Meat & Poultry

If you’re looking for a Caribbean style Curry Chicken with rich flavors of spices, deep hints of herbs and a gravy that could compete with the best sauces at the gravy Olympics (if such a thing existed), you’ve found such a recipe. Did I mention that it’s a quick dish to whip up? Masala Chicken is the dignified older brother of the basic curry chicken. Follow along and all will be revealed.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken (bones, fat and skin removed)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1 medium tomato (diced)
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
3 tablespoon olive oil
8-12 cloves garlic (divided)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 shallot (diced)
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground roast geera (cumin)
1 tablespoon Anchar Masala
2 tablespoon chopped parsley (cilantro or shado beni will be better)

3/4 cup water to cook off the curry

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may contain flour as a filler. Remember to use as much scotch bonnet as you can handle and don’t include any seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds (unless you like the raw heat). Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

I used boneless chicken thighs which were cut into 1.5 – 2 inch pieces. Season with the Caribbean Green seasoning, salt, black pepper, ketchup and tomato. Allow to marinate for about an hour. The acidity of the ketchup and tomato will help to balance the overall flavors of the dish. Plus help in getting a thick sauce or gravy at the end.

During the warm months in Canada I try cook outdoors as much as I can, as being cooped-up during the winter months can be taxing on your mind and well-being. Today you’ll see me cook on my outdoor stove on HIGH heat! Feel free to use your indoor stove.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot (I used a classic Caribbean dutchie) on high heat and immediately go in with 1/2 the garlic, onion and shallots. Cook for 25-35 seconds then add the curry powder of your choice. Cook for a minute or 2, then add the water and stir well. The first step was to bloom the spices which made up the curry powder, this step will cook off the rawness of the curry.

Add the Geera and Anchar Masala at this point, so they also get to cook and be part of this rich masala./curry base.

The slurry will now cook down and you’ll see the oil you started off with. Time to now add the seasoned chicken and stir well to coat and degalze the bottom of the pot. All this time my heat is on high. But be mindful that you can burn things easily – so you can go with medium-high if you’re overly concerned.

The chicken will sprout it’s own natural juices. Cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, so you develop those rich flavors we spoke about, cook the chicken through and achieve a lovely gravy in the process. If you find you’re running out of liquid, you can add a bit of water. At this point is where you’ll add the remaining garlic as well.

I didn’t cover my pot in case you’re wondering. As I turned off the heat I went in with the finely chopped parsley. Here is where you can taste for salt and adjust accordingly and cook the gravy to the consistency you want.

This Masala Chicken will be something requested by your family and friends on the regular – be prepared! Since we used small boneless pieces of chicken the cook time is quick and by using the thighs (dark meat) you’ll find that it assists in the overall flavor of the finished dish.

Meat & Poultry

Comforting Oxtail Stew.

June 10, 2020June 9, 2020Leave a Comment

Yea… another recipe you won’t traditionally find in the Caribbean, but with my luv for oxtails, you know I have several recipes in my arsenal (and willing to share). So I dedicate this recipe to my friends who appreciate oxtails, but more importantly… delicious and comforting one-pot meals.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs oxtails (cut 1 1 1/2 inch)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 scallions (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (smashed)
8 sprigs thyme (divided)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 allspice berries
1/3 cup Port (sweet, red, fortified wine from Portugal)
4 turnips (cubed)
3 medium red onion
2 carrots (sliced)
2 parsnips (cubed)
15-20 button mushrooms
1 lb baby potato
2 cups cubed pumpkin
3/4 tablespoon salt
8-10 cups beef stock
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
top with chopped parsley

Important! Try to get your butcher to cut (band saw) the oxtails for you as the bones are very tough. I’d also recommend trimming off as much fat as you can from it and discard. Feel free to wash the pieces of oxtails with cool water and the juice of a lime or lemon, then pat dry with paper towels
before dusting in flour.

In a big (deep) heavy pot (one that’s oven proof) add the oil on a medium flame, dust the oxtail pieces in flour and into the pot to brown. Please do it in batches as if they’re too close together it will cause steam and the oxtail will release it’s liquid and star boiling. Note – as the meat shrinks as it brown, it will not make proper contact with the hot oil, so browning at that point can be challenging. 3-4 minutes per side, then set aside in a bowl.

