Turkey Leg and Poultry Seasoning Recipe Gluten-Free

We take our legs seriously at Big Fat Daddy's

In my previous post I talked about how to grill your turkey legs on your barbecue pit or smoker. I received some questions about what types of seasonings to use. I am happy to share two gluten-free recipes we have tried and enjoyed.  In fact you could use these for chicken or poultry of any type.  I have been known to use this on chicken kabobs also. These are two recipes you can make at home that are super tasty!

Note: these are only for unsalted turkey legs-if you are buying presmoked legs they are most likely salted and we suggest omitting the salt out of each recipe if you are using those!

Turkey Day Dry Rub
The first is a dry rub seasoning that you can either sprinkle on your legs the night before or sprinkle on during cooking. This should be enough to sparingly sprinkle onto the shanks of 6 average sized turkey legs.

2 tbsp Sage
1 tsp fine sea salt  (Or you may omit this if paleo diet)
1 tsp fine black pepper
1 tsp dill
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
***You may wish to omit the garlic powder and sage in exchange for 2 tbsp Bells Powder.

Tip: If you are sprinkling during cooking sprinkle only on the large parts and use half prior to flipping, then sprinkle the other half. We recommend apple wood on an open pit for optimum flavor.

Hickory Brown Sugar Liquid Basting Seasoning

(Covers 4 to 6 legs) This should be mixed and brushed on as soon as legs go on the grill.

1 tbsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup sweet hickory bbq sauce- we like Sweet Baby Ray's for home use.
1/8 cup water

Tip: Sometimes we make two batches, so we can brush on another batch at 3/4 done.  Make sure if you are doing this that you use a new cup to mix in and a new brush, or thoroughly wash your brush from the first application so as not to cross contaminate.

Optional Method: We have mixed the dry ingredients first and marinated them overnight. Then brushed on the liquid part when 3/4 done.

I hope you'll send me some pictures of you grilling with this so I can post them up. When we sell our legs at fairs we use our special secret dry rub, so make sure to look for us at your county fair.  Read all my gluten-free recipes here.

Sun Dried Tomato Aussie Steak Wrap Recipe from Big Fat Daddy's

This is our healthy take on lean beef and salad, in a wrap!  We have our great Aussie beef wrap recipe made with sun dried tomato dressing posted on Tom Corson Knowles' health food site here.  Make sure to read it.

GLUTEN FREE VERSION: Use our recipe to a "T"and nix the wheat wrap. Just have the steak upon salad form and it will be scrumptious!

Either way, it's delicious and we thank Tom for having us on.

You may also wish to check out:

Australian Beef Recipes: Aussie Meat and Video

Could you tell the difference?

Folks looked at me like I was crazy when, a few years, back, I boycotted the big chain American beef industry due to unnecessary growth hormones. I'm American just like the next guy, and I do love a big fat cow, but I don't want to be passing unhealthy hormones onto my customers. I understand the farmer has to make a living and he wants the biggest, baddest cows, but someone has to say enough is enough. I used to not have a choice and they had my b*lls to a wall as I told them here, in the Baltimore Sun paper. 


I believe in supporting the American farmers and local economy and sure I love a juicy cow just like the next guy. Sometimes these hormones interfere with our kids and how they grow and that I don't like. Even when they aren't dumping them into the cow food you have to be careful if they are using harmful chemicals on the grains or grass they are feeding them. So, I turned to organic farmers. Locally they couldn't keep up with the demand I needed to do my county fairs. I could get it from four to six sources per week, but truth be told they like selling in small quantities to local stores, markets and small butches as specialized meats --for them this is the best profit on it, and rightfully so.  Can't say I blame them.  I was ready to give up until my food guy tipped me off to Australian beef.

First of all, it's not kangaroo; it's real succulent beef from cows! Now mind you, this was before Australian beef prices skyrocketed mind you, before it was hip and in style. Fast forward to now, it's in DC restaurants for $50 per tiny fillet. I guess they caught on. This was when no one wanted anything to do with it but me. I was getting this stuff shipped into my food guy, for 3/4 of the price I paid for American growth hormone infested bottom round and it was healthier and better quality.

