Caribbean Chicken Stew

This rich, warmly spiced Caribbean Chicken Stew is – without question – one of the most delicious, satisfying, flavorful chicken stews you’ll ever eat!

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This Caribbean Chicken Stew is one of our very favorite family meals! Not only is it easy to make and dependably delicious, but it’s economical too; making it perfect for a gathering of friends or a cozy family meal any night of the week.

A simple buttermilk-jalapeño marinade gives this rich, hearty stew has just the right amount of kick. The long, slow baking time mellows the pepper’s heat, resulting in a thick, savory, mildly spiced chicken stew. (It’s actually more like a nudge than a kick!) If you like things a little more spicy, add an extra jalapeño to the marinade mix.

One of the keys to this recipe is browning the marinated chicken before making the stew – that all adds some serious next-level flavor to an already amazing combination.

Recipe Updated July 2, 2020 (Originally published May 2, 2014)

5 from 5 votes

Caribbean Chicken Stew

This Caribbean Chicken Stew is rich, warmly spiced, and - without question - one of the most delicious, satisfying, and flavorful chicken stews you'll ever eat!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Marinating Time1 hr

Total Time3 hrs 30 mins

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Caribbean

Keyword: chicken, stew

Servings: servings

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade

1½ ounces cilantro about 1 cup chopped; reserve a little extra for garnish
4 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons brown sugar See Notes
1 medium jalapeno pepper rough chopped [Seeds=Spice; remove them if desired. Even with the seeds, the end result is a very mildly spiced stew.]
6 ounces buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoons turns freshly ground pepper

Stew Base

3 pounds chicken pieces bone-in chicken; skinless or skin-on I prefer to use legs & thighs for this recipe.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced root to stem
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons tomato paste ketchup works
½ cup white wine or water
½ ounce fresh ginger grated or minced; about 1½ Tbls
¼ teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Root Vegetables [Use a TOTAL of 3 lbs /1.3kg of any combination of the following.]

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yam peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium plantain sliced in thick rounds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Gather and prep marinade ingredients.
Combine cilantro, garlic, brown sugar, chopped pepper, buttermilk, oil, salt, and pepper in a blender cup.
Process until smooth.
Put the chicken pieces in a large, resealable bag.
Pour marinade over chicken and seal bag.
Squish everything around thoroughly to coat all chicken pieces.
Allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.

Make the Stew

Preheat oven to 375°. Gather and prep stew ingredients.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Use tongs to place chicken pieces in hot oil. Chicken should sizzle and pop immediately. If it doesn't, you need to heat the pan longer.
Brown chicken on two sides, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Brown chicken in batches; do not not crowd the chicken in the pan.
Remove browned chicken pieces from Dutch oven and set aside.
Reserve any marinade left in the bottom of the marinating bag.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add a little additional olive oil if the pot seems too dry.
Add the sliced onions to the hot oil in pot.
In Dutch oven, sauté onions until translucent in whatever is left in the bottom after browning chicken.
To the onions in the Dutch oven; add coconut milk, tomato paste, white wine, grated ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes more, then remove from heat.
Stir reserve marinade into the sauce.
Place chicken pieces back in Dutch oven on top of sauce.
Put the cubed vegetables on top of the chicken. Cover Dutch oven tightly and place in middle of preheated oven.
Cook for 2 hours at 325°F | 163°C. (See Cooking Times in notes)
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove chicken pieces from stew.
(At this point, the vegetables should all be tender, and the chicken should be nearly falling off the bone.)
Carefully toss the cooked vegetables in the sauce at the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Replace the chicken in the stew and serve; alone or over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

Cooking Times: (Longer cooking time will result in more tender chicken and richer stew.)

325°F | 163°C -- 2 hours [Preferred]
350°F | 177°C -- 1½ hours

Root Vegetables: Use a total of 3 lbs /1.3 kg of any combo of potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams (orange or red sweet potatoes), carrots, and plantain.

I strongly suggest using both sweet potatoes and a yam, as they both bring unique properties to the plate.

