In honor of Veterans Day, North Dakota Living features two veteran-owned Pride of Dakota businesses.
Jaydobo is owned by Jayson Parsons, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, whose line of seasonings brings the zest of the Southwest to the heart of the Midwest.
The Jolly Jalapeno is owned by Alfredo and Tabatha Lugo, who balance their salsa-making business with their military careers in the U.S. Air Force.
Read their stories here!
FAJITAS
2 lbs. flank, skirt or sirloin steak, cut against the grain in ½-inch strips
3 bell peppers, julienned
1 white onion, julienned
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. Jaydobo Mellow or Original Jaydobo
1-2 T. butter
PINTO BEANS
1 lb. pinto beans
2 T. Jaydobo
3 slices thick-cut bacon
Place beef in a large zipper-lock bag. Place onions and peppers in another bag. For the marinade, combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic and 2 T. Jaydobo. Pour half the marinade into each bag, secure bag and shake thoroughly. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.
To prepare the fajitas, melt butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until it gets a good sear, then remove beef from pan, reserving the drippings. Add pepper mix into the pan and fry for a few minutes, until veggies begin to soften and char slightly. Add the beef back into the pan to finish cooking. Serve with warm tortillas, cotija cheese, guacamole and/or sour cream.
To prepare the beans, soak beans overnight in 6 cups of water. Drain and fill the pot with 6 cups fresh water. Add 2 T. Jaydobo and three slices of bacon, cut in half. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1½ to 2 hours with a lid tilted on the pot, until the beans are soft. Add more water if needed.
Find Jaydobo online at www.jaydobo.com or read the story for a list of local retailers. In a pinch and without Jaydobo in your pantry? Try substituting for a Southwest spice blend.
RECIPE by Jayson Parsons, Jaydobo
1 rack pork ribs
½ stick butter, melted
4 T. garlic, minced
2 T. onions, chopped
3 T. onion powder
1 T. cumin
1 T. black pepper
1 T. gluten-free chicken bouillon
2 tsp. sea salt
1 jar The Jolly Jalapeno Sweet and Spicy Sauce
Remove membrane on back side of ribs and pat dry with a paper towel. Split rack in half. Rub melted butter over ribs. Mix garlic, onions and seasonings together to form a spice rub, then generously rub all over ribs. Place ribs in a 300-degree smoker for 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 200 to 205 degrees. Remove ribs from the smoker and glaze with Sweet and Spicy Sauce, then return to smoker for another 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
TIP: We used about half a jar of The Jolly Jalapeno Sweet and Spicy Sauce to glaze our ribs, which yielded great flavor and the right amount of stickiness. One jar should be enough for two racks of ribs.
NOTE: Find The Jolly Jalapeno’s line of products online at www.thejollyjalapeno.com or see page 12 for a list of local retailers.
RECIPE by Alfredo and Tabatha Lugo, The Jolly Jalapeno
