make yourself a mix? Get all the recipe details below and make this jerk seasoning right now!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this jerk seasoning mix! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

The Ultimate Jerk Seasoning

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Sauces and CondimentsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Total time

5

minutes

Here’s the ultimate jerk seasoning recipe that’ll kick your spice game up a notch. Add smoky, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to your food.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

• Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl thoroughly until well combined
• Store it in an airtight container or shaker and use it to rub and season food

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Butternut squash season is in full swing. So what better time to make a fall-themed recipe that features this fun gourd? Grab a big old spoon and scoop yourself some of this roasted butternut squash soup.

A while back I bought a whole batch of Williams Sonoma e-cookbooks. One of their series is the 365 recipe series where they have one recipe for every day of the year related to the general book topic. In their Soup of the Day book of the 365 series, the October 22nd recipe caught my attention.

It was a pretty basic squash soup recipe. It seemed like a good starting point. But I wanted a little bit more than what their recipe showed.

So, I souped up this recipe and added a little more complexity to the dish. More herbs, more flavor. And some notes on garnishing the soup to really bring it to its full potential.

Making a Pureed Soup

Start off by roasting the squash alongside some other aromatics like garlic and onion. Then saute a bunch of herbs and spices in butter. The aromas wafting through your house will be mouthwatering.

Combine everything from the roasting pan with the sauteed herbs and spices. Then pour in some stock and bring it to a boil. Let everything simmer together for a bit. We want everything to be fully cooked so that it will blend up easier in the next step.

When everything has had time to cook together, it is time to puree.

For the smoothest soup possible, I recommend using a very powerful blender. Though I admittedly own 3 different blenders, I used the Vitamix to tackle this soup. In my experience, most stick blenders will not have enough power to make a super smooth soup. Also, make sure to blend your soup in batches so that you don’t overload the blender and create a mess.

Top and Serve Butternut Squash Soup

Though this soup is delicious all on its own, you can take it to the next level with some toppings.

After serving the soup into individual bowls, drizzle a little brown butter sage sauce or heavy whipping cream over the top. Or do like I did and add both into the same bowl.

Then add some shaved parmesan and toasted walnuts to the top of the soup. And if you’d like, gently place a few small sage leaves or sprigs of thyme on top for a fresh look.

To serve alongside your tasty soup, try making a simple grilled cheese sandwich with a sourdough loaf and some sharp cheddar cheese. Or serve it with some homemade rolls.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this roasted butternut squash soup! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Silky Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SoupsDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

20

minutes

This silky smooth roasted butternut squash soup features one of fall’s favorite gourds and a lot of herbs and spices to taste the season in a bowl

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash (2.5 to 3 lbs)

• 1 large carrot

• 1 small white onion

• 8 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 2 stalks celery

• 1 spring fresh rosemary (1 teaspoon minced)

• 3 sage leaves

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

• 4 tablespoons salted butter

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 to 4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock

• For garnish: heavy whipping cream, brown butter sage sauce, toasted walnuts, shaved parmesan

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C)
• Peel and cube the squash into 1/2-inch pieces, chop the carrot into 1-inch sections, chop the onion to 1/2-inch pieces, and peel the garlic
• Spread the squash, carrot, onion, and garlic onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put it in the center rack of the oven
• Roast for about 30 minutes until the squash is fork-tender
• While the squash is roasting, chop the celery, rosemary, sage, thyme, and ginger
• When the squash has finished roasting, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat
• Add the celery, rosemary, sage, thyme, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to the butter and saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the celery begins to soften
• Add the roasted squash, carrot, onion, and garlic to the pot along with the vegetable stock
• Turn the heat to medium-high, bringing the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes
• Blend the soup in batches in a blender on high power until completely smooth
• Return the blended soup to the pot over medium heat until it begins to simmer, stirring occasionally
• Serve the soup in bowls and garnish as desired

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The post Silky Smooth Roasted Butternut Squash Soup appeared first on Do You Roux?.

