Zanzibar Brand Pork and Beef Seasoning Recipes

[vagreys]

These recipes allegedly come from a Mr. J.J. Costa, who was variously reported to be a spice merchant or a former employee of B. Heller & Co., who mixed the Zanzibar Brand seasonings on a regular basis. Regardless, the seasoning does closely match the ingredient lists on vintage Zanzibar Brand spice containers. These variations for a sausage blend of pork and beef are recommended spice additions from the original recipe. Zanzibar Brand seasonings were made by B. Heller & Co., Chicago, and were referenced in B. Heller & Co.'s 1922 book, Secrets of meat curing and sausage making : how to cure hams, shoulders, bacon, corned beef, etc., and how to make all kinds of sausage, etc., and comply with all pure food laws, in various recipes.

Zanzibar Brand Pork and Beef Flavor 1

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground ginger (or 3" finger fresh ginger, grated)
1 tablespoon paprika
10 whole cloves, ground
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder

Grind in a mortar, spice mill, or food processor. Makes 12-1/2 tablespoons of seasoning for 10 pounds of sausage.


Zanzibar Brand Pork and Beef Flavor 2

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground ginger (or 3" finger fresh ginger, grated)
1 tablespoon paprika
10 whole cloves, ground
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder

Grind in a mortar, spice mill, or food processor. Makes 10-1/2 tablespoons of seasoning for 10 pounds of sausage.


Zanzibar Brand Pork and Beef Flavor 3

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground ginger (or 3" finger fresh ginger, grated)
1 tablespoon paprika
10 whole cloves, ground
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder

Grind in a mortar, spice mill, or food processor. Makes 10-1/2 tablespoons of seasoning for 10 pounds of sausage.

 

[boykjo]

What is zanzabar brand...? Who is jj costa.   Is this a buisness who makes spices to add to sausage or is it a loca area thing.... Have you tried these spices in sausage and if you did. what did you think of them.... Need some more info......

Joe

 

[vagreys]

Zanzibar Brand was a line of spices, seasonings, and other products for butchers and packers, as well as retail, from B. Heller & Co., of Chicago. The Zanzibar Brand line expanded to include completely unrelated products such as cleaners, paper products, ink, and a variety of other things. Zanzibar Brand seasoning tins are still available on Ebay and elsewhere as vintage items. The Zanzibar Brand products were known throughout the US Midwest, and possibly much farther afield. A 10-lb tin for Zanzibar Brand English Breakfast Sausage is currently on Ebay UK. B. Heller & Co. was founded in 1893 and still exists, today, as Heller Seasonings and Ingredients, Inc.

I have included a link back to the B. Heller & Co. book from 1922 that uses and refers to Zanzibar Brand seasonings, in the first post on this thread, and on the other Zanzibar Brand threads, so now the book post links to these, and these link to the book post.

J. J. Costa is who the posted Zanzibar recipes cite as their source. One recipe refers to J. J. Costa as a deceased spice merchant. Another account, no longer available, called Costa a former Heller employee who mixed the Zanzibar seasonings and had the recipes. The recipes I have posted are from my own collection and reflect the variations suggested in a single, original recipe posted on the net years ago (no longer available) and repeated on several other sites more recently (still accessible). There were many Zanzibar Brand mixes, cures, binding agents, and other ingredients for sausage and cured meat products. Today, Heller markets "Heller's Modern Cure" among other things, but the Zanzibar brand line apparently died decades ago.

I haven't used these mixes, myself. Others have spoken of them favorably, after making sausages with them. I have no way of knowing if these recipes are originals or approximations, however in the nature of public versions of corporate recipes, I suspect they are approximations. I included them to go with the Heller book referenced, above, for those inclined to experiment with vintage pork and beef sausage recipes in the book, at SausageBoy's request.

 

[moikel]

They do read as a bit exotic for their era,tamarind pulp ,turmeric etc. Can only speculate why the picked the name suppose they were known as the spice islands back in the day.Nice bit of history that you took the time to post. Leaving aside the mustard they have a bit of a North African feel,Morocan maybe.

I might adapt one as a rub or similiar for goat or lamb ,go with the North African vibe.I have all of the ingredients here already. Thanks for sharing. 

 

[ddrian]

Zanzibar Brand was a line of spices, seasonings, and other products for butchers and packers, as well as retail, from B. Heller & Co., of Chicago. The Zanzibar Brand line expanded to include completely unrelated products such as cleaners, paper products, ink, and a variety of other things. Zanzibar Brand seasoning tins are still available on Ebay and elsewhere as vintage items. The Zanzibar Brand products were known throughout the US Midwest, and possibly much farther afield. A 10-lb tin for Zanzibar Brand English Breakfast Sausage is currently on Ebay UK. B. Heller & Co. was founded in 1893 and still exists, today, as Heller Seasonings and Ingredients, Inc.

