Oxtail Seasoning
With a sturdy backbone of concentrated alliums (onion and garlic), a bright flash of herbal celery, and a sharp punch of salt and MSG with a lingering chile smart, think of this as a seasoning salt on steroids. It’s our all-purpose seasoning, good on everything from the expected oxtail to fried fish to eggs to avocado toast. I like to use Grace brand oxtail seasoning, which is readily available online, but if you can’t get your hands on oxtail seasoning, any decent seasoning salt with a bit of heat and herbaceous character will do, including World Spice Merchants’ Voodoo seasoning.
Jerk Sauce
All bright heat, woody spice, and assertive aromatics, jerk is the flavor profile most commonly associated with Jamaica cuisine by the rest of the world.
Pre-made jerk seasonings can be found in powdered, dry rub form, as a pourable, liquid sauce, or as a chunky, spreadable paste reminiscent of Thai red curry paste. They’re an excellent jumpstart to marinades, with the better ones being sufficiently nuanced to incorporate into glazes and pan sauces as well. I highly recommend Grace’s hot jerk seasoning marinade, which contains Scotch bonnet, scallion, salt, sugar, pimento, garlic, black pepper, thyme, vinegar, and various “undisclosed” spices.
