Orange Sriracha Glaze and when to tamper a bit

Sometimes I get a recipe and do it as is and its perfect. Other times it needs a tweak or two.  The Orange Sriracha Glaze fell into the latter category.  I used substitutes that the originator suggested as frankly I was too lazy to track down one of those hippy health food stores for "coconut amino's" and coconut oil.  Not that I'm against hippy food, I do plenty, its just buying stuff for a couple of dabs in a glaze just didn't make economic sense.

Once the basic sauce was done, wow...it blew my socks off.  The Sriracha was intense and the orange notes were just not coming through.  It also was just a tidge watery.  Depth of flavor was called for and I amped up that with two additional Asian flavors, oyster sauce and hoison sauce. In that vein I also added 1 T orange zest.  Et voila...it thickened nicely, and more importantly was balanced allowing the Sriracha to still be a player, but not over power the citrus notes of the orange.  Also the original recipe called for toasted sesame seeds...gross I don't trust anything that looks the same going in as it does on exit...the oil packs more flavor with no funny gritty bits.

And...while we are at it, don't get me wrong, I love my Calphalon, but sometimes you need a non-reactive pan like stainless steel. Really love my stainless lined copper for those acidic reductions that need to be untainted with the flavor of aluminum. This sauce needs a long slow simmer to reduce it to the consistency of a glaze and I fear the amount of acid in it would create an off flavor if I didn't use the non-reactive pan.

Orange Sriracha Glaze

• 1 c fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 T Sriracha sauce
• 4 T honey
• 2 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T orange zest
• 1 T Oyster sauce
• 1 T Hoison Sauce
• 1 t sesame oil

Strain out the pulp from the orange juice and measure 1 cup.  (About 3 large navel oranges).  Add to non-reactive heavy bottom sauce pan.  Add Sriracha, honey, soy sauce, orange zest, oyster sauce, hoison sauce, and sesame oil.  Over medium low heat stir just softly to combine ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer on low heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup liquid, about 30 minutes. Test for seasoning and add a pinch or two of sea salt if needed.  Cool and store covered in a glass jar.

Spicy Orange Sriracha Chicken

• 1 lb chicken 
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 Medium onion cubed
• 1 medium red bell pepper cubed
• 3 T peanuts
• 2 t sesame oil
• 12 oz Udon noodles.
• 1/4 c Orange Sriracha Glaze

Dice chicken into a 1/2" dice.  Chop garlic and toss with chicken.  Sprinkle on the soy sauce.  Cover and marinate at least an hour, up to 4 hours in fridge.
Add Udon noodles to boiling water to warm and separate into strands.  Drain and toss with a sesame oil and set aside. 
Cube bell pepper and onion.  Heat wok with a couple of tablespoons vegetable oil until shimmering.  Add bell pepper and onion.  Stir fry a minute or two.  Add marinated chicken and stir fry until cooked through, tossing often.  Add peanuts ans stir fry one minute.  Reduce heat and add Orange Sriracha glaze.  Toss to coat.  Add Udon noodles and toss to coat and heat through, about 2 minutes.  Serve hot.

Special Thanks for the original glaze recipe to "Robb Graves" who created it and "Rusty Trombone" who passed it along to me.  Good stuff there Maynard.

Beef Short Ribs braised in BBQ Sauce

We are fans of the short rib around here, its the perfect slow simmer on the stove on a cold day. Or in a crock pot.  Or in the oven, you chose the results are the same.  Yummy.

The theme of this post is really caramelization.  That process of bringing out the natural sugars through searing beef or sauteing onions.  I've heard it a few times on TV, not sure who the chef is, "Color equals Flavor" and they aren't kidding.  With this recipe, actually most recipes, the more color you bring with searing and sauteing the better the depth of flavor as the natural sugars are used to their best advantage.

Take the time to get a good sear on the beef.  Take your time to bring out the sugars in the onion.  You won't be disappointed with the results.  That brown stuff at the bottom of the pan...its called "fond" and it is a ton of flavor that will work its way into the braising liquid when you deglaze the pan.  Your clear amber liquid suddenly becomes dark brown from the fond and very rich in flavor.  Trust me, all that time you put into the sear and saute will not be wasted when you deglaze it all comes to life.

Braising is my favorite way to cook tough cuts like a beef short rib. You use just enough liquid to come to the top of the meat and let it simmer away for a few hours.  You end up with a succulent, melt in your mouth, fork tender piece of meat.

