Every cook should have a signature rub to add deliciousness to everything he or she eats. When cooking meat, rubs also aid in the formation of a tasty, crusty bark and help attract and adhere smoke. A word of caution though; use rubs judiciously, you want to enhance the flavor of food, not mask it.
Rule 1: Use the freshest dried spices possible. As dried spices age, the volatile oils in them oxidize and lose their potency. Most dried spices should be replaced once a year. Keep rubs in airtight containers to keep out as much oxygen as possible and store them in a dry, dark place.
Rule 2: Basic Ingredients: Humans experience five basic tastes: salty, sweet (sugar), sour (lemons), savory-umami (soy sauce, MSG), and bitter (coffee). While peppers are not a type of taste, they are essential to any good rub. All of these flavors can enhance the flavor of the foods we eat. Here is a list of typical rub spices:
- Salt – unlike other spices whose large molecules sit on the surface, salt penetrates deep into the center of meat. Therefore, the amount of salt required is directly related to the weight of the meat. In addition, cured meats and some poultry and pork have already been injected with salt during processing in order to retain water. So leave salt out of your rub and apply it separately. Seasoning salt is just salt with many of the spices listed below. Only use it if you are too lazy to add your own spices.
- Peppercorns from the piper nigrum plant – Make sure and use a courser grade of ground peppercorns in your rub. Here are several types of black peppercorn commonly available: malabar has a pungent aroma and robust flavor, tellicherry has less heat but is more fragrant, lampong are hotter with an earthy and smoky aroma, vietnamese have a lemony/citrus aroma, penja black is hotter with a rich and pungent aroma and hint of Cumin. Colored peppercorns (green, white and pink) are also from the piper nigrum plant from various stages of the black peppercorn process and have different levels of heat and aroma. They also look real fancy in a clear spice grinder.
- Sugar
- Chili Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dry Mustard
- Cinnamon
- Paprika for color
- Turmeric for color
- Oregano
- Coffee
Finally: Rubs taste very different after meat is cooked, so try out different recipes with different meats until you find what you like. Then brag about how great your rub is, guard your secret recipe like David Copperfield protects his magic tricks, give it a catchy name, and give it as a special treasure to your friends.