How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet

I've been using my trusty old cast iron skillets more frequently these days and suggesting cast-iron cookware for recipes I've been posting, so I thought it might be helpful to post a primer on how to season a cast iron skillet. If you already have an old, well-worn and well-seasoned skillet that's been in your family for a couple of generations or longer, you're very lucky. But if you're new to the wonderful world of cast iron cookery and have a new skillet--or if you have a little-used one that's been developing rust or doesn't yet have a nice, black non-stick seasoned cooking surface--the following steps will help you properly season and care for your cast iron skillet. Even if your new skillet was labeled "pre-seasoned," it's a good idea to follow these seasoning steps before you use it.

If seasoning a brand-new cast iron skillet, first make sure it's perfectly clean: Remove any stickers or labels and wash with soap and water using a soft scrub pad to eliminate any glue or residue from stickers. Completely dry the skillet using a clean dish towel. I like to heat the clean skillet on the stove for a few minutes to evaporate any remaining moisture.

Now comes the fun part. Preheat your oven to at least 350°F (some folks recommend an even hotter oven). While the oven is warming up, tear off a piece from a clean brown paper bag or use a paper towel to rub a generous coat of grease onto the inside of the skillet, completely covering the interior including up the sides. Although some modern seasoning tips recommend using vegetable oil or shortening, old-timers swear by bacon grease or lard as the best way to season a cast iron skillet because vegetable oil or shortening can sometimes leave a "tacky" or sticky surface. I personally haven't had any problems with vegetable shortening and usually use that or bacon grease, depending on what I have on hand.

After you've applied a nice coat of grease and wiped off any excess globs, place the skillet upside down on the top oven rack and place a cookie sheet on a lower rack beneath the skillet to catch any drippings. Let the greased skillet bake in the hot oven for an hour. Don't worry if it smokes or smells like smoke, as that's normal. After an hour, turn off the oven and very carefully remove the hot skillet using thermal oven mitts. Let the skillet cool on top of the stove or other heat-proof surface. With this initial seasoning procedure the skillet is now ready to use, but understand that it will take regular use over time to build up the seasoning layer to the point where you have a truly nonstick surface on which you can fry an egg without additional oil or grease. Feel free to repeat this seasoning procedure from time to time to improve the skillet's seasoning.

There's some disagreement on whether water should ever be used in cleaning a cast iron skillet. For traditional, non-water cleaning, simply sprinkle a fair amount of Kosher salt or coarse-ground cornmeal into the skillet, dip a paper towel, clean cloth or piece of brown paper bag into some oil or grease, and scrub the inside of the skillet until all food residue comes off. The mildly abrasive paste created from the gritty texture of the coarse salt or cornmeal plus the grease will not harm seasoning layer and will clean the skillet nicely. After scrubbing it clean, wipe the skillet out thoroughly and use a clean cloth or paper to wipe a thin coat of grease or oil over the interior to re-season the skillet.

If you feel you must use water to clean your skillet, make sure you completely dry it and then re-season with grease or oil. NEVER place cold water on a hot iron skillet, as it could instantly crack and be irreparably ruined. NEVER use soap or metallic scrub pads as these will destroy the seasoning layer. Likewise, NEVER wash a cast iron skillet in the dishwasher. I personally prefer the old-fashioned non-water cleaning method, although I admit to having used water occasionally to help remove some hard-baked food residue. Regardless of which cleaning method I use on my cast-iron cookware, I always re-apply a thin layer of grease after each use and cleaning.

If you discover some spots of rust in your cast-iron cookware, gently rub with a soap-free steel wool pad, then wash and re-season as if it were brand-new.

One final tip: When cooking in a cast iron skillet, stick to wood or heat-resistant plastic utensils because metal can damage it.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

Wasabi Peanuts are Back!