The pan you use for braising needs to be a heavy pan that will spread the heat evenly for a long period of time.  I use a Le Creuset Doufeu but any heavy no reactive pan with a tight fitting lid will work.  The point is that you want even heating with all the steam retained so it doesn't evaporate away all your braising liquid.

Beef Short Ribs braised in BBQ Sauce

• 2-3 lbs boneless beef short ribs
• 2T Montreal steak seasoning
• Olive oil.
• 2 large onions rough chopped
• 1 t salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 cans beer - I used Millers MGD
• 1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T Sriracha
• 2T red wine vinegar
• 1 T liquid smoke

Coat all side of beef short ribs with Montreal In large braising pan heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil until it starts to shimmer. You will need to sear short ribs in a few batches to get good color on them.  Add a few short ribs to the hot pan.  Cook about 5-7 minutes on each side until you get a good dark sear on them.  Remove to a platter and sear off the remainder of the short ribs.

Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed to saute the onions. Add onions and salt.  Cook them stirring often until translucent and the edges are starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Pour in beer.  Using spoon scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, Sriracha, vinegar and liquid smoke.  Taste for seasoning, add ,more salt if needed.  Return the seared short ribs to the broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly with lid and simmer 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  

If using an oven set temp to 300f and place your covered pot in the oven for the same amount of time.

If you decide to use a crock pot, pour in the braising liquid, add the beef, cover and use low for 6-8 hours.

Chow Mein Salad, perfect for a summer heat wave

When its a bajillion degrees here in the SGV the last thing I want is hot food.  Cold Salads are so much more agreeable and it doesn't involve standing over a hot stove. A total win.

This salad is labor intensive.  I'm not sure where I got the recipe from but its tasty and a good stand by.  Most of the ingredients can be found in your local groc these days in the Asian section.  The veggies were chosen because they looked good and were all peak of season fresh. You can sub in whatever you find that looks good, just remember that the final measurement of fresh cut veg will be about 6 cups.

I like the salad as is.  If you aren't a cilantro fan cut back on the amount.  Ditto the Sriracha sauce.  My better half thinks the salad needs more crunch and often adds the fried chow mein noodles or fried wonton skins to the salad.  I think the veggies have enough crunch so I don't add any noodles/wontons.  Its a personal preference and go for it if you want.

Sesame oil comes in two varieties, regular and toasted.  The toasted is darker in color and nuttier and is my preference.  When using Sesame Oil in dressing remember a little goes a long, long way.  Too much and its floral qualities overtake the dressing and that's all you taste.  Moderation with this one, and that's a good thing to as it is a relatively expensive oil.

Chow Mein Salad

• 2 pks chow mein noodles (8 oz)
• 1 hothouse cucumber
• 3 carrots
• 1 bunch radish
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 1/3 c rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
• 1 T sesame oil
• 1 T Sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1/2 t salt

Cook noodles according to package direction in salted water.  Rinse under cold water to cool after they are cooked through.
Cut cucumber, carrots and bell pepper into match sticks sized pieces.  Slice radish thin (I use a mandolin). Thin slice green onion including tops.   Coarse chop the cilantro leaves.  Add veggies and cilantro to the cooled noodles and toss to combine.

Mix vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha and salt.  Pour over noodle mixture and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so it is well chilled and the flavors meld.

Asian Spiced Pork Tenderloin

I am a fan of spicy food.  Living in the San Gabriel Valley of L.A. I am exposed to a lot of great Asian restaurants and more than a few dishes are uber spicy.

Yesterday I opted to go Asian flavors with the Pork Tenderloin and the results were pretty awesome if you like heat in your Asian food.  Garlic/Ginger/Soy round out the flavor profile.  Of course I cheated a bit and used "Chinese Chicken Salad" dressing for the base and got the heat from what we call "Korean Ketchup"...Sriracha. (Yes, I know its Thai in origin but Korean Ketchup as that whole alliteration thingy going for it).

Asian Spiced Pork Tenderloin

• 2lbs pork tenderloin
• 1/2 c Chinese chicken salad dressing
• 2 T Sriracha Sauce
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 T grated ginger
• 3T soy sauce

Combine salad dressing, Sriracha, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.  In large leak proof zip-lock bag add the pork and then the marinade.  Allow to sit in refrigerator for 3 hours.  Rotate the bag occasionally to ensure even distribution of the marinade.


Heat oven to 350F.  Put pork in roasting pan and roast about 35-45 minutes until it is 170F on an instant read thermometer.  Reserve marinade.


Take the reserved marinade, should measure about 1 cup.  Put in small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat until reduced about 1/2.  Use the resulting sauce to pour over the sliced tenderloin when serving.