Customizing a DIY Barbecue Rub
Your barbecue rub can make a big difference in your grilling experience. There are three things you need to reach grilling nirvana: fire, food and spice. A premium cut on an expensive grill is great, but without the right rub, your barbecue can still come across a little lackluster. Instead of forking over cold hard cash for pre-made spice rubs filled with mystery ingredients and preservatives, it is easy and fun to craft your own custom rub.
Things you’ll need:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Assorted Spices of Your Choosing
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
Most grill rubs—like a good brine—begin with a custom blend of salt and sugar.
Keep in mind that there are lots of different kinds of salt that you can add to your rub. Besides traditional table salt, that has a fine grain and tangy, mineral flavor, you might also try a kosher salt or sea salt. These larger-grain salts offer a more subtle saltiness. Gourmet salts like Fleur de Sel can be rather pricey, so skip adding these to your rub and reserve them for finishing off the dish at the table. Skip the seasoned salt too, because you’ll be adding your own spices to the mix.
For sugar choices, you can reach for white or brown sugar. However, white sugar goes through a refinement process that causes it to scorch at higher temperatures, so stick to brown sugar when gilling with high heat or direct flame. Brown sugar or natural sugar has a higher molasses content, which adds both rich color and flavor to your foods.
The ratio of salt to sugar depends greatly on what type of food you’ll be grilling. Saltier rubs work best for beef, white fish, and wild game, while sweeter rubs are better suited for pork and salmon.
The Perfect Formula
Food scientist extraordinaire Alton Brown recommends building a rub with the 8, 3, 1 + 1 principle. That is, eight parts sugar, three parts salt, one part chili powder plus one part comprised of assorted spices to taste. This is a good starting point, but don’t forget that you can customize your rub to your particular needs.
So what exactly can go into that plus one portion of the rub? The sky’s the limit. You can add heat with black pepper, white pepper or cayenne pepper. Reach for paprika or chipotle for a smoky flavor. Include thyme or rosemary for a fresh, woody flavor. Just mix and match until you get the right blend for you.
Some addition flavor profiles to explore:
- Citrus Peel
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Dill
- Fennel
- Garlic powder
- Ginger
- Mustard Powder
- Onion powder
- Oregano
So tell us, what secret spices do you like to add to your mix?