Happy days are here again for fans of wasabi-coated peanuts: They're back in stock at the Carolina Sauce Company, and they're currently on sale! Wasabi Bombs are plump peanuts enveloped in a crunchy coating made from real wasabi mustard and rice cracker flour. Packing a powerful sinus-clearing wasabi punch, Wasabi Bombs are a fun and tasty snack you can enjoy whenever you're craving something zesty that won't burn out your mouth, unlike chili-pepper snacks that leave your tongue on fire. Like a lively but well-mannered house-guest, these wasabi-coated peanuts confidently announce their presence upon first bite but don't overstay their welcome, allowing your taste buds to entertain other foods or simply rest a little before you pop the next Wasabi Bomb in your mouth. And unlike most commercial wasabi snacks found at supermarkets, Wasabi Bombs are all-natural and don't use artificial colors or flavors.

If you enjoy the zippy kick of wasabi with sushi or wasabi-coated peas, or if you're looking for a high-protein low-carb spicy snack, give our new Wasabi Bombs peanuts a try. I'll bet your first can won't be your last....

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Garlic-Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

Here's my southwestern-inspired version of garlic mashed potatoes. The chipotle adds a hearty spicy-smoky flavor that makes this the perfect side dish for roast pork, grilled steaks and other robust main courses. I prefer to use unpeeled potatoes because the skin adds a subtle earthiness and rustic texture that I enjoy in my mashed potatoes. But if you prefer your mashed potatoes to be smoother and creamier, feel free to peel and fully mash the potatoes. You can also reduce the milk to a 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup half-and-half or even heavy cream for a richer result.

Ingredients
2 lbs russet potatoes, washed well to remove any dirt
3/4 cup milk, heated
3 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves roasted garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
Salt, pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes if desired. Cube the potatoes and place in a large pot. Fill the pot with water, at least an inch or two above the top of the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft, about half an hour. Drain into a colander, reserving just a little of the potato water. Transfer the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the hot milk, olive oil, garlic and chipotles. Mash until potatoes reach desired consistency and all ingredients are well combined--add some of the reserved potato liquid if the consistency seems too dry. Taste for balance and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

Lots of New Hot & Spicy Snacks!

Our warehouse continues to add new products, and the latest arrivals are a whole slew of new hot, spicy, and fiery snacks and dips! Here's a sampling of what's already available:

Deano's Cheddar Jalapeno Chips: It was love at first bite for me with this zesty, spicy snack. Deano's uses real, fresh jalapeno peppers and thinly slices them like potato chips are sliced, then cooks them in canola oil to a crispy crunch and coats them in real cheddar cheese. The result is astoundingly delicious, with the satisfying crunch of traditional chips plus the medium-hot kick of jalapenos and a cheesy cheddar finish. Deano's also makes Ranch Jalapeno Chips, with a tangy Ranch dressing coating. Anyone who enjoys hot & spicy snacks is sure to love either variety. If you're cutting back on carbs and miss snacking on spicy, crunchy snacks, Deano's jalapeno chips are for you. If you are looking for a gluten-free snack or chip, Deano's jalapeno chips are for you. If you are avoiding hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, trans-fat or cholesterol, Deano's jalapeno chips are for you.

Blair's Death Beef Jerky: Who knew dried beef could be so hot? The folks at Blair's--infamous for their fiery Blair's Death Hot Sauce line--have come out with two peppery-hot beef jerky snacks. The Original version is seasoned with Blair's Original Death Sauce, as the name would indicate, and is plenty hot. But if crave a more intense heat level, you'll probably want to try Blair's XXX Sudden Death Beef Jerky, made with the ultra-hot Sudden Death Hot Sauce. Either way, make sure you have plenty of your favorite beverage on hand to quench the fire. Blair's Death Beef Jerky is the ideal fiery snack for chileheads on a low carb diet.

Crazy Jerry's Hot N' Chili Cheese Dip: Made with Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheeses with fiery jalapenos and roasted chile peppers, this spicy cheese dip is great with chips, pretzels, raw veggies and other "dippables." Some folks even like spooning it over chili dogs and burgers, and it's a natural on nachos. A must-have spicy snack for your next party or get-together.