For the stew pictured here, I used:

1 large sweet potato
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 medium yam*
3 medium carrots

Brown Sugar: Use an additional tablespoon of brown sugar if you do not use a yam.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

DID YOU KNOW? If you live in North American, chances are you’ve never eaten a real yam!

True yams are almost impossible to find in North America! In fact, if you are an American, it’s very likely that you have never eaten a real yam! Real yams originated in and are now mostly commercially grown in Africa. The two top-producing sweet potato states in the nation are North Carolina and California.

If you’re looking for a light, easy side with a little Caribbean flare to serve alongside this incredibly tasty chicken stew, be sure to try out our Caribbean Mango Salad! (Find more delicious side dish recipes here!)

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Grilled Honey Glazed Salmon {with Ginger & Orange}

May 21 By Renée 10 Comments

Fresh ginger and orange make the natural salmon flavor shine in this amazing Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner; fancy enough for a celebration!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

You just can’t beat the taste of freshly grilled salmon! We eat it regularly at our house, and this amazing grilled Honey Glazed Salmon, marinated with fresh ginger and orange, is one of our all-time favorite salmon recipes.

We like to serve this Grilled Honey Glazed Salmon with a fresh green salad and a light side. Pair it with our Carrot-Ginger Dressing and Cranberry-Orange Couscous for perfect a combination!

The prep for this Honey Glazed Salmon is super easy! Just mix up the marinade and let your salmon fillet soak in it for at least an hour (and up to 24), then throw it on the grill. If you prep the night before, you can have an elegant meal on the table in just 20 minutes!

Tips for Buying Salmon

Fresh salmon should be firm, and have a deep “salmon” color.
Salmon meat should have a slight sheen and appear somewhat translucent. It should spring back when touched.
Cuts should be smooth, without obvious gaps. (Gaps and separations in the muscle fibers are a sign of old fish.)
Packages should be airtight, with no visible liquid.
Salmon’s fish odor should be mild, fresh, and pleasant. If it smells “fishy,” keep looking.
Whenever possible, choose wild caught salmon over farmed salmon. The health benefits of wild-caught salmon are well-documented.

Grill Tips for Perfect Honey Glazed Salmon

Keep salmon refrigerated until ready to cook.
Keep salmon skin intact while grilling. The skin will help it stay together and keep the salmon meat from curling on the grill.
Grill fish 3-5 inches from heat, 4-6 minutes per ½ thickness.
If you must turn your salmon while grilling, do so only once. (Fillets under 3/4-inch do not need to be flipped on a closed barbecue.)
Place salmon fillets on a barbecue grill mat for easier, cleaner grilling.

Honey Glazed Salmon with Ginger & Orange

5 from 5 votes

Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon with Ginger & Orange

Fresh ginger and orange make the natural salmon flavor shine in this amazing Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner; fancy enough for a celebration!

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time10 mins

Resting Time10 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Pacific Northwest

Keyword: garlic, ginger, honey, orange, salmon

Servings: people

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1½ pound salmon fillet About ¾-1" inch thick

Honey Orange Ginger Marinade

¾ ounce fresh ginger peeled & chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
⅓ cup light soy sauce or tamari
⅓ cup orange juice freshly squeezed if possible
¼ cup honey
1 green onion finely chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Gather and prep marinade ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together chopped fresh ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, orange juice, honey, and chopped green onion.
Lay salmon fillet in large dish or tray.
Pour Honey-Ginger Orange marinade over salmon.
Turn salmon over so skin side is facing up and exposed meat is immersed in marinade.
Cover, refrigerate, and allow to marinate at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to cook the salmon, preheat barbecue (or stovetop grill) to medium.
Remove the salmon from marinade and place the salmon on the grill mat. Reserve leftover marinade.
Cover the barbecue and allow to cook for 4-6 minutes per ½-inch of thickness, or until the internal temperature reaches 125°F [52°C].
If you are using a grill mat, you should not need to flip the salmon unless it thicker than the suggested 3/4-inch.
NOTE: If you are using a stovetop grill, you will need to flip the salmon halfway through.
Remove salmon from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
While salmon is resting, strain leftover marinade into a small skillet. Bring marinade to a boil in over medium-high heat.
Reduce liquid by about half, and remove from heat.
I like to throw a tablespoon of butter into the sauce at this point, but it's not required.
Serve salmon on a bed of fresh greens and top with marinade reduction.

