Soaking meats in a solution of salt, water, and seasoning blends can give you the tastiest food.

Brined birds, meats, or fish retain more of their own natural juices during cooking than untreated meat. Proteins in meat muscles dissolve in salt water so some of the protein that was solid becomes liquid.

Meat proteins change during brining and result in holding on to more water during cooking since the salt makes some of the ribbon like proteins pop open or denature.

As long as you don’t overcook your food, the natural juices remain bound to and trapped between the meat proteins resulting in mouthwatering juiciness and enhanced flavor.

It’s easy – step-by-step brining

Combine Smoky Brining Blend to boiling water; stir to completely dissolve and add ice cubes and remaining water to mixture.

Gently lower chicken into brining solution, making sure the brine covers the food.

After brining, pat dry chicken with paper towels.

Place on cutting surface; let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Grilling Tips

One of the first steps before putting your food on the grill is to know what type of cooking method to use. There are two basic options: direct heat, where the food is placed directly over the heat source, and indirect heat, where the food is placed on the grill grid away from the coals or gas burners.

• Direct Heat – used to grill foods that take less than 25 minutes to cook. Ideal for small cuts like kebobs, tenderloin, fish, burgers and vegetables. Arrange hot coals evenly on the fire grate in a single layer, or use all gas burners. Place the food directly above the heat source and grill as recipe directs.
• Indirect Heat – used to grill foods that require longer cooking times. Good for large cuts like loin roasts, ribs, chicken, and turkey. Stack coals to the outside of the grill or turn on only some of the gas burners so that the meat or poultry is not directly over the heat. This method allows food to cook for a long period of time without charring the outside of the meat. Place food on grill grid and cover the grill. When covering the grill it is more oven-like, eliminating the need to turn the food.

Remember to clean your grill grid before or after cooking while the grill is warm (not hot).

Lightly oil with vegetable oil or use cooking spray on your grill just before grilling food. The oil will help prevent the food from sticking. This is especially true for fish.

Use recommended cooking times in recipes as a guideline. Cold weather and higher altitudes may require longer cooking times.

Trim excess fat from meats to keep flare-ups to a minimum. If flare-ups occur, quickly cover the grill with the cover. Keep a spray bottle filled with water close by to mist any flare-ups that may char your food.

Always discard any leftover marinade or sauce that was in contact with raw meat, poultry, or fish. Place cooked foods on a clean serving platter to avoid cross-contamination from raw meats.

Grilling intensifies the flavor of fresh vegetables making them perfect as a main dish entrée or a delicious, yet simple side. (See our handy chart for guidelines).

Vegetable Grilling Grid

Here’s a handy chart to provide you with reliable guidelines for grilling vegetables outdoors. This guide will help in preparing, as well as offers suggested seasonings to add distinctive flavors to your vegetables.

Prepare grill for direct cooking. Combine ¼ cup olive oil with 1-2 Tbsp. of any of the suggested Victoria Gourmet Seasonings. Add Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired. Prepare vegetables as directed, brush vegetables with oil mixture (except corn). Place on grill; grill uncovered according to chart or until crisp-tender.

Download: Victoria Gourmet Vegetable Grilling Grid

These tortilla chips with a hint of lime are the perfect accompaniment with salsa or simply by themselves!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: 32 chips

• 4 medium flour tortillas (about 7” diameter)
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. Victoria Taylor’s Sea Salt, your favorite

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush one side of each tortilla with lime juice; sprinkle lightly with salt. Stack tortillas; cut tortillas into eight wedges; arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp. Remove; cool completely.

Tip: This recipe can easily be doubled and chips can be stored in an airtight container.

Ham Accompaniments using Victoria Taylor’s Seasonings

Cranberry Sauce with Pie Seasoning

• 1 bag (12 ounce) fresh cranberries
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons Victoria Taylor’s Pie Seasoning

In large saucepan, cook fresh cranberries with maple syrup until skins pop open; about 10 minutes. Stir in Pie Seasoning, cook 1-2 minutes. For a smooth sauce, using hand held blender or food processor puree mixture. Serve with ham, or use as a condiment on a ham sandwich. Makes about 2 cups.