In the same pot (oxtails now removed) on a low flame, add the celery, scallions, garlic, thyme (1/2) for 3 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil if necessary.

Add the tomato paste and stir well to coat the bottom of the pot and develop it’s natural sugars. Go in with the black pepper and continue cooking on low for 2-3 minutes.

Add the bay leaves along with the pimento berries (allspice) and de-galze with the Port (use red wine if you wish).. scrape the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil.

2-3 minutes later it’s time to add the browned oxtails and any accumulated juices. Stir well and crank up the heat to med/high. Coat the oxtail pieces with all that goodness. Preheat the oven to 350 F

Now it’s time for the ‘body’ of the stew so toss in the potatoes, carrots, onions, parsnips, turnip, sweet potato and pumpkin (please cubed them LARGE as we will cook in the oven for a long time and we want to maintain some texture when it’s done).

For more flavor, add the salt, beef stock, remaining thyme and Worcestershire sauce. For a little sweetness, you can add a teaspoon of brown sugar (not mentioned in the ingredient list).

Bring to a boil (on the stove top), put the lid on, then onto the middle rack of the oven.

2 1.2 hours later and the oxtails were fully cooked and tender, BUT be mindful that depending on the age of your oxtail (animal when it was butchered), it can be TOUGH and may require another 30 – 60 minutes of cooking. So this is where you test it, adjust the salt to your liking and thicken (cook with the lid off) if necessary.

I think I stirred it 2 times during the time in the oven and yes, you can add some heat with some dried pepper flakes or Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet) if you want a little kick.

Top with the parsley and enjoy! A delicious one-pot dish that’s comforting and filling.

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Garlic Pork.

May 27, 2025May 27, 20204 Comments

Yea ULTIMATE may be a bit bold, but if you’ve had time to go though the series of recipes I title as being “ultimate”, you’ll understand. While this is a “Christmas or holiday” dish in the Caribbean (wherever there’s a Portuguese influence), there’s no reason why you cannot rock this for your family on the regular. All you need is a little patience for the pork to marinate and take on the wonderful seasoned garlic flavor.

You’ll Need..

2 scallions
2 head of garlic (20-24 cloves)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
5-8 bird’s eye peppers (any pepper you have or like using)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4-6 pimento peppers (seasoning peppers)
10-12 sprigs thyme
bacon fat (or any type of oil or fat you would like to use).
3 1/2 – 5 lbs pork
Juice of a lemon to wash the pork
white vinegar (2-3 cups)

Wash and drain the herbs, peppers and garlic.

Rough chop the scallions, peppers, garlic and parsley. Then put the the chopped stuff along with the salt, sugar and pulse in your food processor or blender. You will need to scrape down the side… nice chunky consistency. Should you not have a machine, give everything a fine chop with your knife.

Cut the pork (something with a marble – fat) into strips. (cheap cut of pork) Wash with cool water and lemon juice (drain)

In a glass container, toss in a tablespoon of the puree, then 2 sprigs the thyme, then pork.. repeat until it’s all in the jar in layers. We use a glass container so the acid and pungent garlic flavor will not make your fridge smelly. If your glass jar got a metal lid, place a bit of plastic wrap on the underside of the lid, so the vinegar mixture doesn’t cause it to rust.

Top with vinegar, stir and seal. Make sure it’s covered in the vinegar and into the fridge for at least 5 days.

After 5 days! I then decided to add a bit more flavor.. I browned 1/2 lb of bacon in a dry pan and saved the fat. Bacon was for breakfast. Use smoked bacon for best flavors… this one was apple-wood smoked.

Remove the marinated pork out of the fridge and drain. Give it a quick shake and cut into bite size pieces.

Yes, it’s ok to have some of the marinade still on the pieces of pork. You will need to pat the pieces of pork dry with paper towels before frying or you’ll risk having to deal with splattering fat.