Notes

We usually choose to cook the whole salmon fillet together for the sake of presentation, but you can also cut it up into single serving portions prior to cooking for easier serving.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

Properly cooked salmon will look a couple of shades lighter, and will flake easily. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145°F [62.7°C] for cooked salmon, which should be measured at the thickest part of the fillet.

It is important to note, however, that salmon continues to cook after it is removed from the heat. For this reason, we usually use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, and aim to remove salmon from the grill when it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F [52°C]. We then cover it and allow it to rest for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Why use a Grill Mat?

(A grill mat is not required to make this recipe, but if you use one, you will find that the process is a whole lot easier.)

If you’ve never used a barbecue grill mat, you need to give it a try! Grill mats make grilling fragile things (like fish) a snap, and smaller items won’t fall through the grate. The first time we used one, I was honestly amazed at how well it worked, without losing any of that great grill appeal we all love.

Salmon Safety

Raw salmon should be stored in the coldest part of your refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
Serve cooked salmon immediately. Any leftovers should be refrigerated within 1 hour.
Leftovers should be eaten within 2 days.

If you love fresh fish, be sure to check out our recipes for Spicy Pan-fried Rockfish, Grilled Halibut over Greens, Korean-style Pan-Fried Fish {Saengsun Jun}, and Pan-Seared Sturgeon!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Salmon Recipes from GHW

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Smoked Salmon Chowder

Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche

Hawaiian "Lomi Lomi" Salmon

Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

May 12 By Renée 4 Comments

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

There’s a little place near my house – Mr Bento’s – that serves the best teriyaki salmon burger! I always order it in a meal, which arrives on a quarter-sheet pan with four pot stickers and a cold, crisp green salad on the side. I look forward to that side salad nearly as much as the salmon burger itself: I just can’t resist that delicious Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing!

But like many of you, we’ve been eating home more lately. At one point about a month ago, I was jonesing hard for something fresh and light and bright to satisfy my umami urges. All I wanted in life was a big green salad doused with Mr Bento’s dressing. No salmon burger. No potstickers. Just the salad.

So I decided to figure out how to make Carrot Ginger Dressing for myself. Honestly, I was blown away when I learned how easy this salad dressing is to make!

Carrot Ginger Dressing ingredients on pan

Carrot Ginger Dressing has a simple, pantry-friendly list of ingredients.

I was a youth during the Japanese Steak-house trend of the late 80’s/early 90’s, and Carrot Ginger dressing has always been a favorite of mine, so I was thrilled to add this recipe to our rotation. If you aren’t making your own salad dressings yet, consider this: most dressings (including this one) take less than ten minutes to mix up. You save a ton of money, and the food you eat is fresher and healthier.

The only downside is, homemade dressings do not last ten or twelve months in the fridge. (On the other hand, is that really a downside?)

(If you love versatile, delicious, all-natural salad dressings, be sure to check out our Original Taco House Feista Dressing recipe too!)

This easy blender dressing recipe has so many great things going for it: it’s super-fast to pull together, naturally dairy-free and vegan, and has no added sugar. (The carrots add just the right amount of sweetness.)

In addition to the fabulous flavor, one of the things I love most about this dressing is the stunning color it brings to the plate, especially when paired with leafy greens.

One significant change I made to the basic list of ingredients was to add a teaspoon of orange zest to the mix, which enhances and brightens the natural carrot and ginger flavors.

5 from 2 votes

Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Keyword: carrots, ginger, Sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 57kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

½ pound coarsely chopped carrots
⅓ cup extra-light olive oil or other light, neutral oil
⅓ cup fresh ginger peeled & coarsely chopped [1.5 ounces]
3 tablespoons red onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon water as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare (i.e., peel, chop, etc.) all ingredients as listed.
Combine all ingredients in blender cup.
Blend until smooth.
If your dressing seems too thick, you can thin it with a little more water.
Personally, I prefer to make this dressing quite thick, and then add water as needed. That way, it can also double as a dip.

Notes

Dressing may be refrigerated for a two weeks. (Probably longer, but it doesn't last that long at our house.)

