Dan Gagnon of Manchester, his son Sean, wife Debra and daughter Kimberly McEnerney of Bedford are the family team behind NH Dan’s Seasoning (nhdans.com, find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), a company offering a line of three seasoning blends for cooking anything from steak, chicken and fish to all kinds of vegetables. A master carpenter by trade, Dan Gagnon originally created his seasoning almost 20 years ago for himself that he later shared with family and friends — a spicy blend now known as the Live Free or Dry Rub, made with sea salt, ground pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dehydrated onion flakes, ground cumin, dried oregano and dried thyme. Two more similar but milder blends would follow: the Granite State Seasoning, which adds dried basil and rosemary leaves to offset the heat, and the Mild ‘n’ Wild Seasoning, which has less of a kick due to a reduction of its hot ingredients. All three are mixed and bottled locally and are sold in more than a dozen stores, including the Manchester Craft Market at the Mall of New Hampshire and Hand Made-In at the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, as well as online through Etsy. The Hippo recently spoke with Dan and Sean Gagnon.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
Dan: One of my top things to use is probably the grill.
Sean: I’m big on the Instant Pot, not going to lie. It’s a godsend. You can do everything in that thing.
What would you have for your last meal?
Sean: Mine would be lobster. A full lobster with butter, and some fries on the side.
Dan: I’d have to say a lobster as well.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
Sean: T-Bones [Great American Eatery]. The Bedford one is probably the one we go to the most because it’s the closest to my house. We’re both carpenters and they’re our biggest client. … I’ll usually look at the specials, or I’d probably go with the salmon.
Dan: CJ’s [Great West Grill in Manchester]. I like their salmon too.
What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your seasonings?
Sean: Because I’d want an actual honest review, I’ll go with Gordon Ramsay. If he tried my dad’s cooking, I don’t think he’d complain!
Dan: Tom Hanks. He’s a very good actor and I’d definitely love to make something for him.
What is your personal favorite seasoning that you offer?
Sean: I like the Live Free or Dry Rub, because I’m a fan of heat. A little goes a long way too, so you don’t have to add much to your food. … I love putting it on chicken.
Dan: For me, probably the Live Free or Dry Rub, on steak. My grandson would say eggs. He won’t eat eggs unless he has the rub on them.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Sean: I’m seeing a lot more different varieties in cultures of food. I love to try different foods from all around the world.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Dan: I like making shepherd’s pie, of course with beef, onions, corn, peas, carrots and mashed potatoes.
Sean: Pizza, just because I love the experience of creating it with my family. I’ll usually do a light sauce, with extra cheese, pepperoni and sausage.
Filet mignon, roasted red smashed potatoes and cooked asparagus
From the kitchen of Dan Gagnon
Filet mignon: Season the filet with NH Dan’s Live Free or Dry Rub, wrap in bacon and use two toothpicks to hold in place (remember to remove them when ready to serve). Place in the refrigerator for two to three hours to let the seasoning be absorbed into the meat. Remove and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grill on high for three to four minutes to sear. Lower grill to medium/low and cook until preferred temperature. Remove and let sit for around 10 minutes before serving.
Roasted red smashed potatoes: Boil desired quantity of small red potatoes until soft, then remove and place in the refrigerator for one hour to cool down. Use parchment paper to place the potatoes on and flatten them to around a ¼-inch thickness. Place parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet, put olive oil on the paper and season both sides of the potatoes with NH Dan’s Granite State Seasoning. Place potatoes on parchment paper, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and put potatoes in for 30 to 45 minutes. Turn over halfway through and cook until the outside is crispy.
Asparagus: Put olive oil in a frying pan, remove the lower part of the asparagus and place in the pan. Add some NH Dan’s Mild ‘n’ Wild Seasoning. Cook on medium/low heat and cover pan. Cook until asparagus is soft but still has a crunch.
Featured photo: Left to right: Debra Gagnon, Sean Gagnon, Kimberly McEnerney, and Dan Gagnon.