Blair's Death Rain Habanero Potato Chips: Can't find chips that are hot enough for you? You obviously haven't yet tried Blair's Death Rain Habanero Potato Chips. These super-hot kettle-cooked potato chips are not only fiery, they're also quite tasty. Seasoned with natural spices and no artificial ingredients, Blair's Habanero Potato Chips are far superior to mass-produced grocery store chips in flavor and fire. Blair's also makes cheesy Cheddar Potato Chips and tangy Buffalo Wing Potato Chips, both of which are medium hot; and smoky-spicy Chipotle Potato Chips.

All of our spicy snacks and dips are currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store. To see our entire selection, make sure to visit our recently-updated and expanded Hot and Fiery Snacks page. And stay tuned to this blog as we continue to announce new arrivals and the return of old favorites!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Gloria's Quimbombo (Cuban Okra with Plantains)

Quimbombo is a traditional Afro-Cuban stew made with okra and plantains, and seasoned with pork. Some cooks will use ham and others prefer bacon or fatback, and some heartier recipes will even add ground pork or chorizo, a highly-seasoned Spanish sausage. When properly prepared, the okra is not slimy and the flavors of this stew are rich and satisfying, like any good comfort food. When made the old-fashioned way, the plantains are boiled separately, then mashed and rolled into little balls called "fufu" and added during the final few minutes of cooking. To save time and effort, however, I simply peeled and cubed the raw plantain and cooked it together with the okra. Also not traditional is the red jalapeno pepper that I use in my version for a touch of zesty spice without making the dish "hot" (red ripe jalapenos are mellower than green jalapenos). When it was time to serve dinner, I stuck with tradition and served the quimbombo over white rice.

Make sure to use half-ripe plantains, which are yellow with some black splotches. Mostly-black plantains are fully ripe and too sweet for this dish. Green plantains are unripe and too tough. For easy peeling, I trim the ends off the plantains and then cut just through the skin lengthwise with a sharp knife. The skin should then pull off easily in one or two large pieces, while the plantain flesh remains intact. I start cooking the white rice a few minutes before adding the okra and plantains to the pot, so that the rice will be ready when the quimbombo is ready to serve. This recipe makes 4 to 6 generous servings, and you can halve it to make less--or make the big batch and enjoy leftovers.

Ingredients
2 lbs okra
1 lemon or lime
4 thick slices of bacon
1 large bay leaf or 2-3 small
2 cloves
1 onion, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
Optional: 1 red jalapeno, de-seeded and minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 half-ripe plantains
Salt & pepper to taste
Cooked white rice for serving

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy, then remove from skillet onto a paper towel covered plate to drain and cool, reserving up to 4 Tbs of the bacon drippings. While the bacon is cooking, wash the okra and trim the ends. Slice into 1/4" rounds, place in a bowl and cover with water, then squeeze in the juice of one lemon or lime and stir to mix. Let the okra soak while you continue with the recipe - this soaking process will prevent the okra from becoming slimy in the finished dish.

Add the bacon drippings, bay leaf and cloves to a large pot and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the onions, garlic and pepper, and saute until tender (if too dry, you can drizzle in a little olive oil or add a dab of butter). While this is cooking, start the rice and peel & cube the plantains. When the vegetables are tender, drain the okra in a colander and add the okra to the pot (don't worry if you see "slime" draining from the colander--the cooked okra will not be slimy). Stir to combine, then stir in the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, add the cubed plantains and crumble in the bacon. Stir to combine, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the okra is tender. Taste and add salt/pepper if desired. Serve over cooked white rice.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Jolokia 10 Mustard

Rarely does an extremely hot sauce or condiment also rate highly for excellent flavor. The new Jolokia 10 Mustard is that rare exception, masterfully blending two of the hottest peppers on the planet with premium yellow mustard for a result that is tantalizingly delicious while burning the bejeezus out of you.

