By April 2024. Spring in Memphis, and I am 65, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.
Charlie in Nashville, thriving in the way Charlie thrives — quietly, competently, with the determination of a Johnson woman and the grace of something uniquely hers.
I experimented this week — smoked pork belly burnt ends, cubed and re-smoked with sauce and butter until they were sticky, caramelized, and indecent. The kind of food that makes Rosetta say "Earl, your arteries" and then eat three more pieces, because even nurses have limits, and the limit of smoked pork belly burnt ends has not yet been found by human science.
I sat in the lawn chair next to Uncle Clyde's smoker as the dark came on, and I thought about what I always think about: the chain. From Clyde to me. From me to Trey, maybe, or Jerome, or whoever comes next with the patience and the hands and the willingness to stand next to a fire at three in the morning and wait for something good to happen. The chain doesn't break. The fire doesn't stop. And I am here, 65 years old, in a lawn chair in Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee, watching the smoke rise, and the rising is the living, and the living is the gift.
After a week of burnt ends and lawn chairs and thinking about what gets passed down, I wanted something I could leave in the kitchen for Rosetta — something she could reach for on a Tuesday night when I’m not standing over a smoker at midnight but the hunger for that kind of bold, smoky flavor is still there. This fajita seasoning is what I came up with: a dry blend that carries the same spirit as the fire, simple enough to make in five minutes but layered enough to remind you that good food doesn’t have to be complicated, just intentional.
Fajita Seasoning
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes | Servings: About 8 (yields roughly 1/2 cup)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Combine. Add all spices — chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano, black pepper, cayenne, and red pepper flakes — to a small bowl.
- Mix thoroughly. Stir until all spices are evenly blended with no visible clumps.
- Taste and adjust. Dip a finger or taste on a small piece of bread. Add more cayenne for heat, more salt for savoriness, or more smoked paprika for a deeper smoky note.
- Store. Transfer to an airtight jar or spice container. Label and store in a cool, dry pantry for up to 6 months.
- Use. Rub generously on pork chops, chicken, beef, or vegetables before grilling, smoking, or pan-searing. Use about 1 1/2 teaspoons per pound of protein.
Nutrition (per serving, approximately 1 tablespoon)
Calories: 18 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 295mg