For some reason unknown to humanity, my wife does not like gravy. And no, I’m not going to say that she magically loves this gravy because it is perfect. She still hates this. But I don’t get it because it is just a super flavorful sauce that distills all the deliciousness of the roasted turkey into a simple turkey gravy.

I mean, it starts out with a stick of butter so how can it be bad?

Sometimes I can get away with just calling a gravy a sauce and she won’t really notice. But with turkey, potatoes, and gravy that trick doesn’t really work. Too iconic. Either way, maybe you can enjoy this thyme and turkey-infused reduction at your next family feast.

This was actually a recipe of opportunity. I was already making my sage roasted turkey, and so decided to kill two posts with one turkey. Since turkey and gravy go hand-in-hand and you can use drippings from the turkey to help make gravy, it just made sense.

So, let’s all upset my wife by making a delicious and velvety sauce to perfectly pair with our turkey and potatoes.

Start it with a Roux

I get a little bit happy inside whenever there is a chance to have a recipe that features a roux. It is the namesake of the site and the very first post I published was on how to make a roux. Look there for much more in-depth info on how a roux actually works in a recipe.

This simple turkey gravy recipe starts off with a roux, to which we then add the drippings from the pan or turkey stock to get to just the right consistency.

Add butter to the pan and melt it. Then, for added flavor, add in some garlic and thyme and let it simmer for a minute or two. When that has cooked, whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk it as it cooks and bubbles for a few minutes. This will help cook out a little bit of that straight flour flavor.

Next, pour in a mixture of turkey drippings and stock. Whisk it together and bring it to a boil so that it starts to thicken. Thin it with more drippings/stock if needed.

In my sage roasted turkey recipe, I call for cooking the turkey in a roasting pan. I also note to add some sage, thyme, and turkey or chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan. While the turkey cooks, the butter slathered over it will drip down along with juices from the turkey itself.

These drippings are the delicious lifeblood of a good gravy. Using this in the gravy will help to impart a whole lot more flavor than using stock or broth alone. Though I don’t turn my nose up at stock, in fact, I did have to supplement a little with some chicken stock to thin things out because there weren’t quite enough drippings in the pan.

Hint – use a fat separator to help separate the fat from the rest of the drippings. Since we already use butter as the main fat for the roux, we don’t need any extra in this sauce.

Slather it in Turkey Gravy

Not that I would ever accuse you of ever making any kind of cooking mistake, but sometimes a turkey can overcook a little and turn slightly dry. Gravy to the rescue!

A slathering of simple turkey gravy can help bring some much-needed moisture to pair with your protein. And it will also pack in the flavor. A properly made gravy will be salty, savory, and lusciously creamy.

Gravy and potatoes are a classic combo for a reason. Fluffy and buttery homemade potatoes are a perfect backdrop for the rich flavor of gravy. Make sure to have some bread or dinner rolls to soak up any gravy left on the plate after devouring the turkey and potatoes.

So hop on this gravy train and whisk together a batch for Thanksgiving or any other time you are serving mashed potatoes.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this turkey gravy! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Simple Turkey Gravy

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SauceDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Start with a simple roux to make this salty, savory, and lusciously creamy but simple turkey gravy for Thanksgiving potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

• 1 teaspoon minced thyme

• 1 large clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup flour

• 3 to 4 cups total turkey drippings and/or turkey/chicken stock

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat
• Add the thyme and garlic to the pan and simmer them while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes
• Whisk the flour into the butter, bring it to a simmer while whisking, and let it cook for 3 minutes
• Pour the drippings and/or stock into the pan, whisk it to combine, and bring it to a boil until it begins to thicken, and then turn the heat to low
• Taste the gravy and add salt and pepper as needed in 1/4 teaspoon increments – note that there are times where no salt is needed, it depends on the drippings
• If the gravy thickens too much, then whisk more stock into the sauce to thin it out 1/2 cup at a time

Notes

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Thanksgiving is a time for f-words: family, friends, and food. And nothing is more synonymous with Thanksgiving than turkey. So cook a flavorful bird with this sage roasted turkey recipe.

Turkey can be a pretty divisive meat. Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t seem like turkey is a common meal. Except maybe as deli meat for sandwiches. Because turkeys are so much larger, chicken tends to rule the roost if poultry is on the menu.

So sometimes it can seem a little intimidating to tackle turkey. Especially on the big day. Both because of lack of experience and the big expectations that can accompany it.

Relax.

As long as you have a plan (such as this recipe here), you will be able to take on turkey with confidence. It takes a few simple steps and a basic food thermometer to make sure you get things right. You’ve got this.

All About the Temperature

It begins with prepping the turkey. You can brine the turkey if you’d like but it is not necessary. It can add extra flavor and fill the turkey with moisture. You can also try dry-brining (maybe with a mixture of salt, pepper, dried sage, and citrus zest). But the turkey can be cooked perfectly without brining. And a brine sometimes takes too much forethought…

The biggest complaint about turkey is that it can be dry. So while a brine may help, it really all comes down to cooking it to the right temperature.

You need an instant-read thermometer. This holds true for cooking almost any meat really. This inexpensive food thermometer is the one I use and I love it. You can even buy leave-in thermometers with either long cords or high-tech that will let you see the temperature while it is still in the oven. These are most commonly used when smoking meats outdoors. But a regular instant-read thermometer works perfectly.

Use this guide from Serious Eats on how to check your turkey temp.

Do not rely on the little pop-up ‘done indicators’ that come set inside the turkey sometimes. They typically let the turkey come to way too high a temperature and will lead to a bad, dry experience. Don’t do it. Promise me.

To cook the turkey you can use a roasting pan designed for the purpose. But if you aren’t roasting things much, then it may be overkill to have a pan just for the purpose. In my case, I just decided to put a cooling rack inside a baking sheet and rest the turkey on that.

Worked like a charm.

Making Sure the Turkey Isn’t Dry

1. Use a food thermometer to cook to the proper temperature
2. Have a roasting pan type setup where the turkey can cook on a rack while the juices drip to a pan below
3. Don’t stuff the turkey, it’ll just slow down cooking and make it more prone to an uneven cook
4. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the juices from the pan while cooking
5. Let the turkey rest at least 30 minutes before cutting into it

Serving Sage Roasted Turkey

For this recipe, I call for using some brown butter sage sauce to baste the turkey at one point. I think it just adds to the sage flavor of the turkey, plus it gave me another excuse to make my brown butter sage sauce recipe that is the most popular on the site.

For some traditional Thanksgiving sides, pair your sage roasted turkey with any of the following:

• Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
• Simple Turkey Gravy
• Mom’s Dinner Rolls
• Honey and Ginger Glazed Carrots
• Family Thanksgiving Punch

One of the greatest parts of Thanksgiving is all of the leftovers. From turkey noodle soup to turkey sandwiches to turkey pot pie, there are tons of ways to use leftover turkey.

You can also make turkey stock from the bones after removing all the roasted meat. I typically loosely follow my chicken stock recipe while accounting for the fact that a turkey is much larger than the chicken bones I normally use.

Whatever you decide to do with your turkey, rest assured that this sage roasted turkey recipe will make sure it is delicious.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this sage roasted turkey! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Thanksgiving Sage Roasted Turkey

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

10-12

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Resting Time

30

minutes

Total time

3

hours 

30

minutes

Juicy turkey, sage and thyme, golden-brown skin. Everything about this sage roasted turkey makes it a perfect recipe for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 15 to 18-pound turkey, defrosted

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons minced sage, about 20 leaves

