29 Days of Honey – Elul 5781 – Honeyed Pulled Chicken Sandwich

I’ve challenged myself to post 29 honey recipes in the next month – BEFORE Rosh Hashana.

Not just your Bubbe’s honey cake. As a beekeeper and avid cook I can take you and your honey places you’ve never been before- culinarily speaking.

So let’s get Buzzin’.

What do you think of when you think of Summer? Beach, BBQ/Brai, Bugs…?

Many people find the bugs annoying. Please know that honeybees aren’t typically the unwelcome visitors to your outdoor events. More often than not yellow jackets, flies, and ants – who are all attracted to human foods – are the source of annoyance.  So what can you do? Set them a table of their own, well away from your festivities and out of reach of pets and children. Use something sweet like juice (or grape juice pulp – check that recent post) in a dish. Don’t forget to toss it when the fete is over.

Honeybees aren’t usually interested in such things, preferring floral shrubs and fruit trees. If you find an actual honeybee is annoying you they probably have a reason. Best first strategy is don’t swat – they may just be curious, or attracted to a scent you might wear. If you’re not hyperventilating in fear, be still and listen to their buzz. An angry buzz is quite obvious compared to a curious buzz. If you are hyperventilating, leave the area. In the event you should get accidentally stung by a honeybee (e.g. bare feet in the grass) do these things: 

• Remove the stinger by flicking or scratching it out, not squeezing
  • A bees’ stinger is barbed and will continue to pump venom for 7 minutes after the sting, so acting quickly is important
• Know that the bee will die and sting no more, so chasing after it is wasted effort, but-
• Leave the immediate area. A bees’ sting releases an alarm pheromone and others will come
• Ice, or something cold directly on the sting site will provide some relief

– Taking an antihistamine may alleviate some of the histamine reaction

– If you feel dizzy or have problems breathing, seek medical attention immediately

The histamine reaction is a normal part of the process – having a histamine reaction is not the same as having an allergic reaction. Everyone is different in their processing of the histamines. Too many variables to discuss here. Try this link. for more information about bee venom and histamine reactions.

For more information about treating bee stings, try our friends at Carolina Honeybees.

So after all that hoopla, how about a nice pulled chicken sandwich? Spicy sweet seasonings and a long slow cook time bring chicken thighs to sloppy perfection. You’ll need a bun. When we get stung, there’s nothing like the palliative effect of a satisfying, messy sandwich (and accompanying cold beverage).

Honeyed Pulled Chicken Sandwich

You will need:

• Covered baking dish
• Oven
• 4 chicken thighs – bone-in with skin is better, but naked works too 
• Thumb-sized piece of raw ginger, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 100g of BBQ Slather    
• 30g honey
• 4 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped, hot pickled peppers

How to make the magic happen:

1. Combine all ingredients in the baking dish
2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, overnight is better
3. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature
4. Bake covered for 90 minutes at 150c
5. Remove from oven and allow to sit, covered for 20 minutes
6. Using forks, shred the chicken

Serve on comforting starch of choice with any desired side dishes or beverages.

Please follow and like us: