Ode to an ale

 

In my mind, there is no ginger ale other than Vernors.  Don’t try to give me Schweppes or Seagram’s or Canada Dry.  All other ales pale against this oldest surviving American soft drink.  The nose buzzing beverage and beloved tummy tamer still uses the very same formula created some century and a half ago by James Vernor - a pharmacist in Detroit, Michigan. (Even though I’m from Ohio, I have to give props to Detroit.  Great things come from that part of the state.)

      

Now I live on the West Coast, and it can be hard to find this coveted childhood favorite.  But, when I do, I drink it over crushed ice…or cook with it.

I’ve heard fine chefs say never include in ones ingredients a wine one wouldn’t want to drink.  I think the same holds true for ginger ale.  I’d like to share two recipes – one I’ve made for years and one I made up last night.  Both feature the slightly sweet, gingery, barrel aged taste of Vernors.

 

The first – Vernors Carrots – is an adapted Alton Brown recipe and a popular side-dish in this house.

Ingredients

-1C Vernors Ginger Ale

-1lb baby carrots

-2T salted butter

Instructions

Add carrots, butter, and Vernors to a sauté pan with lid.  Bring to a simmer, uncovered.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes.  Pierce largest carrot with a toothpick to check for doneness.  When desired tenderness is reached, remove the lid and turn the heat on high.  Continue tossing the carrots in the liquid until mixture is reduced and coats the carrots with a gorgeous glaze (about 5 minutes more).  Serve immediately.

The second – Vernors Chicken – is a Good Cooker original.  I made it last night on a whim and it was amazing.  I will certainly be whipping it up again – after I buy more Vernors.

Ingredients

1C Vernors Ginger Ale     

2lbs chicken legs (or bone-in thighs)

1/2C orange juice

1/4C soy sauce

1/2 t white pepper

3cloves minced fresh garlic

Place chicken in lidded pan large enough to accommodate one layer (I used my new enameled cast iron Dutch oven – it holds 6qts and weighs in at just over 15lbs – yikes).  Combine Vernors, orange juice, soy sauce, pepper and garlic and pour mixture over chicken.  Bring to a simmer, uncovered.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for one hour.  Remove chicken from pan and arrange on serving plate.  Cover with foil. Reduce liquid to a thick glaze over high heat.  Brush or spoon onto plated chicken legs.  Serve immediately.  

Rival Roaster Rules!

I’ve always wanted a kitchen with two ovens – or, two ovens in my kitchen.  Whichever.  I find it frustrating when I have to remove the roast to put the side dishes back in my single oven or take out the lasagna to bake the bread...and so on.  Until I get a spare 10 grand to remodel the eatery – 20 if I get the custom granite countertops I saw at IKEA - it ain’t gonna happen.

 

In the meantime, my 12yo daughter has inadvertently come up with a temporary solution to the problem.  On Christmas morning this year she proudly slid the biggest box under the tree over to me.  She said she saved her money to buy something “that I really needed.”  Inside, I was surprised to find a 22 quart Rival brand roaster oven.  My grandmothers each had one, and my mother too – but me?  I hadn't even considered owning one.

But, now that I too had one, I used it.  For New Year’s Day, I loaded it up with a big brined turkey (1c salt/2gal water/12hours).  The instructions said to cook it for 13-19 minutes per pound at 375 degrees.  For my 16-pounder, this meant it would be done in as little as 3.5 hours or as long as 6.  I decided to compromise and check it at 4.  I was shocked to find it done – maybe even a little too done, as the upper parts of the legs looked a little crisp.  Nevertheless, the skin was golden hued and the meat was as tender and juicy as any turkey I’d ever cooked before – in far less time.

A few weeks later, I brined a 5lb local family farm raised pork shoulder roast (.25c salt/2qt water/2 hours) and roasted it at 350 degrees at 25-30 minutes a pound.  Again – done in record time, tender and juicy.  For the final test, I set one of my local family farm raised, grass fed beef roasts I’d coated with fresh ground black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on the rack and added a cup of red wine to the bottom of the roaster.  Not only did it produce a tender juicy result but also gave me a cup of tasty pan drippings for a fine gravy.  I was amazed.

Now, I wanted to try poultry again – without nearly overcooking it - so I brined a whole chicken (1c salt/1 gal water/1 hour) and rubbed it with softened butter and chopped fresh sage (2T butter/1T sage) from my Aerogarden.  On a whim, I added 1c of white wine to the bottom of the roaster as well.  An hour later (15mins/pound at 350 degrees) – just one measly hour - I had a roast chicken Betty Crocker would be proud of.  The skin wasn’t as golden as I would have liked – I blame the steam from the wine, but the pan drippings were richly flavored and made the most delicious gravy (and, maybe it's bad, but I used some of the butter and chicken fat from my drippings to roast the locally grown blue potatoes I served alongside the chicken - they were amazing!).

Now, I still want to redo my kitchen – gas cooktop, revamped pantry, new and improved vent fan so I don’t set off the smoke detector when I use the broiler - but I’m completely sold on my roaster.  It remains unRivaled.