• 2 teaspoons minced thyme

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 8 to 10 sage leaves

• 2 to 3 small sprigs thyme

• 4 cups turkey or chicken stock, divided

• 1/3 cup prepared brown butter sage sauce, or melted butter

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C)
• Combine the butter, garlic, minced sage, minced thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix it together until thoroughly combined
• Place the turkey on the rack over the roasting pan and pat the turkey dry with paper towels – this will help keep the butter from just sliding around in the next step
• Gently pull the skin away from the turkey breast and slather about 1/3 of the mixed butter under the skin and on top of the breast
• Use the remaining butter to cover the skin of the turkey, including the drumsticks, wings, and breasts
• Add the sage leaves, thyme sprigs, and turkey or chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan
• Place the turkey on the center rack in the oven and cook for 1 hour, basting every 30 minutes with the juices from the roasting pan
• After the second baste an hour into the cook, turn the oven heat down to 350°F (175°C) and rotate the turkey 180° so the other side of the turkey faces the back of the oven
• Continue cooking, basting every 30 mins and cook to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) in the breast and 170°F (77°C) in the thigh, about 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours of total cooking time
• On the third baste, 1 and 1/2 hours into the cook, pour the brown butter sage sauce over the turkey instead of basting with juices from the pan
• While the turkey cooks, add more turkey or chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan if too much has evaporated while cooking
• When the turkey reaches the right temperature, remove it from the oven and let it rest about 30 minutes before slicing

Notes

• Loosely tent foil over parts of the turkey if the skin is browning too much

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When I very first heard of ordering food blackened, I was confident I knew exactly what that meant. Just let the food cook longer so the outside gets black. Duh. Turns out I was dead wrong. Maybe I’m not alone, but since then I have learned that it is a mix of spices and seasonings cooked in a specific manner. And I have learned how to make blackened seasoning, how to use it, and what goes well with it.

The first thing you may notice about blackened seasoning is that it is not actually black. The red-orange of the smoked paprika and chili powders comes through more than anything else. Many foods will tend to look a little burnt with this seasoning mix. Hence the name. But note the keyword look. It shouldn’t actually be burnt.

There are a ton of store-bought pre-made seasoning mixes that fall under the blackened umbrella, so why make it for yourself? For starters, if you have a decently stocked spice pantry, then you likely have all or most of the ingredients on hand. Second, it is satisfying to make your own mix. And finally, you can control exactly what goes in it and can even experiment to make it exactly how you like it.

Yes, this recipe, like most, is not set in stone. For me, the fun of cooking is all about trying different things, tasting them, (fixing them if necessary…), and then having delicious food. So if one ingredient seems terrible to you, substitute it for something else. Feel like kicking the heat up a notch? Then add in more powdered peppers, baby. You just might want to notify others before throwing any ghost peppers into the mix.

Using Blackened Seasoning

No individual protein has a chokehold on this seasoning. Most commonly associated with fish, shrimp, and chicken, it can really go on whatever you want. But whatever goes well with a little bit of heat and a whole lot of flavor will work.

To make the seasoning, just measure out and mix together all of the herbs and spices. Store it in an airtight container for up to 6 months, though it will start to lose some potency towards the end of its shelf life.

When you’ve mixed together the seasoning and are ready to use it, you’ll need a cast-iron skillet (or another heavy-bottomed pan), melted butter, and the protein or other food that you are planning to blacken. You may also want a bit of oil with a high smoke point – like canola, corn, sunflower, or peanut oil.

First, fire up your stove or grill to medium-high heat and put the cast iron pan on to heat up. Add a tablespoon or so of the oil if you would like, it may or may not be needed depending on how much butter you use in the next step.

Then either dip your item in the butter or brush the melted butter over the item with a basting brush. With your protein covered in butter, it is time to coat it with your homemade blackened seasoning. Make sure to give a generous coating on both front and back. Unless you are cooking a fish with the skin on – then only coat the non-skin side of the fish with butter and seasoning.

Add the coated item to the hot skillet. Move it around as little as possible – you want it to sit and form that nice crust. Flip it over once halfway through the cooking time for your specific item. Cook it to the desired doneness and enjoy.

Char or Seasoning?

Though it starts out bright red-orange, the cooking method used will turn the seasoning into a dark brown-black delicious crust. Hence the name. The burnt-like blackening is a result of the milk solids browning and the spice mixture charring. Mmmmm.

I RECOMMEND COOKING THIS ON A GRILL OUTSIDE. You are likely to generate some smoke during the cooking process. You don’t want it in your house, setting off alarms. It’ll ruin the experience of the food. It can vary from cook to cook depending on the heat, butter, oil, and probably how the cast iron pan is feeling that day. So, in my opinion, it is better not to risk a hazy house and just cook it outside. But you can take your home into your own hands.