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This Carrot Ginger Dressing isn’t just for salad! Try it on salmon (so good!) or other grilled fish, rice, spring rolls, sautéed greens, sandwiches, noodles, steak, shrimp, and roasted vegetables.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Spiced Cranberry Mule

December 16 By Renée 16 Comments

Warm spices pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create this festive, refreshing Spiced Cranberry Mule.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

The house is decorated, the tree is up, the gifts are wrapped, and the Christmas music is playing. Now all that’s left to do is kick back in the big chair with Mr B and watch his favorite movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Yep – life is good. And it’s even better when you have a delicious adult beverage to enjoy in the process.

I’m loving these Spiced Cranberry Mules, a combination we stirred up while we were experimenting with our (amazing) Spiced Simple Syrup. Warm spices like ginger and cinnamon pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create a festive and truly refreshing holiday treat.

One of the reasons we love a good mule – besides the obvious fact that they are delicious – is that we get to use our Moscow Mule Mugs. And not just because they make for a great presentation either.

There are a couple of bonafide benefits to drinking your mule from a good copper mug. Not only do copper mugs keep drinks colder, but the copper seems to enhance to the flavor of the drinks as well.

The difference between drinking this from a glass versus a copper mug isn’t something you can really put your finger on per-say; but in my experience the copper mugs seem to complement and heighten the flavors of the ginger and vodka, as well as whatever else you add.

Copper drinking vessels have long been thought to carry some impressive health benefits too, including having antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. If you don’t have your own mule mugs, consider making this the year that you give yourself a set.

If you are the kind of person who can perceive the subtle differences between drinking soda or beer from a glass bottle versus aluminum can, you will likely notice a similar difference when you drink a mule in a copper mug.

The mugs we have are solid and sturdy; made of hammered solid copper, they have a nice, heavy feel in your hand. Our advice is, when you decide to purchase a set of mule mugs, don’t go cheap! Quality makes a big difference when it comes to mule mugs. Plus, if you get good ones, they’ll last forever.

PRO TIP: You can use a plain simple syrup for this cocktail, but our amazing Spiced Simple Syrup (recipe follows) really does bring a special kick to this Mule. If at all possible, set aside the extra ten extra minutes it takes to cook some up.

Spiced Cranberry Mule

Warm spices pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create this festive, refreshing Spiced Cranberry Mule.

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

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Course: Beverages

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cocktail, Holidays

Servings: drink

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Moscow Mule Mugs

Ingredients

2 large mint leaves
2 ounces Cranberry Vodka
2 ounces Spiced Simple Syrup
6 ounces Ginger Ale*
Sugar & Spice Cranberries Garnish
Fresh Mint Leaves Garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Muddle two large mint leaves in the bottom of a Moscow Mule mug or tumbler.
Fill mug with ice.
Pour in vodka, spiced simple syrup, and ginger ale.
Stir gently.
Garnish with Sugar & Spice Cranberries and mint leaves.

Notes

Craft Ginger Ale, with its more intense flavors, works best for this cocktail.

We like to use spearmint leaves for this.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

The Spiced Simple Syrup recipe below – a key ingredient in both our Spice Cranberry Mule and our Blushin’ Russian {Holiday Cocktail & Kid-friendly Mocktail} – takes only about 10 minutes to make, and the effort is so worth it!

Spiced Simple Syrup

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

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Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
3-4 slices fresh ginger
4-5 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
15 whole allspice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, sliced ginger, star anise.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely.
Using a slotted spoon, remove spices from liquid.
Pour prepared Spiced Simple Syrup into bottle or jar.
Mixture can be refrigerated for at least two weeks.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Do you love cranberries? Be sure to try our delicious Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce, made with Grand Marnier!

Want more? Our Cranberry Orange Pearl Couscous makes a unique, delicious, easy-to-make side dish; and our Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake is perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch!

Check out these other holiday favorites from GHW:

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Raspberry Sundae with Ginger-Butterscotch Sauce

June 25 By Mr. B 2 Comments

An important notes from Mr B…

Last night, I had a serious craving for something sweet, so Renée went down to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of this stuff. After the first bite, my exact words to her were, “Oh Baby, you need to blog this!” But I know she won’t. She doesn’t usually like blogging about stuff that’s bad for you, or meat, or stuff made with a lot of store-bought ingredients.

I, on the other hand, have no problem with any of that.

So here’s Renée’s Raspberry Ginger-Butterscotch Sundae, which I’m pretty sure is one of the best ice cream combinations I’ve ever tried.

Raspberry Sundae with Ginger-Butterscotch Sauce

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ginger, ice cream, ice cream sundae, raspberries, sundae

Servings: serving

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1-3 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
2 tablespoons Butterscotch Syrup
1 tablespoon Ginger Syrup
1 handful Fresh Raspberries

Instructions

Mix two parts butterscotch syrup with one part ginger syrup. Drizzle over ice cream and garnish generously with raspberries.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m pretty sure that after this, Renée will be making butterscotch sauce from scratch. See how I suffer?

Thanks to my lovely wife for taking this picture and Picmonkeying it up for me.

Classic Whiskey Ginger with Lime {with Homemade Ginger Syrup}

June 13 By Mr. B 10 Comments

Made with a delicious home-brewed ginger syrup and finished with fresh mint and a lime wedge, our Whiskey Ginger elevates the classic to a whole new level.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I’m lucky to have a partner in life who enthusiastically supports everything I do, including my work here on The Good Hearted Woman. You may have even noticed the little “handwritten” nod to him at the end of our logo – “and Mr B.”

Mr B is pretty handy around the kitchen and an excellent cook in his own right. However, I didn’t know he had any interest in actually contributing to the blog until last winter when he made our holiday scalloped potatoes.

As he took his “famous potatoes” out of the oven – perfect and golden and smelling like heaven – he asked if I would like him to write down the recipe. He even asked me if I wanted to take pictures of them… “you know, for our blog.”

“Our blog“… Hmmm.

After that, it didn’t take much convincing to get him to jump in the pool and test the waters. He decided to start by sharing one of his favorite cocktails; this classic Whiskey Ginger, made with our homemade ginger syrup.

I’m guessing that you’ll see more contributions from Mr B here in the future… here on our blog.

Hi everyone! This is my first blog post, so I’ll keeping it short and sweet. (Truthfully, probably any post I write is going to be short and sweet. Or at least short.)

A whiskey ginger is a hot-weather drink that will cool you off fast! Pour it cold over ice with a squeeze of lime and a sprig of fresh mint, and you’ve got it made in the shade.

About that Homemade Ginger Syrup

A few years back when Renée started making her homemade ginger syrup, the first thing I thought of was how great it would taste in a Whiskey Ginger. WOW, was I right! It takes a little extra time up front to make the ginger syrup, but it really is worth the effort.

You can definitely make this cocktail with a good ginger beer instead if you want. Just sub in about 6 ounces of ginger beer for the ginger syrup and club soda. However, if you can swing it, give the homemade syrup a try. Enjoy!

Whiskey Ginger with Lime

Made with a delicious home-brewed ginger syrup and finished with fresh mint and a lime wedge, our Whiskey Ginger elevates this classic warm-weather cocktail to a whole new level.

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

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Course: Beverages

Keyword: cocktail, ginger

Servings: cocktail

Author: Mr B.

Ingredients

1-1½ ounce Homemade Ginger Syrup depending on your tastes
1½ ounce whiskey
3-4 ounces club soda or seltzer water
1 small lime wedge
1 mint leaf

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Fill a tumble (or other “short glass”) three-quarters full with cubed ice.
Over the ice, pour 3 tablespoons of ginger syrup, 4 ounces club soda, and a shot of whiskey.
Rub the glass rim with a lime slice, and garnish with lime and a mint leaf.
Adjust amounts to be as strong as you like.

Notes

We suggest Temperance Trader American Whiskey from Bull Run Distillery, Portland.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

DID YOU KNOW: Make this cocktail with Irish Whiskey and serve it up in a cold copper mug and you’ve got yourself an Irish Mule. Enjoy one on Saint Patrick’s Day or any time of year!

