Spice Rub - Basic Spice Rub Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ratio of salt to spices? ›

A good salt-to-Universal Seasoning ratio is 2 parts spice mix to 1 part salt, so if you use 1/4 cup of the spice mix whisk that together with 1/8 cup of kosher salt.

If you did it right, the entire surface should be covered. Be sure to let the rub sit for 30 minutes or up to 1½ hours to allow the salt and spices to penetrate the meat before cooking.

A dry rub can be rubbed directly into the meat and massaged until it sticks to the surface. We recommend patting your cut of meat dry using paper towels. From there, you can season directly onto the meat or apply a small amount of oil over the surface before coating generously in the dry rub.

Dry Rub is mixture of 'dry' seasonings such as salt, spices, and sugar that is applied (usually 'rub' it on with your hands) to the surface of meat or fish before cooking. There are many variations. You can make a dry rub mixture yourself or you can purchase it already made and ready to rub.

It's a combination of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and coarse 16 Mesh Ground Black Pepper in a 50:50 ratio is all that's needed to bring out the natural flavors of the beef and complement the smoky flavor from smoking with wood.

As we stated earlier, most dry rubs contain salt, which has a dehydrating effect, so prolonging the seasoning may work against you if you keep it on too long.

You can even leave the dry rub on overnight, but keep in mind that the salt content will begin to dry out the meat if left on for too long. If you're in a hurry, you can hit the grill immediately after applying the rub.

Most store-bought BBQ rubs come with an expiration or "best by" date. While this serves as a general guideline, it's important to note that these dates are often more about optimal flavor rather than safety. Many rubs can technically be used long after the date on the packaging, but the taste may not be up to par.

Not all dry rubs have salt or sugar in them, but many do as both are a good base to start with. Most recipes call for 4 Tablespoons of salt or sugar (usually brown) and then build from there.

For a sweet base, use brown sugar. For heat, use either cayenne or chili powder. All other ingredients are savory flavors: salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Other common dry rub seasonings include jerk seasoning, sate, curry blends, and Old Bay seasoning.

Should you put salt in a dry rub? ›

And of course, you want there to be salt in your dry rub because salt is essential to seasoning everything.

There are four basic types of seasoning ingredients: • Salt • Pepper ⚫ Sugar and light-flavored sweeteners • Acids When you season a food, you add just enough of one or more of these ingredients to change the food's basic taste, but not enough to add a whole new taste.

Salt has a greater impact on flavor than any other ingredient. Learn to use it well, and food will taste good. Salt's relationship to flavor is multidimensional: It has its own particular taste, and it both balances and enhances the flavor of other ingredients.

Sugar is a common but optional addition, particularly if you want to cut the salt flavor. Be careful not to add too much sugar (no more than 20% of the total rub mix), or it will caramelize when cooking.

If you're still getting familiar with combining spices, I recommend trying out 2 different ratios as a starting point. A 1:1:1 ratio of top/middle/base spices will be nicely balanced and versatile for most applications while a 3:2:1 or 1:2:3 ratio allows you to pronounce top or base notes for a specific dish.

As it's a dried product, the flavor is more concentrated, and only about ¼ teaspoon of the product is needed to get the same flavor result as 1 clove of fresh garlic. Garlic salt, on the other hand, is salt (usually, flaky kosher or sea salt) mixed with garlic powder at about a 3-to-1 salt to garlic ratio.

There's a reason so many recipes say "salt to taste": there's no single answer. Most of the time, we use close to 0.5% salt by weight (so 1kg food has 5g or 1 teaspoon of salt), but "close to" leaves plenty of wiggle room about what exactly is best. Different people have different tastes.

The ideal time to salt your meat is 24 hours before cooking, though dry brining can start as close as two hours before placing your meat on the heat. Simply apply ½ to ¾ teaspoon of salt per pound of meat, spreading evenly over the entire surface. Place your meat in the fridge right after applying the salt.