I put it to the grill and taste test before serving it to my customers. I have to say the texture was different but I felt the taste a bit different. Even though I used my same dry rub seasoning blend and grilled it, it almost melted in my mouth. Why? Australia has about 800 beef farms, that do nothing but let cattle roam in green pastures . Most cattle are normally green pasture-fed. Not grain fed like here. Therefore they are eating natural green grass. The end result is a fat ass cow whose beef is leaner, less in saturated fat content, and better for you. They say it contains better fats including Omega 3. Did you know that the Australian Health Council tells their country to eat this yummy stuff at least four times a week? No worries of heart disease from beef there.

This is thinly sliced bottom round, even after grilling to death there are some fatty pocket remaining.

Now, I primarily use bottom round, so I can't speak on other cuts but I can only imagine since the rest of the world is in love with this at five star restaurants that it's following the same pattern. Immediately I noticed a difference from American cow.

The fat that lies inside the Australian meat itself is so nill that it almost disintegrates when grilled.

Australian beef has tiny spider like veins of white lines which may be tiny vessels of fat that melt away when you grill it at high temperatures. It appeared to be almost fat-free when I was done searing it on my open bbq pit with hickory wood. American beef his large pockets of fat that sometimes I must trim off, and even if I try to grill it some of it becomes chewy and you can see it on some of the beef when sliced thin.  Maybe I just got lucky, but according to the Aussie website, I think this is the way it is!

Now I'm happy to say more American farmers are jumping on the hormone free bandwagon, some using less growth hormones and some more mindful of the chemicals used in treating grass and pastures. I still suggest you try to get your hands on some Aussie beef and grill it if you haven't tried it yet.  

Special thanks to one of our Aussie fans for wishing us a Happy 30th Birthday (Aussie Style):





Here's a  few of my favorites ways to eat it --based on using a bottom round roast that may weigh about 12 lbs average, and sectioning it into three hunks that average around 4 lbs each. Slightly larger or slightly smaller is okay too.

GLUTEN FREE - The Aussie American Get it On Roast

Marinate with dry rub seasoning of choice for 48 hours. Set into a casserole dish with 3/4" water in bottom
Add 1cup each of diced celery, and diced carrots spread around the roast.
Add 2 cups of diced red potatoes skin on spread around the roast.
Add 1/2c of diced yellow onion spread around the roast.
Pour 1/4 cup of lite Italian dressing on top the roast, and 1/4 cup spread around the veggies.  (*must be Lite!)
Make sure the water just covers the veggies, if not add a smidge. Bake one in oven on 325 low and slow until veggies are done, temping meat to safe temperature.
Once done, slice with carving knife and eat as roast and veggie dinner.
Tell me what you think.


The two below are not gluten free, but you can make them gluten free by omitting the bread!

The Sweet and Hickory Craky Aussie Sandwich

Marinate a small roast with dry rub seasoning of choice for 48 hours.
Grill on hickory wood reaching safe temperature.
Slice thin and add paper thin slices of lightly grilled white onions and sweet peppers.
Try some hickory sweet bbq sauce and one dash of mayo and horsey sauce on a fresh roll .
Tell me what you think.

The Aussie Au Jus' Big Dipper

Marinate with dry rub seasoning of choice for 48 hours. Bake one in oven casserole putting 1/2" water in bottom of pan and thinly sliced onions (yellow or white).
Cook on slow at 325 degrees until it's at safe temperature internally.
Remove to rest on a tray while you harvest the au' jus. If the au' jus is too think add a bit of water but not much.
Slice thinly and place on a fresh sub roll, top with the onions from the pan and have your au' jus to dip.
Tell me what you think.
 
Buy our top secret dry rub here.

Recipe: Chicken Soup Tribute to Ray Rice Keep Warm on Game Day

With our without rice, our chicken soup is nice!

Since our beloved Ravens are off to the AFC championship game, we decided to break out our Chicken Soup w/ Rice recipe. Using this with or without Rice is nice...but for the Baltimore Ravens  Rice is a must.  This chicken soup will yield you approximately 12 - 6 oz servings, more or less depending on how much water you add.  This should keep you warm on game day!

You will need:
Five frozen skinless chicken breasts
**1 Cup of Chicken Stock (Use 1.5 to 2 times this if you use the optional rice to this recipe)
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of basil (you can substitute Italian Seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon dill
5 medium to large carrots
1/4 yellow onion
6 stalks of celery
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste


Optional: For Non-Gluten Free recipe add 1 cup Rice cooked in another pot while you are doing the rest of this: 


Begin:
In a 6 qt stock pot with lid simmer your frozen chicken breasts on medium-high covered with 6 to 8 cups or water (more if needed - only to the top of the breasts.) Cook covered while you chop and dice your veggies.