Homemade Ginger Syrup

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Course: Beverages

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

6 cups water
6 cups white sugar
1 lb ground ginger sliced

Instructions

Put 3 cups of water and all the sliced ginger in a blender and blend until ginger is chunky smooth.
Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepan. Stir in the remaining 3 cups of water and the sugar, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Allow the syrup to cool in the pan.
Line a sieve with two to three layers of cheesecloth and strain syrup. Squeeze the cheesecloth bag tightly to get out all the gingery goodness.
Pour syrup into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

Makes about 8 cups of very strong ginger syrup. You can easily scale down the amounts (3 cups/3 cups/1/2 lb) and make less syrup, but you will regret it. This stuff is delicious!

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

If you like this cocktail, be sure to try our Spiced Cranberry Mule, too!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Homemade Ginger Syrup

June 12 By Renée 9 Comments

Spice up your beverages and desserts with Homemade Ginger Syrup!

Mr. B and I love ginger. When we discovered how easy it is to make homemade ginger syrup, and this delicious condiment immediately became a new favorite among our kitchen staples.

Scroll to the bottom of the post for just a few of the ways we enjoy using it. Please let me know in the comments if you come up with any new ideas!

Homemade Ginger Syrup

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Course: Beverages

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

6 cups water
6 cups white sugar
1 lb ground ginger sliced

Instructions

Put 3 cups of water and all the sliced ginger in a blender and blend until ginger is chunky smooth.
Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepan. Stir in the remaining 3 cups of water and the sugar, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Allow the syrup to cool in the pan.
Line a sieve with two to three layers of cheesecloth and strain syrup. Squeeze the cheesecloth bag tightly to get out all the gingery goodness.
Pour syrup into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

Makes about 8 cups of very strong ginger syrup. You can easily scale down the amounts (3 cups/3 cups/1/2 lb) and make less syrup, but you will regret it. This stuff is delicious!

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Ginger Frenzy

Here are just a few delicious ways to use Homemade Ginger Syrup:

Ginger ale – add a tablespoon of Ginger syrup to a glass of club soda or seltzer water and make your own ginger ale.
Ginger Lemonade
Ginger Iced Tea
Ginger Apple Juice
Whiskey Ginger
Ginger Ice Cream – just drizzle a couple of tablespoons into the ice cream mix before you freeze it.
Raspberry-Ginger Butterscotch Sundae
Ginger Peaches
Ginger Yogurt – add a teaspoon or two to a cup of yogurt. Vanilla, peach, and raspberry all taste great this way!

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Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie

November 15 By Renée 21 Comments

This is not your Gramma’s pumpkin pie! Three kinds of ginger – fresh, ground, and crystalized – give this pumpkin pie a spicy punch.

My mom was my Camp Fire leader for many years, and when I was in the third or fourth grade, she gathered our group together on the day before Thanksgiving and taught us all how to make pumpkin pie. We each got to make our own pie (with ample help) and then we delivered them all to our local Salvation Army kitchen so that they could be served at their annual Thanksgiving dinner. After mixing up a couple of big bowls of pumpkin custard, she showed us how to make a pie crust before she helped us make our own.

My mother made pie-making look like a dance as she rolled out her crust with smooth, effortless grace. We girls made pie-making look less like a dance and more like a circus, but in the end, each of us girls had a pie in the oven that we could claim.

Once our pies were done and cool, I remember driving down Sandy and across the Burnside Bridge into “the city,” and then handing my pie to the lady there in the Salvation Army kitchen and looking up at her as she thanked us all and told us how much those pies would mean to the people who ate them. It made me feel really special. I know it was just a pie, but it was also the first time I remember ever having that glimmer of understanding that my contributions to my community mattered – that they were important. So it maybe it wasn’t just a pie after all.

The rules have changed, so likely you can’t deliver your home-baked pie to the local homeless shelter kitchen anymore, but there are so many ways to serve in the community every day, not only in the holiday season, but all year round. And usually, it takes less time out of your day than making a pie.