I like cutting into pieces before frying as I find I get more crispy edges and a juicy center. You can fry the pork in the original long strips and cut into bite size pieces later should you choose.

Use a pot with a high side, so the splatter will not burn you or get your stove messy. Heat the bacon fat on a medium heat and fry until golden. Flip so all the sides will brown evenly. About 10-12 minutes in total.

Drian on paper towels.

As mentioned above, this is usually served with Plait Bread on Christmas morning in places like Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. However I make sandwiches all year with this as I refuse to be bound by seasons.

Meat & Poultry

Coconut Stewed Breadfruit With Sweet Potato & Salted Pigtails

May 27, 2025May 20, 20206 Comments

Here’s yet another classic way to put breadfruit to use as did our ancestors. I still recall the scent of the salted pigtails stewing in freshly made coconut milk, just before mom would load the pot with ‘full’ (meaning mature, but not ripe) breadfruit. However she would add a layer of baby dasheen bush leaves to the top. Giving the dish more body and flavor… allowing for better ‘steaming’.

You’ll Need…

4 lb Breadfruit (peeled, cored & cut into segments)
4 med sweet potatoes (cut in 1/2)
2 lbs salted pigtails (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
2 tablespoons Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
1 medium tomato (diced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 scallion (diced)
5 sprigs thyme
4 slices ginger
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
4 Bird’s Eye Pepper
1 tablespoon parsley (I finished it at the end with this)
1 lemon or lime (juice)

Wash the cut salted pigtails (get your butcher to do so as it can be tough), then into a deep pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rolling boil and cook 30-40 minutes. Then drain, rinse and set aside. This step helps to tenderize the pigtails and help remove some of the salt it was cured in.

Peel the sweet potato and breadfruit in the meantime (watch the video below). Cut the sweet potato into 1/2 and after coring the breadfruit (soft center), slice into thick wedges.

How to peel and core a breadfruit << Click To Watch The Video!

Leave the prepped sweet potato and breadfruit covered with water so they don’t discolor.

The salted pigtails should be ready now (drained / cool), so it’s time to season it with the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning (1 tablespoon), onion and tomato. Mix well and get ready to stew.

In a larger heavy pot, heat the oil on a medium/high flame and add the sugar. It will melt, go frothy and (pay attention now as you DON’T want
it to go black) it will go amber in color. As soon as this happens, add the seasoned pig tails to the pot and stir. Watch the video below to follow along as this step can be a bit tricky. If you allow the sugar to go black.. STOP. Cool the pot, wash and start over.

Turn the heat down to low and put the lid on for 4-5 minutes (to allow the flavors to develop). Then remove the lid, crank up the heat and add the coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer as we add the pieces of the breadfruit and sweet potato (so we don’t have a vigorous boil going to potentially burn us). Try to coat everything with the rich coconut sauce, then add the scallions, bird’s eye pepper (I didn’t cut them as I wanted the flavor from the skin and not more heat), garlic and scotch bonnet pepper.

Bring back to a boil, add the thyme and the remaining Caribbean Green Seasoning, then reduce to low (pot covered) and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust, I didn’t have to add any as the residual salt from the pig tails was enough for me. You will notice that the coconut milk wasn’t enough to completely cover the breadfruit, but by covering the pot, the steam created will help it go tender. You will need to stir it a couple times during cooking. It will fall apart a bit so try to be a bit gentle.

Top with the chopped parsley and get ready to enjoy a dish which is hearty and VERY comforting to Caribbean people. Serve with a side salad and/or slices of avocado. Remove the Bird’s Eye Peppers before serving, unless you have someone who enjoys them.

Meat & Poultry

Incredible Curry Beef With Potato.

May 27, 2020May 19, 2020Leave a Comment

Curry Beef With Potato! Can Caribbean food get any better? Fork tender pieces of beef, potatoes falling apart to form a rich and thick gravy, the overall flavors of curry, herbs and the gentle kick of Caribbean Sunshine (scotch bonnet). Need I say more?

