The secret to expertly seasoned meat, fish, or vegetables is surely stupidly smooth: Don’t even consider letting whatever touch the grill this summer season without first giving it a very good rubdown. A dry rub usually has those three components: salt, pepper, and brown sugar, which provides meat and fish a healthy taste and some sweet caramelization (way to the sugar) as soon as it hits the warmth. But after you’ve been given the ones as your base, you could cross loopy from there, adding something spice to make an experience with the herbal flavor of what you’re cooking. (For instance, cayenne is quite top-notch on fish.)
But don’t stress if you’re no longer a taste chemist: every one of these ready-to-buy rubs is a delicious taste bomb that’ll add texture without you having to lift a finger. Some even bypass the sugar (it’s your life, stay it the way you need); however, they convey all that crazy-precise taste. Take one in your friend-with-the-grill’s subsequent BBQ—unlike a marinade or sauce, you can add a rub proper before you prepare the meat dinner—to ensure you are invited again for the next grilling sesh.
The Salt Lick Authentic Texas BBQ Dry Rub, 2 for $18.99 on Amazon
This mythical pit out of the doors of Austin serves up some of the most flavorful BBQs in the region. Thankfully, you could skip the power (and the large traces) and make your model domestic with this rub that’s a smoky blend of salt, black pepper, cayenne, and different spices. It’s critically addictive. Buy Now
Salmon Rub by way of Tom Douglas, $7.95 at Sur La Table
James Beard Award-prevailing Seattle Kitchen chef Tom Douglas came up with this dry rub and agrees with us; it’s a great way to visit the Pacific Northwest without leaving domestically. You may use this one on hen or pork chops, but the blend of paprika, thyme, and brown sugar is perfect for salmon fillets.
If you’re hosting a boat-shoe-clad crowd (or only a bunch of landlocked pals who have goals of living oceanside), this hand-mixed rub will give the meal an East Coast vibe. It’s a great pairing with flaky white fish like haddock or cod. (It’s additionally tastier when introduced to chowder or steamed shellfish.) Just don’t neglect to invite someone to bring a six-percent Narragansett.
You’ve heard of deboning a fowl, but how about de-dull it? Take your basic chicken to new heights with this Tuscan mix of garlic, pepper, rosemary, and dried oregano. Two teaspoons per pound of chicken must do it, and presto! It’s what we believe residing in invaluable Italy for the summer season would taste like. Someone, please affirm.
Give your burgers, brisket, and pot roast a jolt with a coffee-infused rub. Yep, the bitter grounds, mixed with floor chilies, mustard, paprika, brown sugar, and salt, make a sweet treat with a smoky taste at the grill.
This dry rub is much like a margarita cocktail: we’ll have it with anything and any day of the week. Its components are family simple—chile pepper, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, spice, and lime oil—however, it provides important character to almost everything it touches. (Just like a round of marks, am I right?) It’s as mouth-watering on red meat as on shrimp or greens, and it even seems pretty on your spice rack.
Give your at-home grilling party a primary steakhouse feel with a rub of dehydrated blue cheese (along with side paprika, garlic, onion, and salt). Once your steaks hit the grill, you’ll get a tangy, wealthy crust even better than at a white tablecloth joint. Hot tip: it’s even incredible sprinkled over popcorn.
It’s cool if you haven’t made it to Morocco, but (#bucketlist) because this rub can ship you there in mere mins. It has all the desirable herbs, after which some: coriander, cumin, garlic, turmeric, ginger, onion, salt, chili powder, black pepper, cloves, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Together, they make the most divine, not-from-right-here red-meat rub you could get without an aircraft ticket.