5 from 1 vote

Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie

Makes 2 large pies.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Home Cooking

Servings:

Author: Renée ♥

Ingredients

Pie Crust

½ cup butter-flavored Crisco Sorry, but this really does yield the best results, and it is the only time I ever use it, I promise!!
½ cup butter – chilled in freezer for one hour Don’t use margarine. I always use salted butter, but you don’t have to.
3 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 Tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
5-6 Tablespoons Ice water

Pumpkin Custard

1 can of pumpkin or 3 3/4 cups fresh pureed pumpkin
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger see instructions below
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Scant 1/2 teaspoon allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups half & half divided

Instructions

Making the Pie Crust

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar and ground ginger with a fork. Stir in crystallized ginger and make sure each little piece gets coated with flour so they don't stick together. Mix in Crisco shortening with a fork or your fingers, then cut cold butter into ¼ pieces and sprinkle them into the flour mixture. Mix with your fingers some more – until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle vinegar over mixture and toss to combine. (The theory is that a bit of acid helps relax the gluten formation that would otherwise toughen the pastry.)
Sprinkle ice water over the top and stir with a wooden spoon until a ball forms. Press into a ball and let rest at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator before using. (I tend to let it rest a couple of hours, but you don’t have to.)
Roll out and form your pie crust.

Prebake Pie Shell for a Crisper Crust

You can now bake your pie one of two ways - either just fill it and bake it, or prebake the pie shell. I prefer to prebake it: one of the main complaints people have about pumpkin pie is that it they get soggy, and prebaking alleviates this problem.
This is the method I use for prebaking the pie shell: Put your formed crust into the freezer for about 15 minutes. When you take it out, cover the edges with a ring of aluminum foil, snugging the foil right down onto the formed dough. Line the bottom of the pie pan with a circle of foil and then fill with beans, or use pie weights if you have them.
Bake 20-25 minutes at 325°.
Remove the beans and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let cool.
(There is a great post detailing this process here.)

Pumpkin custard:

Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a large bowl.
Put minced ginger and 1/4 - 1/2 cup half & half in a small blender and blend until smooth. (Use only as much half & half as you need to.) This is way easier than grating fresh ginger. Way, way, way easier.
Mix pumpkin, spices, and pureed ginger into eggs.
When pie crust is prepared, heat remaining half & half over medium low heat until nearly boiling (do not boil it!). Remove from heat and add to the pumpkin mixture.

Baking the Pie:

Preheat oven to 350.
Fill prepared pie shell with warm pumpkin custard and bake for 30-60 minutes, depending on the size and depth of your pie. It is done when a knife inserted comes out clean.

Notes

Freeze your crystallized ginger first - this will make it much easier to mince!

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This rich, warmly spiced Caribbean Chicken Stew is – without question – one of the most delicious, satisfying, flavorful chicken stews you’ll ever eat!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Recipe Updated July 2, 2020 (Originally published May 2, 2014)

Caribbean Chicken Stew

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade

Stew Base

Root Vegetables [Use a TOTAL of 3 lbs /1.3kg of any combination of the following.]

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Make the Stew

Notes

Nutrition

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

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Fresh ginger and orange make the natural salmon flavor shine in this amazing Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner; fancy enough for a celebration!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Tips for Buying Salmon

Grill Tips for Perfect Honey Glazed Salmon

Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon with Ginger & Orange

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Honey Orange Ginger Marinade

Instructions

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I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

Salmon Safety

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Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

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Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

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Instructions

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Nutrition

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Warm spices pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create this festive, refreshing Spiced Cranberry Mule.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Spiced Cranberry Mule

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Ingredients

Instructions

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Spiced Simple Syrup

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Check out these other holiday favorites from GHW:

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An important notes from Mr B…

Raspberry Sundae with Ginger-Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients

Instructions

Made with a delicious home-brewed ginger syrup and finished with fresh mint and a lime wedge, our Whiskey Ginger elevates the classic to a whole new level.

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Whiskey Ginger with Lime

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Homemade Ginger Syrup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Spice up your beverages and desserts with Homemade Ginger Syrup!

Homemade Ginger Syrup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Ginger Frenzy

Here are just a few delicious ways to use Homemade Ginger Syrup:

This is not your Gramma’s pumpkin pie! Three kinds of ginger – fresh, ground, and crystalized – give this pumpkin pie a spicy punch.

Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

Pie Crust

Pumpkin Custard

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!