Meat Madness

Rub away and marinate like mad

Spices and seasonings add flavour, colour and texture to grilled meat

What is a rub?
A rub is a mixture of herbs and/or spices that is applied to meat before grilling. It adds flavor, colour and texture to enhance the taste of the meat.

Rubs can be as complex or as simple as you want to make them; they can have many ingredients or just a few. Rubs combine with the juices drawn from the meat and work like a dry marinade. This process does not penetrate as deeply into the meat as marinades but provides a more concentrated flavour.

Rubs can be bought ready-made, made from experimenting with an existing recipe, or made from scratch. A dry rub is a mixture of herbs and spices that is rubbed into the meat. Once you add a liquid ingredient, usually oil, it becomes a wet rub that works best in the form of a thick paste. The advantage of a wet rub is that it sticks to the meat better. This is particularly important if you are cooking poultry with the skin on or some other smooth surfaced meats that tend to be naturally dry. A wet rub helps to keep the meat from drying out, particularly when using an oil-based rub. The oil acts as a moisture barrier, keeping the natural juices inside the meat. Oils in rubs can also keep meats from sticking to the grill.

Either type of rub should coat the surface of the meat and should be worked evenly into the meat to get the flavor inside as much as possible.

When to use a rub

• Use a rub on any cut of meat that is being cooked with dry heat (roasting or grilling especially).
• A delicate or mild cut of meat, such as beef or pork tenderloin, will require a less assertive rub than a stronger-flavoured cut, like ribs for example.

How to make your own rub

• Start with an existing rub formula and adjust the ingredients and proportions to suit your taste. Initially, you will have to experiment to gain confidence in preparing your rubs.
• Make initial batches of rubs in small quantities.
• For best results use whole spices like coriander, cumin, anise, mustard, caraway, etc. Toast the spices for a few minutes in the oven, and then grind them in an electric coffee mill.
• All rubs require at least a small amount of salt.
• Rubs with sugar, or a sweet component, will not only sweeten the meat, they will also caramelize when cooked, giving a pleasant colour and distinctive flavour.
• Store rubs in an airtight container, away from heat and light. They last for up to six months before they start to lose their flavour.
• Put a label on the side of the container with the recipe and the date you made it.
• Use empty spice bottles as a convenient rub shaker.

How to use rubs

• Rubs can be applied to meats just before cooking, or left on for up to 24 hours. If the rub is in contact with meat for any longer the salt will begin to dehydrate the meat.
• Always refrigerate meat if not cooking immediately.
• Apply only as much rub as will adhere to the meat.
• If meat is too dry to allow the rub to adhere, lightly coat with oil beforehand.
• Apply a rub under the skin of poultry as putting a rub on the surface of the skin won’t do much to enhance the flavour of the meat.
• Apply your rub well before you plan to grill or smoke. A good hour will be enough in most cases, but large roasts, whole poultry, or briskets should be rubbed down the night before or at least several hours before hand. This allows the seasonings to mingle with the natural juices of the meat and sink in.

What Is A Marinade?

The word comes from the Latin/Italian "" which means "of the sea." Marinades from several centuries ago were briny liquids like seawater meant to preserve, tenderize and flavor foods. Marinades have since evolved into a liquid that has been seasoned with herbs and spices and is used to flavour and tenderize meat, fish, and vegetables. The liquid may be wine, fruit juice, vinegar, or any combination of these, along with spices, herbs, or other flavouring agents. Oil, such as canola or olive oil, is often included as well.

The three main marinade "families" are acids, enzymes and dairy: