#FlavorfulFriday – The Smoking Gun Pepper Co Review – Homemade Cowboy Rub Chicken Nuggets

I love black pepper and use it on almost everything. I have always been the person that grabs the black pepper from the table and not the salt.

Black pepper has lots of health benefits:

• Increases nutrient absorption – for example, when you use Turmeric and Black Pepper together the absorption rate of Turmeric is increased 200%!
• Improves digestion – by improving digestion it helps relieve colic, bloating, indigestion, flatulence and constipation
• Stimulates appetite – if you have a poor appetite mix one-half teaspoon of black pepper and one tablespoon of jaggery powder and use until you see improvement
• Aids in weight loss – even though black pepper stimulates your appetite, the outer layer of peppercorns contains phyto-nutrients that break down fat cells
• Clears congestion – black pepper helps loosen phlegm – drink a glass of lukewarm water w/one-half tablespoon black pepper 2-3 times a day;  you can also try steam inhalation from a pot of hot water mixed with some black pepper and eucalyptus oil.

I recently received two samples of black pepper products from The Smoking Gun Pepper Co which is located in Princeton, BC Canada and has come up with a unique process that infuses peppercorns with whiskey, rum and wine! I love black pepper, whiskey, rum & wine so it would make sense that I would love these products and I absolutely do!

I sampled the Whiskey Jack Black Peppercorns first. They come as whole peppercorns (which is how I always buy my pepper), so I put them in my pepper mill and used them first on my morning eggs (which I also use turmeric on). The flavor is not bitter or too strong like some black peppercorns. I think the Whiskey really makes it nice and smooth. It also has a slight smokey flavor but not too strong. You know when you smell black pepper it usually makes you sneeze? Well, not this stuff! I could smell these whiskey infused peppercorns all day lol

I’ve also been using this black pepper in all my recipes too! Anything that calls for black pepper I’m using this delicious stuff!

The next sample I tried was their Smoking Gun Cowboy Rub. Most of you know that another thing I love is coffee! This rub uses dark roasted coffee, sugar and their infused peppercorns. I was trying to think of a recipe to use this on and I’ve always loved coffee rubs on chicken so I thought I would make some homemade chicken nuggets using this rub and they turned out so yummy!

I didn’t exactly measure the ingredients when making this recipe, but here’s what I used:

• Smoking Gun Cowboy Rub mixed with organic panko breadcrumbs in one bowl.
• Olive oil in another bowl.
• Cut up 2 large organic chicken breasts into “nugget” sizes.
• Dip chicken into oil, then into breadcrumb mixture and place on baking sheet
• Bake at 425 until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes (depending on how thick your nuggets are)
• Flip nuggets half way
• Broil for a few minutes getting the outside crispy

Then I served them with sweet potato fries and a side of blue cheese mixed with Frank’s hot sauce.

So yummy! You can really taste the coffee flavor which I love! It’s not overbearing and even my husband really enjoyed it!

The Smoking Gun Pepper Co is a new company and can be found in locations throughout Canada. You can also order directly online and they will ship it to you. Check out their website: The Smoking Gun Pepper Co and let me know which flavors you tried! I can’t wait to try the From the Vines Black Peppercorns and Yo Ho Ho Rum Black Peppercorns!

XO,

Carrie A Groff
-Healthy, Fit & Barefoot!

“Happiness is Barefoot on the Beach!”