Simply Cookbooks

Posts Tagged ‘Rubs’

By J. Fulton
This review is from: Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue, on Your Charcoal Grill, Water Smoker, or Wood-Burning Pit (Paperback)
After reading the book almost cover to cover, and then reading most of the reviews, I felt compelled to correct some misunderstandings. First. many of the complaints are from people wanting more instruction on “how to smoke”. This is nonsense. There is no need for detailed instruction on how to smoke. What makes smoking a art and skill is being able to produce the right temperature in the smoker and this comes only from practice. Instructions on how much charcoal, wood, water, air, etc to use for each type of smoker, at every external temperature, etc. would look like statistics tables and be equally exciting. For this reason, the authors advise a temperature goal of about 200-220. With a five dollar thermometer and a little practice, anyone can figure it out.
Second, the smoking is a forgiving and inexact process, no matter what your experience level. Cooks used to following exact recipes so their soufle won’t fall will always be frustrated by smoking. Smoking requires some monitoring and adaptation. I may have used X amount of charcoal one day, but on a colder day need more.
If you are willing to experiment, and have 5-10 hours then you are ready to smoke, and for everything else, this book is fantastic. If you are from the microwave culture, then you will probably be frustrated with the whole process and no book will save you. To reemphasize the most important point, if you have the aforementioned patience to try smoking, then this book is outstanding.

This is our main all-purpose rub, good on ribs, brisket, chicken, and more.

* 3/4 cup paprika
* 1/4 cup ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup salt
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 2 tablespoons onion powder
* 2 teaspoons cayenne

Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl. Store covered in a cool, dark pantry. Makes about 2 cups.

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Everyone enjoys a good rub! And I don’t mean the massage kind, although they are nice too. I am a fairly good cook and am always ready and willing to learn an easier way to prepare food. So when my son-in-law introduced me to rubs a few years ago, I became more willing to try something new, at least new for me.

Rubs have been around in cooking for centuries. Grill rubs are a blend of spices and herbs that are used to inject different flavors into meat before it is placed on the grill. You can purchase rubs at the grocery store or make your own using your favorite herbs and spices from your garden or cupboard.

There really are no rules concerning rubs, only your own tastes. Barbeque rubs are usually dry, although I have found adding a little olive oil to your rub mixture to make a paste, rubbing it on the meat and letting the meat sit in the refrigerator for a few hours helps to absorb the rub, makes for a better tasting meat.

Grill rubs can be used on a variety of meat, poultry, or fish. For those who don’t like their meats smothered in bbq sauce, rubs are an excellent alternative. You can still use bbq sauce with the rubs for added flavor. Experiment with the ingredients you put in your rubs. You can make them sweet, salty, hot, or mildly spicy; it all depends on the spices and the amounts you mix together.

If you are new to rubs, I suggest you try a couple of the premixed ones from the store. This is so you can judge what flavors you like and which ones you don’t like. When using a rub on poultry, rinse the poultry well and pat dry. Then put the rub all over and let sit for a few minutes so the flavors can absorb into the meat. If you are doing a whole chicken with a rub, then be sure and use it both outside and inside the bird for maximum flavor.

How much rub to use in any given situation will take some experimentation on your part. The first time you cook with a rub, try and limit the amount you put on, if you like it try to put a little more the next time. Within a very short time you will become a fan of the rub, and begin making your own variations of the premixed ones using your own herbs and spices.

Remember rubs are not just for outdoor grilling, but can be used for your Thanksgiving Turkey, Christmas hams, or anytime you want to spice up some meat. Here is one of my favorite rubs, I use it for a basis for all the rubs I make.

Be sure and Enjoy Your Rub!

Kansas City Rub

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
3/4 tablespoon garlic powder 3
/4 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.

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