Pineapple Salsa with Smoky Paprika Chipotle

• 2 cups fresh diced pineapple or 1 can (20 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
• (Tip: If using fresh pineapple, substitute lime juice if unable to capture fresh juice)
• ½ cup diced green bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon Victoria Taylor’s Smoky Paprika Chipotle Seasoning

In a bowl combine pineapple, bell pepper, red onions and cilantro. Add pineapple juice and Smoky Chipotle Seasoning; stir well to combine. Serve with ham as a side dish. Makes about 2½ cups.

The perfect add-ons to your Winter Soups!

These accompaniments will complement any soup and can be stored in an air-tight container for several weeks.

Corn Tortilla Strips

The perfect topping to a bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup with just a hint of spice.

• 6 corn tortillas (6-inch diameter)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Victoria Taylor’s Cinnamon Chile Rub

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Brush one side of each corn tortilla with lime juice. Sprinkle with Cinnamon Chile Rub. Stack tortillas; cutting through stack, cut into ½-inch strips. Arrange in single layer of flat baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp.

Mediterranean Croutons

• 5 cups French bread (about half of a 16 oz. loaf), cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Victoria Taylor’s Mediterranean Seasoning

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In large food-safe plastic bag or bowl, combine bread cubes with oil to coat; add Mediterranean Seasoning. Toss until well combined. Arrange in single layer of flat baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Top warm soup, or a salad with croutons.

Spicy Rustic Croutons

• 4 slices whole-wheat country bread, crusts removed
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon Victoria Taylor’s Sicilian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Tear bread into ½- to 1-inch pieces. In large food-safe plastic bag or bowl, combine bread pieces with butter to coat; add Sicilain Seasoning. Toss until well combined. Arrange in single layer of flat baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Top warm soup with croutons.

Baked Tuscan Croutons

Pairs nicely with a bowl of warm soup, or even a Caesar salad.

• 4 cups baguettes, white sandwich bread or English muffins, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Victoria Taylor’s Tuscan Seasoning
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In large food-safe plastic bag or bowl, combine bread cubes with oil to coat; add Tuscan Seasoning. Toss until well combined. Arrange in single layer of flat baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven; toss warm croutons with cheese right after baking. Top warm soup, or a salad with baked croutons.

10 Tips for Slow Cooker Recipes

1. Before starting a recipe in your slow cooker, spray it with non stick cooking spray for easier cleanup.
2. Once you start cooking, try to keep the lid on during the whole cooking time.  Removing the lid during cooking can add significantly to the overall cooking time needed.
3. As a general rule, if you are cooking meat and vegetables, put the vegetables on the bottom and the meat on the top.
4. Slow cookers are especially good for cooking lean meats.  When choosing meat for your recipe, select the leanest meat possible.  The slow cooker will make it taste great and you will avoid having fat accumulate in your finished recipe.  Another benefit is that the leaner cuts of meat tend to be less expensive.
5. An easy way to thicken your recipe toward the end of cooking is to combine 1/3 cup flour with 1 cup milk or one can tomato paste and stir it into the pot for the last hour of cooking.
6. Another way to thicken your recipe is to remove the slow cooker lid during the last hour of cooking to reduce the amount of liquid.
7. Try to start your recipe with ingredients at room temperature.  Since the slow cookers use lower cooking temperatures, starting with cold or partially frozen ingredients can add significant time to the required cooking time.
8. Season your slow cooker recipe to taste near the end of the cooking time.  Taste the recipe to determine if it needs additional seasoning, salt & pepper before serving.
9. Tender vegetables like mushrooms, peas, tomatoes and summer squash should be added during the last hour of cooking so they do not become too soft.
10. Cooking on “high” is generally twice as fast as cooking on the “low” setting.  Eight hours on low is basically the same as four hours on high.

We’re making it easy for you to keep your resolutions with a few tips, techniques and ingredients that will aid you in chicken preparation.

Chicken Basics

Chicken is an excellent source of protein, and a good to fair source for niacin and iron. White meat and chicken without skin have fewer calories.

