FOR TRADITIONAL BARBECUE, CONTEMPORARY SMOKED FOOD, & GRILLED DISHES
We’ve made our own tea bastes in the past, often using smoky Lapsang Souchong tea for tea-smoked chicken or duck in particular. Playing around with chai concentrate, we discovered it bundles flavors fast and efficiently. It’s faultless on that tea-smoked duck, but just as delectable on grilled chicken breasts or thighs. Almond oil will give the baste a hint of buttery nuttiness, but if you don’t have it, you can get by with a neutral vegetable oil.
The Chai Splash basting recipe offers a unique twist to traditional marinades and sauces, infusing the warmth and depth of chai flavors into your grilled or smoked poultry dishes. Chai, a fragrant blend of spices often associated with tea, takes on a new role as a basting liquid, creating a distinctive taste profile that is sure to captivate your palate.
This baste starts with a base of packaged chai concentrate, such as the well-known Tazo brand. The convenience of a pre-made concentrate saves you time without compromising on flavor. To achieve the desired strength of chai flavor, the concentrate is diluted with water. This step allows you to fine-tune the taste according to your preference while ensuring that the bold chai essence remains intact.
A tablespoon of almond oil or vegetable oil is added to the mix, introducing a subtle layer of richness that complements the chai blend. This oil also serves to enhance the basting process, ensuring that the flavors of the chai-spiced baste cling to the poultry as it cooks over an open flame or within a smoker.
As you grill or smoke your poultry, the Chai Splash baste becomes a transformative element, enveloping the meat with the intricate combination of chai’s signature spices. Regular applications of the baste throughout the cooking process ensure that the flavors continue to develop, resulting in a dish that is not only tender and succulent but also carries the aromatic charm of chai.
Chai Splash offers an innovative way to elevate your grilling and smoking endeavors, infusing your poultry with an enticing symphony of spices. Whether you’re preparing for a casual barbecue or a special gathering, the Chai Splash baste introduces a fusion of familiar and exotic tastes that are bound to intrigue and delight those who partake in your culinary creations.
MAKES: ABOUT 3 CUPS
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups packaged chai concentrate, such as Tazo
- About 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon almond oil or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pour the chai concentrate into a small saucepan. Taste the concentrate and adjust the flavor as needed by stirring in water to dilute it to a desired level that is still robust in taste.
- Stir in the almond oil or vegetable oil to the mixture.
- Heat the liquid in the saucepan before you plan to use it initially, and keep it warm over low heat between basting sessions.
- Apply the chai-spiced baste to the poultry while grilling or smoking. For grilling, apply the baste once or twice during the cooking process. For smoking, apply the baste about once an hour as the poultry cooks, ensuring the flavors infuse into the meat.
