27 Jul Ranch Hand Foods Caribbean Jerk Extra Hot BBQ Rub
Review by Michael Elias
Product: Ranch Hand Foods Caribbean Jerk Extra Hot BBQ Rub
Location of Manufacture: Croydon, Victoria
Ingredients: Spices, Onion, Sugar, Garlic
Review: When most people think of the Caribbean and herbs it’s not the type used for cooking that generally comes to mind(unless you’re making special “brownies” that is) but they are also famous for the manner in which they use herbs in spicing their meats. The most famous of these is the Caribbean or Jamaican Jerk which traditionally is a hot spice rub that is predominantly made up of scotch bonnet chilli peppers and allspice, among other ingredients. Ranch Hand Foods has done a fine job in getting the spice mix just right. You can certainly taste the allspice, thyme and cinnamon. The heat from the chilli peppers is also at a very good level. Lots of heat but not to the detriment of the rest of the rub. The recommendation on the shaker is to add the same amount of spice mix with the same amount of oil. In tasting this I followed it to the letter and although the recipe recommends pork I have seen it used on chicken as well, so for this test I tried it on chicken thighs. These are best suited on the barbecue but you can grill them in the pan, just make sure it’s a deep pan so the oil doesn’t spit up everywhere. The aromas from the cooking are simply delicious and the spiciness is just right for this type of rub. The addition of lime juice at the end as per the recommendations of Ranch Hand Foods really ties it altogether rather nicely. On my heat scale it’s a 9 out of 10.
Verdict: Ranch Hand Foods Caribbean Jerk Extra Hot BBQ Rub is an excellently made spice rub that when made with the serving suggestions and combined with the right meat tastes sublime. The balance between heat, spice and sweet flavours is perfect in my opinion and I would highly recommend it. It will go really well cooked on a gas or charcoal barbecue or grilled in deep pan. It also matches well with chicken or pork however you can probably experiment with fish or lamb as an alternative. My final score is a huge chilli 9.5 out of 10.
Mike’s Serving Suggestion(as pictured): Caribbean Jerk Chicken Thighs Pan Fried, Served with a Squeeze of Lime over a Lime Dressed Coleslaw.