Now that you know how to make blackened seasoning, try pairing a blackened protein with homemade risotto or oven-roasted asparagus. Maybe top a Caesar salad with blackened salmon or chicken. Rice (especially dirty rice) and steamed vegetables go well on the side too.

So go raid your spice cabinet and make this powerful seasoning mix. Your taste buds will be thanking you.

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How to Make Blackened Seasoning

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SpicesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Total time

5

minutes

Make blackened seasoning and use it to get a little bit of heat and a whole lot of flavor with a delicious crust

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons sea salt

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon dried basil

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder

• 2 teaspoons ancho powder

Directions

• Add all the ingredients to a bowl or a jar with a lid and either stir or shake thoroughly to combine
• To use, sprinkle over food that has been coated in butter and then cook in a hot cast iron pan with minimal flipping
• Store unused seasoning mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months

Notes

The post How to Make Blackened Seasoning and Use It Well appeared first on Do You Roux?.

I may or may not have originally set out to make a pilaf. My original inspiration was this Rice-A-Roni copycat recipe. And then it didn’t go exactly as planned and I turned it into a wild rice soup recipe. I initially added too much liquid into the pot to cook the rice. But don’t hold it against the recipe I linked if you want to try it. I was not following it exactly as I was trying to make my own thing. When I realized I’d added too much and wouldn’t be able to cook the excess off without turning the rice to mush, I decided to pivot.

And it really worked out better than I could have imagined. Especially since my wife really likes wild rice soup. She typically prefers chicken and wild rice soup, but I didn’t have any chicken on hand at the time. I know, poor pantry planning. But more on the chicken later. Plus, it gave us a good meatless Monday meal.

That is one of the reasons that I love cooking so much. It isn’t an exact science. You can easily adapt, modify, or change most things during the process. I don’t get it right every time, and I definitely don’t get it right the first time a whole lot. But you learn.

Just recognize that most dishes are not too late to salvage with the right know-how.

General Wild Rice Soup Recipe

The basic steps for this soup are sautéing the shallot and garlic in butter, then adding carrots and celery while stirring for a few minutes. Add in the rice and let cook for a few more minutes and then cover it with chicken stock and a few herbs. Let it cook covered, then uncovered, and then stir in some cream and parmesan when the rice is almost finished cooking. That’s it.

It takes a little bit longer in practice, but a lot of the cooking time takes little actual effort. While the lid is on you don’t even have to stir at all. It just takes some time to slowly simmer and let the rice and chicken stock do their thing.

The key is to cook the rice through without over-cooking to where the rice is mushy. It’s just an uncomfortable texture to be eating mushy rice or rice that is still a bit too hard and crunches when you bite down. It is a balancing effort. But luckily there is a decently wide window of time where the rice will be cooked to perfection.

Making it Your Own

For a good wild rice soup recipe, you need to start it off with some quality rice. I wholeheartedly endorse the Lundberg wild rice blend but recognize that you may have a different wild rice mix you prefer. I will note that I prefer a blend of wild rice with other rice. The one I linked has wild, brown, red, and black rice varieties. This helps round out the profile of the dish and makes it less one-note.

One of the other most important ingredients is the chicken stock. You can make your own homemade chicken stock, but it isn’t necessary for this meal. I think enough other ingredients are added so that you aren’t having just straight broth where that homemade flavor would add so much more – like chicken noodle soup.

Now, like I usually say, this recipe is not written in stone. It is up for adaptation based on your needs. As I said before, you could easily add chicken to the soup. Have one to two cups of shredded or cubed cooked chicken ready to add along with the cream and parmesan toward the end of cooking. The same can be done with sauteed sliced mushrooms for another twist on the recipe.

If you don’t happen to have a shallot on hand, then it can easily be replaced with about half a cup of finely chopped onion. And if you are looking to punch up the flavor of the chicken stock, add 1/2 teaspoon of roasted garlic Better than Bouillon to the pan along with the stock and herbs.