Unlike other hot mustards that rely on wasabi or horseradish for a sinus-clear kick, or on funky-tasting capsaicin extracts to artificially ratchet up the heat, Jolokia 10 Mustard does it the old-fashioned way with simple, natural ingredients. As you've probably figured from the name, the Naga (Bhut) Jolokia Pepper--recently recognized as the world's hottest hot pepper--plays a major role in this fiery mustard, and it's paired with ultra-hot Red Savina habanero peppers for additional dimensions of peppery flavor and fire. Because the base mustard used is a high-quality product, and no artificial heat-boosters have been added, your first taste will present the familiar flavor of a well-made yellow mustard. But within a few seconds the intense heat will announce its presence, and will build steadily with each bite until it is searingly hot. Yes, you might cry, but you'll be shedding tears of pleasure as well as pain as you discover what a well-made ultra-hot mustard should taste like!

If you are serious about your fiery foods, Jolokia 10 Mustard is a must for your table. Use it like you would any mustard, albeit judiciously and with respect. Jolokia 10 Mustard is perfect for robust grilled fare like sausages, bratwurst and kielbasa, on hot dogs and burgers, as a wet-rub for pork loin and chops, and as a spicy addition to your favorite deviled eggs or potato salad recipe. If you follow a low-carb or no-sugar diet, you'll be glad to know that this mustard has no sugar added. It's also very low sodium, in case you're watching your sodium intake. Normally retailing for $10 a jar, it's currently on sale online at the Carolina Sauce Company where you can now buy Jolokia 10 mustard for only $8.95 a jar!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Coastal Crab Cakes

When we're staying near the North Carolina coast while on vacation, we like to stop at our favorite seafood market and pick up their freshly-made crab cakes to cook for dinner. Consisting primarily of succulent chunks of crab rather than fillers, these crab cakes are sublime on their own, although a little dab of crab cake sauce does serve to complement without overwhelming the delicate flavor.

The accompanying photo is from the crab cake dinner I made last weekend at home. I served fried okra on the side with the crab cakes, along with a simple salad of sliced cucumbers, tomato and basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with coarse Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper. I must confess that I fried the okra and crab cakes in bacon drippings (blended with some grapeseed oil to raise the smoke point), which of course isn't as healthy as using only oil. However, the okra and salad veggies plus the basil were picked that evening from a friend's garden and were bursting with the flavors of summer as well as peak nutritional value.

Here is a recipe that comes as close as I can get to the mouthwatering crab cakes we enjoy at the Carolina coast.

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced bell pepper
1 lb fresh crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell pieces or cartilage
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (tear up some bread into small crouton-size pieces)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs mayonnaise
1/4 tsp dried parsley OR 1 tsp finely minced fresh parsley
Dash of hot sauce, such as Texas Pete
Dash of paprika
1 egg
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
Oil for frying (or 50/50 combination of oil and bacon drippings)

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), add onion and pepper, saute until softened. Remove from heat, add the crab and soft bread crumbs, stir to combine thoroughly and set aside to cool a little. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, hot sauce and paprika. When the crab mixture is cool enough to handle, add to the bowl. Using wet hands, incorporate the crab mixture into the ingredients in the bowl, then shape into balls about the size of a golf ball or a little larger for a total of 4 to 6 balls. Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten each ball into a crab cake. Place the crab cakes on a piece of wax paper on a plate or baking sheet, then place in refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes--this will help the crab cakes hold their shape.

Beat the egg in a shallow bowl, and place the fine bread crumbs on a pie plate or other shallow bowl or plate. After 15 minutes of chilling, remove crab cakes from refrigerator and gently dip on both sides in the egg wash and then dredge in the bread crumbs to coat. Return the crab cakes to the wax paper and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Discard any remaining egg wash or bread crumbs.

When ready to fry the crab cakes, heat about an inch of oil in a large, deep skillet (cast iron works best) to about 370°F. Remove crab cakes from refrigerator and use a spatula to gently lift from the wax paper and place them in the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the skillet--you may need to fry them in batches. Fry until browned on each side, then drain on paper towels and serve plain or with your favorite crab cake sauce, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

New Coupons on the Carolina Sauce Facebook Page!

