Rub it Down: Spice Mixes for Grilling
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Article By: Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
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Dry rubs add tons of flavor without adding fat
Stop larding up meat on the grill! There's no need for oil, bacon or other fat-heavy additions.
Read the article below
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Getting started
Here are six dry rubs for pork, beef, chicken, fish, or even tofu. Whisk any one of them together in a large bowl.
| All-American Barbecue Rub I |
| 2 tablespoons mild paprika |
| 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar |
| 1 tablespoon dry mustard |
| 1 tablespoon chile powder |
| 1 tablespoon onion powder |
| 2 teaspoons garlic powder |
| 2 teaspoons salt |
| 1 teaspoon ground cumin |
| 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 1 teaspoon ground black pepper |
| All-American Barbecue Rub II |
| 1/4 cup chile powder |
| 1/4 cup mild paprika |
| 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar |
| 2 tablespoons ground cumin |
| 1 tablespoon dried oregano |
| 2 teaspoons salt |
| 1 teaspoon ground black pepper |
| Southwestern Rub |
| 2 tablespoons chile powder |
| 2 tablespoons garlic powder |
| 2 tablespoons dry mustard |
| 1 tablespoon dried oregano |
| 1 tablespoon dried thyme |
| 1 tablespoon mild paprika |
| 1 tablespoon ground cumin |
| 1 tablespoon ground coriander |
| 2 teaspoons salt |
| Jerk Rub |
| 1/4 cup dried crushed rosemary |
| 1/4 cup dried thyme |
| 2 tablespoons dry mustard |
| 4 teaspoons salt |
| 4 teaspoons ground black pepper |
| 4 teaspoons onion powder |
| 2 teaspoons celery seed |
| 2 teaspoons ground cloves |
| 1 teaspoon cayenne |
| Curry Rub |
| 3 tablespoons yellow curry powder |
| 2 tablespoons ground ginger |
| 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon |
| 2 tablespoons ground cumin |
| 1 tablespoon mild paprika |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
| 1 teaspoon ground allspice |
| Szechwan Pepper Salt |
| 2 tablespoons coarse-grained or kosher salt |
| 2 tablespoons ground Szechwan peppercorns |
| 1 teaspoon ground black pepper |
| 1 tablespoon garlic powder |
| 1 tablespoon ground cumin |
What to do
Use the best spices you can find. Only freshly ground black pepper, please.
Dried herbs have a shelf-life, usually about a year. Don't use dried spices that have taken on a bland, tea-like smell.
To grind Szechwan peppercorns and the like, use a cleaned-out coffee grinder, a mini food processor, or a spice grinder.
Use between 1/2 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon per cut, whether steak, fish or chicken thighs.
Now, how do you get it to stick? Rub each cut with about 1 teaspoon unsweetened apple juice, lemon juice, cranberry juice, balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar. Pat the rub in place to make a thin coating on all sides and you're ready to roll.
For a deeper taste, coat with the rub, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
After that, you're ready to roll. Fire up the grill and cook the meat, fish or tofu until done.
These rub recipes make a lot, more than you'll need. Cover the rest in a tight-fitting jar for the next time you're over the heat.
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