Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, June 21, 2008
A little rub can add a lot of flavor
Home-blended wet and dry rubs are an easy way to add some flair to your flame this barbecue season.
Sure, basic salt and pepper tastes delicious — and probably still is the best way to set off a prime porterhouse — but many of your favorite grill items will truly blossom when rubbed down with some extra herbs and spices.
“A rub will give more focused flavor per square inch” than most other flavor-enhancing techniques, such as marinades, said Jim Tarantino, author of the cookbook “Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes.”
Even better, rubs are the easiest and fastest technique for flavoring grilled foods.
Rubs generally fall into one of two categories — wet and dry.
Dry rubs contain seasonings, usually some blend of coarse salt, black pepper, sugar and dry herbs and spices. The mixtures are rubbed onto the surface of the meat before grilling.
Wet rubs (also called spice pastes) are more of a hybrid of a dry rub and a marinade. Ingredients are similar to dry rubs but with added moisture from pureed fresh herbs, fruits or vegetables, juice, vinegar, alcohol and/or oil.
Some wet rubs are applied hours or minutes before grilling, while others are best during the final minutes of cooking to prevent scorching or flares on the grill.
Whether to use a wet or dry rub depends mainly on ingredients available and flavors desired. But there also is a chemistry component. Wet rubs with acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or pineapple juice, that are allowed to marinate can slightly tenderize meat. Dry rubs applied hours before cooking will have more of a curing action.
“Rubs are used for three different purposes,” said Steven Raichlen, author of the cookbook “The Barbecue! Bible” and host of public television’s Barbecue University and The Primal Grill programs.
“First, a rub is a seasoning. It adds a layer of flavor. Second, if it’s applied for four hours to a day before, (the salt in the rub) partially cures the meat,” he said. “Third, it helps with the formation of a crisp crust. That bark on a brisket, that’s the result of a rub.”
Nearly any American barbecue rub will call for four basic seasonings — salt, black pepper, brown sugar and paprika, generally in equal parts. This alone will make a simple, delicious rub. But there also are easy ways to enhance that.
Expanded All-American: Add celery seed, onion and garlic.
Southwestern: Add cumin, onion powder, garlic, oregano, thyme and cayenne (or other pure chili powder).
Cajun: Add white pepper in place of some of the black, as well as cayenne, thyme, onion, garlic, file powder and ground bay leaf.
If you thought coffee was just for drinking, think again. Both ground coffee and cocoa powder lend a savory depth to most types of meat. Java rubs can vary widely in their ethnic influences. Consider adding cardamom (Middle Eastern), cinnamon (Asian) or chili powder (Southwestern). Chocolate with chilis is a classic Mexican pairing.
This rub is great on chicken breasts, beef brisket, pork tenderloin, pork chops, baby back ribs or spare ribs.
Java Blend Dry Rub
1/2 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1/4 cup ancho chili powder
1/3 cup finely ground espresso (not instant)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Combine all ingredients in a spice mill or blender and grind to a coarse powder. Store in a clean, airtight container. Store in the freezer for 3 to
4 months. Makes about 11/2 cups.
(Recipe adapted from Jim Tarantino’s “Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes,” Ten Speed Press, 2006.)
This simple dry rub works well on pork, beef or chicken. The meat can be cooked immediately, or for a richer flavor refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before grilling.
Basic American Barbecue Dry Rub
1/4 cup kosher or coarse sea salt
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk well. Transfer to a jar, cover and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months. Makes about 11/4 cups.
(Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen’s “Barbecue! Bible: Sauce, Rubs, and Marinades,” Workman, 2000.)
Fresh Mediterranean herbs, such as rosemary, parsley, oregano, sage and garlic, lend themselves nicely to pureed wet rubs. Wet rubs are best the day they are made.
Spread this Italian-inspired wet rub on pork chops or steaks using a spatula. Or spread it under the skin of a chicken. It also is nice smeared on meat just toward the end of grilling.
Fresh Tuscan Rosemary Wet Rub
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
4 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Use a knife to finely chop the herbs and garlic together. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the salt, pepper and oil. Alternately, combine all ingredients but the oil in a food processer. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil. Makes about 11/2 cups.
(Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen’s “Barbecue! Bible: Sauce, Rubs, and Marinades,” Workman, 2000.)
Meaty meals from Argentina generally aren’t diluted with superfluous sides or vegetables. However, grilled eggplant has become a part of the steak house repertoire.
Argentine Grilled Eggplant
3 small (4 to 6 ounces each) Italian eggplants
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic and olive oil, then brush this mixture over the eggplant slices, reserving the excess. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, basil, thyme, paprika and pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.
Prepare a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
Arrange the eggplant slices on the grate and grill until nicely browned on the bottom, about 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the slices with more of the garlic oil.
Turn the eggplant slices with tongs, and then brush the other side with the remaining garlic oil.
Sprinkle the herb mixture over the eggplant slices, and then season with salt and black pepper. Continue cooking until the slices are nicely browned on both sides and the flesh is soft,
3 to 5 minutes longer. Serve at once.
Makes 4 servings.
(Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen’s “The Barbecue! Bible: 10th Anniversary Edition,” Workman Publishing, 2008)
This recipe calls for fillets of mahi-mahi, but it can be just as easily adapted for halibut, swordfish steaks, shrimp, salmon steaks or fillets, chicken breasts or kabobs, beef brisket, pork tenderloin, pork chops, baby back ribs or spare ribs. Grill times and styles vary according to the type of meat.
Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cocoa-Chili Rub
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Grated zest of half an orange (about 11/2 teaspoons)
1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1-1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 mahi-mahi filets (about 6 ounces each and 1 inch thick)
Canola oil
Prepare a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. In a spice mill or blender, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cocoa, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and pepper. Grind to form a coarse powder.
Lightly brush both sides of the mahi-mahi with the oil. Sprinkle on the rub and lightly press the blend into the fish. Grill over direct high heat until the fish is opaque throughout,
8 to 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Makes 4 servings.
(Recipe from Jim Tarantino, author of “Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes,” Ten Speed Press, 2006)
These Mexican-style ribs are grilled over direct heat, unlike most rib recipes that call for slow, smoky, indirect cooking. These ribs have some chew to them. Ask your butcher to neatly crack the rib bones in the center. This allows the adobo spice rub to penetrate the meat on all sides.
Oaxacan-Style Pork Ribs
2 racks pork spareribs or baby back ribs (6 to 8 pounds total)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons water
Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs by pulling it off in a sheet with your fingers, using one corner of a kitchen towel to gain a secure grip, or with pliers. Place the ribs in a roasting pan and set aside.
In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, thyme, oregano, marjoram, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, vinegar and water. Process until smooth. The rub will be liquidy.
Rub the spice mixture over the ribs on both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium.
When ready to cook, season the ribs with additional salt, brush and oil the grill grate, then arrange the ribs on the grate, meaty side down.
Grill the ribs until nicely browned and cooked through, up to 90 minutes, turning once or twice with tongs. If you get flare-ups in the beginning, move the ribs around on the grate or squirt the fire a few times with water.
Cut the racks into sections of 2 to 4 ribs for serving. Pass along fresh salsa for dipping.
Makes 6 main and 12 starter servings.
(Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen’s “The Barbecue! Bible: 10th Anniversary Edition,” Workman Publishing, 2008)
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