3 Trending Flavors to Try
Mar 8, 2022 | Cooking with Beef, Natural Angus Beef
The start of every new year brings new food and flavor trends. From hibiscus and leveled-up mocktails to farro and mushroom risotto, 2022’s food trends are as promising as they are distinctive.
With many families cooking at home more often than pre-pandemic, food experts forecast that international-inspired eats will take the stage this year. Whether bringing more heat to a favorite dish, combining sweet and spicy flavors, or providing a refreshing, cool experience, international ingredients are must-haves for every home chef.
We recently shared ancient and trending grains to try this year, but we can’t write about food trends without including these delicious ingredients. Read on for flavors you won’t want to miss out on this year and ways to use them with beef!
1. Mexican Tajin: Citrusy with a bit of heat
Tajin is a versatile, bold spice that balances heat and sweetness. Made from dried chiles, dehydrated lime, and salt, tajin “embodies the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine”[1] and can be used on almost everything you can think of. Add it to something as simple as popcorn or a fruit salad or use it in a marinade or spice rub to season chicken, fish, or beef!
Tajin’s delicious blend of flavors is quickly becoming a staple in many pantries. It’s a natural fit in recipes like fajitas, nachos, and Mexican-inspired dishes. We recommend sprinkling it onto Mexican beef and pineapple skewers for a robust, citrusy flavor (and quick-to-prepare dish!). Tajin pairs well with Natural Angus New York strip steak, skirt steak, and ground beef.
2. Furikake: A Salty, Savory “Friend for Rice”
Offering “a lovely salty-sweet boost of flavor to many a meal,” furikake is one of the condiments food critics swear by. Furikake is a Japanese seasoning made up of seaweed, dried fish, sugar, salt, and sesame seeds, and sometimes may include citrus peels, wasabi, or chili pepper flakes. These ingredients, along with its slightly crunchy texture, make furikake perfect as a topping for rice, tuna poke, avocado toast or even beef.
As its popularity continues to grow, furikake comes in seemingly endless varieties and is used in nearly endless dishes. While furikake’s Japanese origins make it a perfect accompaniment for Japanese-inspired recipes, furikake adds bold flavors to any cuisine. It makes a delicious addition to breakfast scrambles, salads, steamed fish, roasted vegetables, or popcorn.
Furikake is also, of course, an excellent topping for beef. Furikake packs a robust, memorable flavor, whether garnishing sirloin steak in an Asian salad or sprinkled over Japanese beef kabobs.
3. Sambal: “Fiery and Fascinating”
Usually referring to a chile sauce or paste, sambal could be considered more as a condiment than a seasoning. We had to include it here for its complexities and range of flavor profiles. Whether you’re looking for mild heat and tartness, notes of garlic, or a punch of mango, like tajin and furikake, sambal offers no shortage of varieties.
Sambal originated in Indonesia and is made up of red chiles and spices made into a paste or sauce. Some compare it to sriracha and have deemed it as important to Indonesian cuisine as “ketchup is to fries.” However, sambal’s flavor profile is more nuanced than ketchup and is slightly less sweet than sriracha (sriracha contains sugar, sambal usually doesn’t).
Versions of sambal include sambal bawang (sambal with shallots), sambal terasi (sambal with shrimp paste), sambal manga (sambal with mango), and sambal kacang (sambal with roasted peanuts). This is not a comprehensive list; many locals and internationals enjoy flavor combinations featuring lime, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, and even smoked tuna. Sambal’s versatility and nuances are what make it “fiery and fascinating” for foodies all around the globe.
While a favorite topping for fish (as in the mango variety), fried chicken, and salads, it’s no surprise that sambal is also an excellent companion for beef. Use sambal to turn up the heat on your beef stir fry, top your beef and noodle bowl, or marinade Indonesian flavors in this New York strip steak kabobs recipe. Regardless of your method, sambal is a sauce that may just become a staple in your cooking.
Around-the-World Flavors and Natural Angus Beef: The Perfect Combination for Impressive Eats in 2022
If you’re cooking at home more often, entertaining guests for a special occasion, or eating in for date night, take your dish to the next level with these flavors and beef raised the natural way. Sourced from Angus cattle with verifiable genetics, Aspen Ridge beef offers exceptional marbling and succulent flavors. Our beef routinely grades USDA Prime and Choice, placing it among delectable, high-quality beef cuts. Whether you choose America’s favorite steak or a lean, buttery Natural Angus tenderloin, you’ll experience unmatched flavor from Aspen Ridge beef.
