Spice rubs are an often overlooked secret weapon in the kitchen that will turn a piece of meat or poultry into a memorable roast, barbecue and braise. They accentuate the taste depth of your dish, give character to it and can turn a common dish into your signature creation. Spice rubs can also be used in salad dressings, dips and sprinkled on veggies.

You might be asking, “Why make your own?” For starters, it’s a breeze, and you know exactly what’s going in—not to mention, you can skip the preservatives, caking agents, and excess salt found in many packaged blends. Want to dial up the heat, add some zest, or craft a blend that gives the exact vibe you are trying to create in the meal? The choice is yours!

Our go-to method? Start simple and build.

1. Prepare you base: Here you will use salt and sugar to create a base. The salt will help with accentuating and underlining all the other spices. The sugar is optional and the amount will depend on what direction you are going. A roasted rib will definitely demand way more sugar to form that caramelized crust than a delicate piece of roasted salmon, to which I wouldn’t add any sugar.
2. Continue building the foundation: Here you can use onions, garlic, paprika, thyme, black and white pepper to be your foundational flavor layer.
3. Give it character: Your choice of character giving spices will set the direction of your blend. That character can be based on taste profiles or a certain cuisine that you are trying to evoke. Think cumin, coriander, marjoram, ginger, basil, chili powder, oregano, sage, rosemary, lemon peel, etc.
4. Finish up with your ‘wow-factor’ using a small amount of exotic and intense spices and herbs, like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, chipotle, cayenne.

You can certainly make it as complex (more ingredients) or as simple (less ingredients) as you wish or your pantry allows. Mix them up in a jar, shake, and sprinkle—or store for your next dinner party. That’s it!

Don’t forget to match your blend to the kind of meat or vegetable you are seasoning. Fish and seafood demand milder flavors for shorter periods of time, beef and pork will benefit from a more robust rub and can be seasoned hours or even a day before. A spice rub can also be added to your brining solution if you want those flavors to go deeper into your meat.

This week we have created a custom blend for our friends at Salesforce for their 15-year MVP Celebration:

RED THAI SPICE RUB:

• 2Tbsp Demerara Sugar
• 1T Sea Salt
• 3T Lemongrass
• 1T Chili Flakes
• 1T Paprika
• ½ T Cumin
• ½ T Coriander
• ½ T Ginger
• ½ T Turmeric
• 1tsp Cloves
• 2 Bay leaves (crushed)
• 2 Kaffir lime leaves (sliced thin or crushed)

Now it’s your turn to play!

Will you try one of our chef’s blends, or invent your own? Share your mix with us and spread the flavor far and wide—get sprinkling and let’s see what you create!

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