• When watching calories, fat and/or cholesterol remove the skin and any pockets of fat that are visible on the chicken. Using boneless, skinless chicken breasts cuts down on added fat.
• Boxes of individually packaged and quick-frozen chicken breasts can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores and are convenient to have on hand when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry.
• The Food Guide Pyramid considers a serving of chicken (cooked) to be 3 ounces. Three ounces of cooked, skinless white meat contains 147 calories, 4 grams fat and 72 milligrams cholesterol. The same amount of dark meat has 174 calories, 8 grams fat and 79 milligrams cholesterol.
• Store chicken in the coldest part of the refrigerator (40˚F or below). Raw chicken can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, cooked poultry up to 3 days.
• When freezing chicken, seal it airtight in a freezer-proof plastic bag or foil. Freeze uncooked chicken for up to 6 months; cooked chicken for up to 3 months for optimum tenderness.
• Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator and allow about 5 hours per pound. Thawing at room temperature means you run the risk of bacteria formation.
• To thaw frozen chicken (still in its freezer wrapping) quickly and safely by placing it in a large bowl of cold water. Allow 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30 minutes.
• For tender results, cook boneless chicken to an internal temperature of 170˚F, bone-in chicken to 180˚F. If you do not have a thermometer, chicken should no longer be pink when sliced.

Recipe Revamp

• Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of fat when cooking chicken. Broth is commonly found available as 99% to 100% fat-free.
• Use vegetable cooking spray instead of oil or butter to sauté chicken or vegetables instead of frying in fat.
• Reduced-fat sour cream, low-fat yogurt, or evaporated skimmed milk can be replaced for higher fat cream in some recipes.
• Using more spices, blends and herbs rather than fat is an excellent way to enhance flavor when lowering the fat and salt in recipes.
• Low-fat cooking methods for chicken consist of baking, broiling, simmering, grilling, or roasting. Stir-frying is fine if using only a small amount of oil.

Tips When Buying Ham 

• Hams are available as fully-cooked (most popular and is ready to eat), “cook before eating” (not completely cooked and should be cooked), and country (distinctively flavored, cured).
• Hams are most often sold as either boneless or bone-in. Bone-in hams are marketed whole, in halves, in butt or shank portions, or center cut slices. Boneless are easy to slice, have little or no waste, and are often the best buy although the price is higher. They are sold whole or cut into halves or quarters.
• Canned hams are available either as a whole piece of boneless meat or formed from bits of meat held together with a gelatin mixture (generally the smaller canned ham).
• Choose firm, plump hams that are rosy pink and finely grained. Country hams range in color from pale pink to deep red.

 Storage 

• Store fresh ham in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Cured hams can be kept up to one week in the refrigerator in their original wrapping.
• Canned ham should be stored according to label directions.
• Freezing is not generally recommended for ham because flavor and texture changes, but these changes are minimal if the ham is frozen less than 2 months in an airtight container.

 Preparation 

• Ham can be baked, grilled, sautéed, broiled or simmered.
• Even if a ham is “fully cooked” its flavor is improved by heating.
• Remove all but ¼- to ½ -inch of the fat from the ham before glazing. Cook fat side up so the fat will partially melt as the meat roasts and will self-baste.
• If ham is not cooked, cook at 325ºF to an internal temperature of 160ºF.
• If reheating ham, internal temperature should be 140ºF—about 8 to 10 minutes per pound in a 325ºF oven.

 Miscellaneous 

• Don’t worry about the iridescence on the surface of ham—it’s simply a reaction some curing agents have to air and light.
• A ham bone should always be saved for later use. Simply freeze to flavor soups, stews, beans or broth.
• Left over ham? Enjoy grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Try Cranberry Sauce with Victoria Taylor’s Pie Seasoning instead of mayonnaise or mustard.

What to Bring to all those Holiday Parties?

1. BBQ & Grill Trio

Includes Cinnamon Chile Rub, New Orleans Seasoning and Kansas City Seasoning.

 2. Exotic Blends Trio

Includes Moroccan Seasoning, Curry and Smoky Paprika Chipotle Seasoning.

3. Cooks Daily Trio

Includes Toasted Onion Herb, Sicilian Seasoning and Texas Red Seasoning.

4. Seafood Trio

Includes Ginger Citrus Seasoning, Seafood Seasoning and Toasted Sesame Ginger Seasoning.

5. Fall/Holiday Trio

Includes Holiday Seasoning, Mulling Spices and Pie Spices.

6. Dipping Oil Trio

Includes Mediterranean Seasoning, Tuscan Seasoning and Herbes de Provence.