Speaking of herbs, you can swap some out or add more in. Or you could change from carrots and celery to a mix of other vegetables as a base. Let me know how you mix things up with this wild rice soup in the comments.

Creamy Parmesan Wild Rice Soup

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SoupsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Creamy wild rice soup with deep flavor and notes of garlic, parmesan, and thyme

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 large shallot

• 1 large carrot

• 2 stalks of celery

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 and 1/2 cups wild rice blend

• 6 cups chicken stock

• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 and 1/2 cups parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions

• Mince the garlic and finely chop the shallot, carrot, and celery
• Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat
• Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until shallot begins to turn translucent
• Stir the carrot and celery into the pan and cook for 5 minutes
• Pour the rice into the pan, stir to coat it in butter, and cook for 5 minutes while stirring
• Add the chicken stock, sage, and thyme to the pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil
• Turn the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 35 minutes
• Remove the lid and cook for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally
• Stir in the cream and parmesan and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the rice is tender but not mushy
• Serve the soup in bowls and sprinkle with parsley to garnish

The post Creamy Parmesan Wild Rice Soup Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.

In sickness and in health, chicken noodle soup is there for you. It’s a soup that is also a warm, comforting hug.

Piping hot broth brimming with hearty vegetables, tender chicken, and plump noodles make this soup come to life. Kids, adults, grandparents, and teens all love the simple goodness of a great chicken noodle soup.

You can even make a huge vat of this and store it for eating later. And it is indispensable to have this soup on hand in the freezer for when anyone isn’t feeling well. I love storing mine in these quart-sized deli containers either in the fridge or freezer. Then just defrost if needed and reheat on the stovetop and it is as if you made it fresh. It can store for 3 to 5 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken – This recipe is great for using leftover chicken or just pulling the meat off of a rotisserie chicken. If you are using leftovers, make sure that whatever flavor used on the chicken will work with the soup. I’m not sure if chicken smothered in bbq sauce would work with all these other flavors.

Noodles – Thick, wider egg noodles work great for this soup. They soak up that flavorful broth and give a great consistency for everything. Looking for the noodles at the store, you may need to look towards the very top or bottom of the shelves to find the egg noodles. For this batch, I used noodles I bought from the store, but if you are feeling ambitious you can make your own from scratch.

Chicken Stock or Broth – I highly recommend making your own chicken stock for chicken noodle soup. The depth of flavor in a homemade stock is so much better and is awesome for soup. Think about it, the chicken stock is the base for this whole thing. The noodles will cook inside the stock and soak up whatever flavor it has. And you will be sipping it with every spoonful. So make sure it is as good as possible.

Herbs – The fresh parsley and thyme add some bright notes to the soup. The bay leaves lend flavor to the chicken stock as it slowly simmers. You can try experimenting, adding different herbs for a little bit of a new vibe. Rosemary, sage, or dill would be some great additions.

Vegetables – Celery and carrots are classic for chicken noodle soup. So that is all I have tried. For me, it just doesn’t feel right doing anything else. But you can feel free to test out some other vegetables. Let me know how it goes if you try something different.

Simply Chicken Noodle Soup

Course: SoupsDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Homemade chicken noodle soup for when you’re sick, or it is cold, or whenever you need comfort.

Ingredients

• 3 large celery stalks

• 4 large carrots

• 1 large onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 9 cups chicken stock

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 cups wide egg noodles

Directions

• Slice the celery and carrots to about 1/8″ thick, chop the onion, and mince the garlic, thyme, and parsley
• Add the olive oil, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and parsley to a large stockpot and sauté on medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until carrots and celery have softened
• Pour the chicken stock into the pot, place the lid on top, and bring it to a boil
• Once it has begun to boil, turn heat to medium-low, add bay leaves, chicken, lemon juice, and noodles, and cook about 20 mins until noodles are cooked through, stirring occasionally
• Serve immediately, top with fresh parsley if desired

The post Simply Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Throw a bunch of ingredients in a big pot with some water and let it simmer for a while. Now you have chicken stock.

It is almost that easy. A little prep work and some small effort once it has finished simmering is all it really takes. The magic mostly happens by letting the pot sit there undisturbed, doing its own thing for at least a couple of hours. As it simmers it will spread a mouth-watering aroma through the house.

