indi chocolate Spice Rubs
February 1, 2016
indi chocolate is a family operated business in Seattle, WA. You can find them on the 5th floor of Pike Place Market where they sell their artisan dark chocolate.
They also sell a variety of products that use chocolate as a vital ingredient. These products range from body lotions, soaps and lip balms, to coffee, tea, and kits to make cacao infused alcoholic beverages!
Recently, indi chocolate sent me a wonderful holiday care package full of their goodies. I like discovering what different companies do with the savory side of chocolate!
When I dove into the box, I found a set of Chocolate Spice Rubs. These rubs can be pressed into meat, sprinkled on seafood or added to sour cream for dips and dressings. When I looked at the indi chocolate website, www.indichocolate.com, I found mouth-watering recipes to go with them.
Cacao Spice Rubs
Hmmm. I have four spice rubs to choose from, where do I begin?
Cacao Seafood: Great on salmon and shrimp or added to sour cream. Cacao, bell pepper, sea salt, coriander, chives, spices.
Cacao Barbecue: Great on ribs, steak, chicken or added to baked beans. Cacao, chili pepper, sea salt, liquid smoke, dextrose, spices.
Cacao Jalapeño: Great on pork, chicken or added to corn bread. Cacao, coriander, sea salt, sage, jalapeno powder, spices.
Cacao Molé: Great on pork, steak, chicken or dusted on fresh corn chips. Cacao, smoked paprika, sea salt, chili powder, Saigon cinnamon, spices.
I decided to start with my own familiar recipes so I could judge how the new flavors compare against my traditional ones. With my son home on winter break, I have the perfect opportunity to make hearty meat dishes. 🙂
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Testing All Four Rubs With a Variety of Meals
First up, pork roast encrusted with Cacao Molé spice rub.
The cacao and cinnamon pair so well together it’s hard not to like this blend from the start. The smoky notes are soft and don’t over power the pork flavor. I really enjoyed this!
Next, roast beef with Cacao Barbecue. I was having a small crowd for dinner so I slow-cooked the beef and shredded it for hot beef on rolls.
The chili pepper and smoke flavors stood up to the strong tasting beef.
I thought the cacao was subdued here, perhaps masked by the combination of smokiness and spice. Note to self -- add more spice rub right before serving to give it a boost.
My next adventure was broiling flounder fillets lightly coated with olive oil and sprinkled with Cacao Seafood.
This is my most favorite spice rub blend! I especially liked how the coriander and chive balance so well with the cacao.
When it comes to seasoning fish, I’ve never ventured much beyond lemon and tarragon, and it never crossed my mind to introduce chocolate.
I admit I was fairly skeptical about how much I would like this blend. For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself absolutely loving this one.
Honestly, I’ve never tasted anything that went to so perfect with seafood!
Cacao Jalapeno was my last spice rub in the set to try.
I frequently make a simple baked chicken dish with diced tomatoes, chilies, and a beloved fajita seasoning I buy from a local spice shop.
I decided to substitute the Cacao Jalapeño for the fajita seasoning. Cacao and hot peppers have a long history of being a winning combination.
I had high hopes that this would turn out to be a success. I was not disappointed! You just can’t go wrong with chocolate and a little heat (don't worry though, this rub is mild). The one thing I noticed is that perhaps I should have added a little more salt with this particular recipe.
But then I tried this rub a second time, putting it on turkey burgers before throwing on the George Foreman indoor grill. With a few slices of avocado, served alongside quinoa, I did not notice a need for any extra salt. If anything, I thought I should have added more of the Jalepeño rub.
As I write this review, there’s a snowstorm heading for the Midwest and I’m reminded that it’s still hot-soup-and-stew-season here in Wisconsin.
I wonder which spice rub I’ll add to my white chicken chili? Or, better yet, I have another thought... I’m looking forward to using these spice rubs during outdoor grilling season!
Enjoy!
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The Cacao Seafood spice rub is also an excellent spice for roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and mushrooms. Delicious!