You’ll Need…

3 lbs stewing beef (cubed)
1/2 lemon (juice)
3/4 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tomato (diced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Amchar Massala
1 tablespoon olive oil (for seasoning the beef)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
2 tablespoon veg or olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
6-8 cloves garlic (diced)
2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup water
6 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4’s)
3 cups water
1-2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

NOTE! I used boneless beef, but pieces with bones will give you a better flavor to the dish. With that in mind I added some oil to the beef when I seasoned it, to compensate for the lack of fat. Additionally (important) If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the complete list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use as some may contain flour as a filler. Use as much (or none) Scotch Bonnet as you like.

Cut the beef into 1-1.5 inch pieces and wash with lemon juice and cool water. Drain dry and season with the salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, scotch bonnet, olive oil (1 tablespoon), tomato and Amchar Masala. Stir well and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. If you can’t source Amchar Masala, use roasted ground cumin.

Heat your pot (something heavy works best IMHO) on a medium flame, go in with the 2 tablespoon veg (or olive) oil, turn the heat down to low and add the onion and garlic. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes. As it cooks, add the curry powder to the 1/4 cup of water and stir to form a slurry (set aside).

Add the curry slurry to the pot (heat on medium now) and stir. Cook for about 3-4 minutes to cook off the rawness of the curry and to bloom the spices which makes up a good curry powder. It will go dark and start to clump.

Turn the heat to medium / high now and start adding the seasoned beef to the pot. Stir to coat and pick up the curry base we created. Yes, you can add the marinade to the pot too. In the same bowl you marinated the beef, add the water and stir (set aside for later).

Place a lid on the pot (once it comes to a boil), heat down to low and cook for about 10-12 minutes.

Remove the lid, crank the heat up to high to burn off all the liquid it would have sprouted naturally. It may take up to 5 -7 minutes to get back to the oil we started off with (at the bottom of the pan).

Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Then add the water we had reserved in the bowl. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, lid on and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the beef is tender.

Taste for salt and adjust and get the gravy to the consistency you like (cook longer if it’s too thin). If the beef is not tender, you may need to cook on low for 30 minutes more. Add more water if necessary. Toss in the cilantro as you turn off the heat.

This curry beef with potato is an excellent way to put cheaper cuts of beef to use. Adding the potatoes is a means of stretching this dish to feed more people… something mom would do when we were kids and she had to feed the entire family.

Meat & Poultry

Phenomenal Honey Oven Jerk Chicken.

May 27, 2025May 15, 20202 Comments

Following up on the Outstanding Honey Jerk Marinade I shared a couple weeks back, I thought it was only appropriate that I show you how to put it to use. While I did this version in the oven (it was the middle of winter when I documented the recipe), you can also rock this on your outdoor grill this BBQ season.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Honey Jerk Marinade (divided)
2-3 tablespoon Honey (I used raw organic)
1 lime (juice)

In a large bowl with the cleaned chicken, add the lime juice, salt and 3/4 cup of the Honey Jerk Marinade. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours – overnight will give best results. Feel free to put this in a strong zipper bag.

Pre-heat your oven to 375 F and line your baking tray with parchment or foil to make cleanup easier when you’re done. I also sprayed some baking spray on the wire rack I was using (so the chicken won’t stick), Yes, I recommend using a wire rack if you got one, as it will allow the oven’s hot air to circulate the chicken, cooking it evenly.

When you place the marinated chicken on the rack, try to have some space between each piece. Then into that 375 F oven onto the middle rack. 30 minutes later, flip them over and cook for another 20 minutes.

Mix the honey with the reserved honey jerk marinade, to intensify the honey flavor in the completed jerk chicken.

After 50 minutes remove the chicken from the oven, put the oven to 400 F and brush on some of the honey/jerk marinade. Back into the oven for 20 minutes, brushing on the sort of glaze every 5 minutes. So a total of 2 times on each side of the chicken pieces.

Then to give it that punch of color I went in for 3 minutes on the “Broil” setting (550 F) – be mindful to keep an eye at this point as the high heat and sugars in the glaze could BURN easily.

At no point did I cover these with foil, in case you’re wondering. Yes any cut of chicken will work, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time according to the size of each piece. The drippings under the rack will also be DYNAMITE!