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Tips, video and photography provided by Heinen’s partner, Chef Billy Parisi.
A spice rub is one of the easiest ways to enhance the flavor of food. One of the best things about making spice rubs at home is that everyone probably already has most of the ingredients currently in their cupboard.
Rubs can be used on just about anything including protein, seafood and even vegetables! So, to get started, let’s talk about the four key ingredients all spice rubs need!
The Four Essential Ingredients to Any Spice Rub
There are four basic ingredients that make up virtually all spice rubs. These include:
- Salt
- Granulated garlic
- Granulated onion
- Pepper
Wondering how much of each ingredient to use? A good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 of the amount of granulated garlic and onion as you did salt, and 1/4 of the amount of pepper as you did salt. This recipe uses 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1 tsp. granulated onion and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
Now that you know the basics, let’s build on the flavor and create three versatile rubs including:
- Southwest Spice Rub
- Italian Spice Rub
- Middle Eastern Spice Rub
Check out the recipes, coating and cooking instructions below.
Ingredients
For a Southwest Spice Rub
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated onion
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. Heinen's cumin
- 1 tsp. Heinen's chili powder
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Heinen's red pepper flakes
For an Italian Spice Rub
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated onion
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. Heinen's dried oregano
- 1 tsp. Heinen's dried thyme
- 1 tsp. porcini powder
- Basil, optional
- Lemon peel, optional
- Parmesan cheese, optional
For a Middle Eastern Spice Rub
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. Heinen's granulated onion
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Heinen's cumin
- 1 tsp. Heinen's cinnamon
- 1 tsp. Heinen's paprika
- 1 tsp. Heinen's coriander
- 1/2 tsp. Heinen's nutmeg
Instructions
- For any of the spice rubs above, add the ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- For a big roast, season the meat with your favorite spice rub, allow to rest in the refrigerator for an hour or two and place it in the oven to cook.
- For individual filets, start by adding olive oil to a plate.
- Add your favorite spice rub and mix to combine. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 Tbsp. oil to 2 tsp. rub per filet.
- Completely coat the meat or seafood in the oil and spice rub mixture.
- Cook the meat or seafood immediately, or allow it to marinade in the refrigerator prior to cooking.
- If cooking in a sauté pan, add oil to the pan to act as a protective layer between the spice rub and the hot pan. Sauté using standard procedures.
- If cooking on a grill or grill pan, add oil to the grates to act as a protective layer between the spice rub and the grill. Grill using standard procedures.
- If broiling, add oil to the pan to act as a protective layer between the spice rub and the hot pan. Broil using standard procedures.
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We travel a bit in our RV and these will be great to make ahead and have on hand,
Thank you so much Chef Billy
We’re glad you found this tutorial helpful, Lois. Enjoy!