There are four NEW coupons and special discount offers posted on the Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page, including FREE ground shipping from the Carolina Sauces online store and some of our partners, plus discounts on Bourbon Molasses BBQ Sauce and other yummy items. If you're already a Fan of the Carolina Sauce Company on Facebook, you can access all of the coupons by visiting our Facebook page and clicking on the "Coupons" tab on the left margin to get to the Coupons section.

If you're not already our Fan on Facebook, all you need to do is visit the Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page, click on the "Like" button at the top, and you can then access the coupons by clicking on the Coupons tab.

We'll keep posting more coupons, discounts and special offers, so it pays to "Like" us on Facebook!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Products at Carolina Sauce for July

July was a "short" month for us because of our Grand Re-Opening in the latter half of the month. As a result, it was much faster to review the numbers and compile our list of the top ten best-selling products for July at the Carolina Sauce Company. Along with several of our regular best-selling hot sauces, we're excited to see that one of the items from our brand new Meats and Cheeses selection made the cut! Without further ado, here's the list:

1. Busha Browne's Pukka Hot Pepper Sauce was our best-selling hot sauce and product last month. This classic all-purpose table sauce is made in Jamaica in the old colonial tradition and sports fiery heat along with great flavor.

2. Also from Jamaica is our second-best selling product for July, the blazing hot Jamaica Hellfire Doc's Special, a serious hot sauce made from sun-ripened tropical hot peppers and Jamaican spices.

3. Staying with the tropical theme, Matouk's Calypso Hot Sauce from Trinidad & Tobago finished in third place last month. Made with aged pickled scotch bonnet peppers in a traditional mustard base with just a hint of sweetness, this all-purpose hot sauce is spicy-hot and super-tasty.

4. We go back to Jamaica for July's 4th best-selling product, Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, an intensely aromatic and spicy jerk paste or wet rub that brings authentic Jamaican flavor to meats, chicken, seafood and even in vegetarian dishes.

5. Walkerswood Jerk Marinade delivers the same genuine jerk flavor as the Walkerswood Seasoning, but in a convenient ready-to-use liquid marinade for use on meats, poultry, fish and seafood.

6. Holding on to sixth place for the second consecutive month is Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce. Not quite as spicy as Matouk's Calypso, Matouk's West Indian adds papaya for natural sweetness and tropical flair. Matouk's West Indian hot sauce is fabulous with fish and seafood, chicken, rice dishes, kabobs and more.

7. After a long absence, Scorned Woman Fiery BBQ Sauce made an impressive return to our list of the top-ten best-selling products, and was the best-selling barbecue sauce in July. This thick, tomato-mustard BBQ sauce is savory-sweet and slightly smoky but delivers a powerful habanero pepper wallop.

8. The original Bone Suckin' Seasoning Rub was the best-selling North Carolina product last month and 8th overall. Its savory-sweet flavor has just the right touch of sassy spice to complement pork, beef, game, chicken, and anything else you want to season for the grill or smoker.

9. Peppers Zesty Blue Crab Salsa is a spicy-hot salsa that adds real Maryland blue crab plus zingy horseradish to the traditional salsa blend of tomatoes and peppers. The result is amazingly delicious, with a feisty kick.

10. Rounding out our list of the top 10 best-selling products for July is Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio cheese from one of our new partners, OliveNation. This authentic, all-natural aged Parmesan cheese from Italy has been widely acclaimed for its rich flavor and appealing texture. Enjoy it on all your favorite Italian dishes, or paired with walnuts or pears, or even drizzled with balsamic vinegar or honey.

Keep an eye out for the August top-ten list in early September, as I'm expecting big changes because of all the new hot sauces being added to the Carolina Sauces online store as well as the new product offerings (e.g., food-related art, cookbooks, country ham, etc.) at the main Carolina Sauce Company site.


Zestfully yours,
Gloria