Thousands of recipes use chicken stock. And you can definitely use store-bought stock to make delicious meals. But the extra effort of making your own stock gives you more depth of flavor for your final dish and more control of exactly how it will taste. It is especially important to make your own stock when it is a featured ingredient – like for broth-based soups. A simple chicken noodle soup is elevated to the next level when using homemade stock.

I tend to make stock whenever I have made a recipe that leaves me with bones from the meat. And when I make it, I make a huge vat of it. Then I will keep some of that in the fridge for use in the next week, and freeze the rest for use over the next few months whenever I want to bust out the reserves.

Chicken Stock or Broth?

Some people like to get into the nitty-gritty differences of chicken stock vs chicken broth. But that’s not what I’m all about.

In my opinion, you can use stock and broth interchangeably. Boiling meat, fish, or vegetables with some aromatics and seasonings is the same method for both. Generally, stock is made with more bones and cartilage while broth includes more meat. Broth is also typically cooked for a shorter period of time.

Eh, whatever. They’re the same. I typically include whatever leftover bones and meat I have on hand and cook for as long as my time will allow. In my opinion, longer tends to be better as you give more time for flavors to develop and for collagen to seep from the bones. But if I don’t have time for that, then a much shorter stay in the pot still gets the job done.

What Goes Into Stock?

Don’t take this recipe as set in stone. It is more of a jumping-off point for whatever you want to include in your stock. Mix and match what seems best to you, while making sure to think of what will work with the flavors of your planned final dish. You want everything to be working together.

Do not add salt to the stock. Since this is not a final dish, you don’t want to salt it yet. Save that for once you have cooked everything and then add salt to taste. You won’t risk having too much salt if you wait to add it.

• Chicken – Use bones, skin, meat, and drippings from chicken as the base flavor for the stock. My go-to is using the picked-over carcass from two Costco rotisserie chickens. For a deeper and richer flavor, throw it all on a baking sheet in the oven and roast it at 350°F (175°C) until golden-brown.
• Aromatics – These are vegetables, herbs, and spices that add aroma and flavor to your dish.
  • Vegetables – Most stocks call for garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. But feel free to experiment and try other options. Leeks, asparagus, mushrooms, peas, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes.
  • Herbs – I generally like to use sage, rosemary, parsley, and thyme because they tend to be fairly neutral and can pair well with a whole lot of dishes. You can try adding any other herbs, just don’t go overboard because using too much in relation to the other ingredients can lend bitterness to stock.
  • Spices – Typically, I add bay leaves and peppercorn (pepper before being ground up) to stock. Ginger, cardamom, and coriander could be fun to experiment with. And you could consider using dried chiles if you are wanting a dish with some spiciness to it.
• Water – Good old plain water, nothing complicated here.

How to Make Chicken Stock

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SoupsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Total time

2

hours 

15

minutes

Long-simmered chicken stock for full flavored soups and sauces

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds chicken bones, meat, and skin (2 rotisserie chicken carcasses)

• 4 large carrots

• 5 celery stalks

• 1 large onion

• 10 peppercorns

• 4 sprigs thyme

• 2 sprigs sage

• 4 sprigs parsley

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 20 to 30 cups water

Directions

• Cut the ends off of the onion and then cut it into quarters
• Slice the carrots and celery into 3 to 4 inch pieces
• Add all ingredients except water to a very large stock pot
• Add enough water to cover everything
• Place the stock pot on high heat until you see bubbles starting to form and immediately turn the heat to low
• Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 2 to 8 hours (the longer you can, the better)
• Remove and discard the bones and vegetables using a slotted spoon or tongs
• Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and strain the stock to remove anything remaining in the liquid
• Use the stock or cool it down in an ice-water bath and store it in the fridge or freezer

Notes

• Tie up your herbs with kitchen twine so that it is easier to remove at the end before straining
• Store extra broth in quart-sized plastic deli containers in either the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 4 months

The post How to Make Chicken Stock appeared first on Do You Roux?.