Veggie Prep: 
Slice your carrots thin. Dice your onions small.  Cut your celery into 1/4" to 1/2" slices, and chop the leaves, we recommend you use the leaves also.  Place in a bowl awaiting transfer into stock pot.

When your chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees, remove breasts to cutting board area, with caution as they are hot. Leave existing broth to simmer down to one inch of water in your stock pot. When existing broth hits one inch, remove lid and turn heat down to medium. 

Now it's time for love... Add your Basil, dill cut celery leaves, butter, salt, pepper, and cut vegetables.  Veggies will start to simmer and existing one inch of water will start to evaporate, if that happens too quick, add enough water only high enough to cover the veggies. Note the veggies are now meshing with the leftover chicken breast stock and love is happening. This should only take a few minutes to get your veggies to half cooked while you are cubing your chicken breasts on the cutting board.

See our tip , we did not use any high sodium chicken stock, but our own frozen leftovers!

Once your cubed breasts are finished, add them back in with chicken stock** and fill to desired level in pot with water (if you use a six quart pot, we suggest filling to at least 4.5 quarts, adding 12 more more cups of water.)  Simmer on low for fifteen minutes, which should yield you a bit under 4 quarts of soup.   Once your soup looks like ours, it's time to serve and enjoy, unless...

OPTIONAL Adding Rice (optional for non-Gluten Free Users): You may wish to add rice. Many chefs add it during the last few minutes of cooking, but due to absorption factor we enjoy cooking our rice cooked in another pan, and adding in once we turn the soup off.  We also suggest using up to two cups of chicken stock and some extra water, as rice tends to absorb this.

**Chicken Stock Tip: My wife swears that you can achieve more by saving and freezing your own chicken stock. Once we are done with our butt chicken carcass, our cooked chicken carcass, or if we have pieces we haven't touched such as wings, legs, thighs, or skin,  she often boils the remains and skin down for at least two hours in five quarts of water. I never used to believe her, but I' starting to. After two hours the remnants are reduced to about a quart of concentrated golden yummy chickeny  stock. Oh yeah, we love that stuff. 

Read all our FREE recipes here.

GO RAVENS!

GO RAY RICE!

LOVE US SOME RAY RAY LEWIS!

Citrus Marinade Rump Roast or Bison Roast Recipe

Here's a citrus marinade secret recipe for your beef, steaks, bison, rump roasts, top rounds, and even game meats !

Citrus Fruit Marination Recipe:

This recipe is for a perfectly grilled:
Rump Roast
Bison Roast
Top Round Roast
Eye Round Roast
Deer Roast

 

Apply this recipe during and prior to grilling: (enough for a jumbo sized brisket, or for 6 steaks)

First you need to make an equivalent of  "1 Bottle Light Italian Dressing"

So here you go: MAKE YOUR OWN DRESSING:

         Make Your Own: 2c Vinegar, 1c Olive Oil, tablespoon fresh chopped Basil, teaspoon fresh chopped Dill, half teaspoon fresh chopped Oregano, fresh chopped garlic (2 cloves, we crush in mortar and pestle or try to grate in cheese grater) sea salt, two to four teaspoons all natural sugar (give it the taste test).  Some may choose to add more or less Italian ingredients to taste.
add this to:
1/4 cup Spring or purified Water
2 small Onions Sliced paper thin (we like red or white)
2 Oranges Sliced Thin (lemons and limes are optional but don't overdo the limes)
1 tsp fresh dill 
1 tbsp fine Sea Salt

For a Citrus Fruit with a Hot Dang Kick 

Add : 1/4 Cup HOT SAUCE, 1 tbsp coarse black pepper


Mix together and let hunk o' beef sit in this mixture overnight. Best to turn once every 12 hours so both sides get coated.  It's proved to be better if you let it soak for two days, but grill on wood charcoal and use all the marinate early on as the marinade may contain beef blood and or juices that will need to cook off.   Discard any leftovers.  You will taste a sweet but savory taste, unlike no other.  This is a gluten free recipe!

See our related post grilling with fruits here.