I have included a link back to the B. Heller & Co. book from 1922 that uses and refers to Zanzibar Brand seasonings, in the first post on this thread, and on the other Zanzibar Brand threads, so now the book post links to these, and these link to the book post.

J. J. Costa is who the posted Zanzibar recipes cite as their source. One recipe refers to J. J. Costa as a deceased spice merchant. Another account, no longer available, called Costa a former Heller employee who mixed the Zanzibar seasonings and had the recipes. The recipes I have posted are from my own collection and reflect the variations suggested in a single, original recipe posted on the net years ago (no longer available) and repeated on several other sites more recently (still accessible). There were many Zanzibar Brand mixes, cures, binding agents, and other ingredients for sausage and cured meat products. Today, Heller markets "Heller's Modern Cure" among other things, but the Zanzibar brand line apparently died decades ago.

I haven't used these mixes, myself. Others have spoken of them favorably, after making sausages with them. I have no way of knowing if these recipes are originals or approximations, however in the nature of public versions of corporate recipes, I suspect they are approximations. I included them to go with the Heller book referenced, above, for those inclined to experiment with vintage pork and beef sausage recipes in the book, at SausageBoy's request.

Hi Do you have a reference to the Corned beef mix. ? I see it mentioned many times but no ingredients.

 

[darwin101]

I found Zanzibar mentioned in an old book on Google.

https://books.google.com/books?id=6...Zanzibar Brand Pork and Beef Flavor 2&f=false

 

[ddrian]

Yes I have the kindle version of the book Dave O has it. Thanks!
I saw the posted recipes above and was looking for the breakdown for corned beef. Some of it looks like it will work as is !

 

[dward51]

The entire book can be viewed here (and downloaded in different formats such as PDF ePub, etc...).  Info on Zanzibar spices is on page 262.

https://archive.org/details/secretsofmeatcur00bhelrich

 

[vagreys]

Hi Do you have a reference to the Corned beef mix. ? I see it mentioned many times but no ingredients.

Sorry, but no. These sausage variations are the only Zanzibar formulations I've seen, and I think they all originate from one original post. Sorry not to be able to give you better info.

- tom

 

[ddrian]

Sorry, but no. These sausage variations are the only Zanzibar formulations I've seen, and I think they all originate from one original post. Sorry not to be able to give you better info.

- tom

Thanks Tom... If you run into it I would like to add that to my collection of traditional recipes.

The selections you posted is off the hook!

 

[vagreys]

Thanks Tom... If you run into it I would like to add that to my collection of traditional recipes.
The selections you posted is off the hook!

Will do. I enjoy collecting and trying vintage/historical recipes and formulations. Right now, I'm working on translating what I think is a 4th edition (c.1912) of Die Fabrikation feiner Fleisch- und Wurstwaren. It's smaller than current editions, and printed in a Fraktur typeface that was created around 1906, but it contains regional and local formulations that were lost in subsequent decades of socio-economic-political upheaval. It may contain an early recipe for what becomes known as Montreal Smoked Meat in Canada and Pastrami in New York, about the time this was published. I was able to determine the provenance of this book from its initial purchase in German Alsace, to a used book shop in Manhattan, Kansas, where I found it. The chapter on bratwurst is fascinating, in that the texture of the sausage seems to be as important as the seasoning, if not more so. The chapter on kosher sausages and meats disappears entirely in subsequent editions.

- tom

 

[ddrian]

Will do. I enjoy collecting and trying vintage/historical recipes and formulations. Right now, I'm working on translating what I think is a 4th edition (c.1912) of Die Fabrikation feiner Fleisch- und Wurstwaren. It's smaller than current editions, and printed in a Fraktur typeface that was created around 1906, but it contains regional and local formulations that were lost in subsequent decades of socio-economic-political upheaval. It may contain an early recipe for what becomes known as Montreal Smoked Meat in Canada and Pastrami in New York, about the time this was published. I was able to determine the provenance of this book from its initial purchase in German Alsace, to a used book shop in Manhattan, Kansas, where I found it. The chapter on bratwurst is fascinating, in that the texture of the sausage seems to be as important as the seasoning, if not more so. The chapter on kosher sausages and meats disappears entirely in subsequent editions.

- tom

Looking forward to your discoveries!