After doing a bit of research on the history of spice “rubs” there really isn’t that much. I did discover that the United States is number one importer of spices in the world. That’s a pretty significant claim. Thus, in our country we have all the spices at our fingertips to make our own “artisanal” housemade rub just by going to the store or local spice market. The most basic of rubs is plain ol’ salt and pepper. Just massage a couple of grinds into any piece of meat, fish or tofu. Roast, pan sear, grill and you have yourself a mighty fine meal.
If you start to add other things to the salt and pepper, you begin to create your own. For me, I like to add some brown sugar, cayenne, a little smoked salt, paprika, cumin, fennel seed, dry mustard and a little more sugar….like turbinado. You can experiment…and that’s what cooking and life is all about exploring, experimenting…trying something new.
To make your own rub:
Use a tablespoon of each dry ingredient. If you decide to add a little more of one and less of another, it’s okay, you won’t be graded.
- Brown sugar (I like a little more so I normally do two tablespoons)
- Cayenne
- Paprika
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder (for me, two tablespoons)
- Onion powder
- Fennel seed
- Salt (Kosher salt or Maldon flaky salt)
- Black Pepper
Or make a Curry Rub. Again starting with the salt and pepper, add to that:
- Curry Powder (I like a lot of curry. I go with 3 or 4 tablespoons)
- Ground coriander
- Ground ginger
- Ground Cumin
- Brown sugar
So this Labor Day, you’ve labored by looking at two different rubs. Take a couple of tablespoons of the mixture and massage your protein (tofu works too)…front and back. Work your way into it. Ahhh…and let it rest for about 45 minutes to an hour. Turn on your oven, light up your grill, melt some butter in your cast iron pan – and sear, bake, broil or roast. It’s like getting all “jiggy wit dit” without removing an ounce of clothing. Store the extra in an air-tight container in a cool dark place and pull it — ahem — out when you’re feeling like a quickie….meal.
The End. Go Eat.
