Four Easy Rubs in Spices That Can Be Made in Five Minutes or Less
Meat without seasoning is a crime. This poor common-headed chicken gave his life for you, and ¼ teaspoon of lemon pepper without salt on the drumstick is your whole plan ? Lord, Barbara, show some respect. Thank goodness for the spice rub, which prevents wrong seasoning crimes, quickly imparts a complex flavor to everything they touch.
We usually associate them with meat in general and barbecue in particular, but the seasoning can be used on just about anything. Have you ever rubbed greasy chunks of cauliflower with oil and spices and fried until soft and charred? Or processed portobello mushroom caps to a full steak overnight in a coffee-based spice mix? I think you need.
Regardless of dietary preference, every chef should have several condiments in their repertoire that they can quickly gather from pantries. Here are four very simple recipes in ascending order of complexity, each with a short recipe suggestion.
Salt, brown sugar, and fresh garlic
It is one distinct from dark chicken and roasted carrots and is exceptional when used to treat roasted pork shoulder:
- Ratio: 1.5 parts kosher salt to 1 part brown sugar.
Rub the pork shoulder roast liberally on all sides. Pierce the meat deeply in several places and fill the holes with peeled, crushed garlic cloves. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 hours. Tie the roast securely and cook very slowly until it falls apart, 4-5 hours at 300º F. (A slow cooker with foil over low heat for 8 hours will also work). With a dab of mayonnaise and some tart crispy cucumbers, it makes a fabulous sandwich filling.
Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
It tastes good on just about anything, but my favorite is this Taco Bell-style lightly pan-fried potato:
- Ratio: 1 part garlic powder to 1 part onion powder and 2 parts pepper, plus salt to taste.
Preheat oven to 425º F. Cut some reddish brown potatoes into cubes and lightly sprinkle with spices. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a safe skillet over medium to high heat until sizzling and sauté the potatoes in butter until browned on all sides. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes and bake until golden brown, stirring until medium. I love to eat them with fried beans, cheese, Valentina Black, and toasted corn tortillas.
Salt, coffee, adobo and chili powder
Great for lamb and steak, especially when used as a base for such stewing:
- Ratio: 1 part coffee to 1 part adobo, plus salt and chili powder to taste.
Rub chunks of chuck (or lamb) steak liberally with the mixture, cut one or two onions into thin slices, and combine together in a Ziploc bag. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 300º F. In a safe skillet with a lid, sauté the meat and onions in butter or butter. Deglaze a casserole with a 12-ounce can of cheap beer; cover and simmer in the oven for 3 hours. Serve with butter or noodles with green salad. And beer.
Salt, cinnamon, black pepper and thyme
This cream was practically made for boneless chicken thighs. Here’s what I did when I used it last weekend:
- Ratio: equal parts cinnamon, black pepper and thyme, plus salt to taste.
Rub chicken thighs and bones on the skin liberally with the spice mixture and cook the sous vide at 165 ° F for 3.5-4 hours. Pat your thighs dry with paper towels. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium to high heat and brown the chicken well on all sides. Deglaze a skillet with a glass of lemon juice and serve with white rice and finely chopped cilantro.
Do you love to grate spices as much as I do? If yes, then I want to hear about them in the comments. What mixes do you prefer and what do you apply them to? Was an ingredient you didn’t trust at first changed the game? For example, at first I was not sure about this situation with cinnamon and thyme, but it completely won me over. Tell me all your secrets!