Sensational Taste in No Time

Sep 1, 2022 by Chef David

By Chef David

Want to bring out the best flavor in every cut of meat? Try dry rubs, they help tenderize and lock in the flavor, while adding complexity.  Rubs are far more versatile than their traditional use in grilling, I add rubs to season pan-cooked chicken (a healthier alternative to sugary sauces). They can be added to vegetables, fish, salads, or popcorn, think of them as a super spice mix, or seasoning, with a mild flavor, not too salty or too spicy.

Rubs are a powdery blend of spices and herbs containing a variety of ingredients including salt, sugar, pepper, and paprika. Each blend is different. While most manufacturers include the proper pairing, for the best fit, be wild and experiment. Buying a rub is a convenience. Instead of having multiple spice bottles, a rub provides a premixed taste combination.

How To

Rubs come in spice shakers and can be sprinkled, or pressed to create a “crust” on your meat. Some people prefer wet rubs, made by adding a dab of oil, or any liquid (like mustard) which changes the rub into a paste that you can spread over your meat.

The Difference Between Rubs and Seasoning

Both rubs and seasonings are combinations of dry ingredients, but there is a subtle difference. Seasonings can be used before, after, or during cooking while rubs are almost never added after cooking. Rubs tend to be used to add texture, especially when they are applied liberally, adding a crusted coating to meat. In contrast, seasonings tend to be used more exactingly, to compliment rather than dominate the flavor profile. As a rule, rubs tend to be savory with a little sweet and spicy thrown in.

How Much?

Let your palate be your guide. The application depends entirely on you. If you are creating a crust, the rule of thumb is to use 1 tablespoon of rub for every pound of meat. The key is to apply it evenly without any bare spots. If you are using it as a seasoning, add enough to create the taste profile you are looking for. Begin with less, you can always add more.

Each rub is different. Rubs that contain large amounts of salt and sugar can cause some moisture to come out of your meat. Some people add the rub days or hours in advance of cooking, which can cause the meat to begin to break down and affect the texture.

Give it A Try

Take a walk on the wilder side by substituting spice rub blends for your tried-and-true spices. Rubs contain many common spices such as salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. You will be surprised by the flavor characteristics of your dishes change subtly. The key is making rubs a gentle addition to your culinary repertoire.

The Spice Lab [Available online] – Certified by OU

We discovered the most interesting flavor profiles from The Spice Lab, an online company devoted to selling high-quality kosher spices, sea salts, seasoning rubs, blends, and sugars. They have an enormous warehouse (125,00o square feet) located in Pompano Beach, Florida, where they produce more than 100,000 units per day. This is a serious operation that has been recognized for its innovative products and packaging. We were impressed by their wide selection of products. Their website includes so many new and creative flavor blends, we wanted to test them all! You might be inclined to mix your own blends, and you should, in addition to experiencing The Spice Lab collections. Expand your taste repertoire.

We sampled a few seasoning/rubs including Bad to the Bone, Smoked Pecan, Sweet Rib Rub, and Ancho Chili + Coffee Rub. Our personal favorite was Spicy Citrus Mojo Seasoning and Rub, which introduced a subtle mouthwatering bitter orange herbal flavor. This blend combines crunchy Hudson Valley salt, sugar, citric acid, chili pepper, paprika, dried garlic, spices, and annatto seeds, with less than 2% citrus oil.

Try Spice Lab’s health-conscious recipes Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (below). Or season kale (or your favorite green vegetable), and then air-fry for 3 to 5 minutes to create a crispy snack, Voila a treat that is also good for you. We enjoyed adding them to steamed vegetables for an extra punch of flavor.

Bone Suckin’ Sauce Seasoning & Rubs [Available online and in stores] – Certified by OU

Bone Suckin’ Sauce Seasoning & Rubs identify themselves as both a rub and a seasoning, blurring the difference. They let you decide how to use their wide range of rubs which can be divided into two main categories, sweeter and savorier. Their proprietary blend introduces a hint of sweetness, from brown sugar added to a base of paprika, garlic, and spices. They have 5 calories per teaspoon (which is approximately one gram). Bone Suckin’ chicken rub is designed to add color and a rich, savory flavor to poultry. We found it to be well-flavored, and balanced but not spicy.  Their less-sweet varieties include Steak, Fish, and Cajun rubs have zero calories per serving.

Not being one to conform to instructions and labels, I experimented with the different varieties and found them to provide a flavorful mix of tastes, which accentuated rather than dominated.  Appropriate for even the most delicate palate.

Rebbe’s Choice [Available online] – Certified by OK

Two sweet taste sensations, The Rebbe’s Roast, fuses rich coffee with earthly sweet flavors of garlic, sugar, smoked paprika, onion, red bell pepper, and distinctive orange peel. Maple Sugar & Spice Rub – just its name makes your mouth water – it contains maple sugar, paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, and black pepper.  This flavor is featured in their Maple Bourbon Herring.

Rufus Teague Fixed Up This Rub [Available online and in stores] – Certified by OU

Rufus Teague offers five dry rubs, Meat, Steak, Chick N’rub, Spicy Meat, and Fish rubs. They all have zero calories in ¼ teaspoon and are all subtly different. Spicy Meat contains sugar, chili pepper, paprika onion garlic, and celery. The Steak rub contains salt, in addition to onion and garlic. It also has pure ground coffee, brown sugar, and citric acid. Of note, the Fish rub contains milk and is dairy. Rufus always said, “Good sauce makes bad barbecue good and good barbecue gooder.”

Recipe – Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas [Adapted from The Spice Labs]

Everything cooks together on a sheet pan in 25 minutes

Ingredients

• • 2-lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-in. strips
  • 3 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1/2-in. thick strips
  • 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 3 Tbs. Fajita Seasoning (7124)
  • 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Flour tortillas and salsa for serving

Method

1. 1. Heat oven to 425F
   2. Place chicken, peppers, red onion, Fajita seasoning, and oil in a large bowl and toss to combine.
   3. Transfer the mixture to a sheet pan and spread out in an even layer.  Place pan in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
   4. Sprinkle cilantro over the chicken mixture and serve with salsa and tortillas.