Making Herbal Rub Mixtures for Grilling

With Father’s Day right around the corner, I thought I would share a few ways to make some great blends of herbs to use for grilling everything from beef and chicken to fish and vegetables.

The Backyard Patch makes several Rubs and Marinades (LINK) https://www.etsy.com/listing/72884068/grilling-special-herb-rub-and-marinade

https://www.etsy.com/listing/77123884/marinades-made-with-dry-herb-cooking

Two of the blends are nice and spicy for those who like a robust meat rub:

N’OrleansSecret - This blend will add some punch to everyday dishes and makes a great meat rub for grilling as well as a way to zip up your ketchup for burgers.  Just try 1 Tbls. N’orleans Secret in a cup of tomato ketchup for a spicy summer condiment.  

Four Spice Meat Rub - A nod to the fact that when barbequing the need for a stronger flavor that will hold up to fire is sometimes required,  we created this spice blend (with a few herbs) that can be used as a meat rub.  You can also use it to create a wonderful warm BBQ sauce.  Blend 1 tablespoon Backyard Patch Four Spice Meat Rub with 1 cup ketchup or tomato sauce and a bit of salt to taste, then warm in a sauce pan and serve hot. 

Making your own Rubs

If you want to craft your own rubs and seasoning, here are a few blends to try.  At the bottom of the post are a couple of recipes to go with these blends.

Bay Blend for Meat & Poultry
3 parts powdered bay leaf
2 parts rubbed sage
2 parts dried savory
1 part dried marjoram
1 part dried thyme
1 part dried basil
1 part dried rosemary
½ part garlic powder
½ part onion powder

Mix all ingredients. Store in lidded container. Rub into meat or poultry before roasting or broiling, or grilling.

No Salt Seasoning Mix

Good sprinkled on eggs, meat or chicken.  Use 1 to 2 Tbls. as a meat rub.  Blend with butter or margarine over fresh steamed vegetables.   You can even combine 1 Tbls. of the blend with 2/3 cup oil and 1/3 cup vinegar for a tangy salad dressing.

• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. basil, crumbled
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. granulated garlic
• ½ tsp. thyme, crumbled
• ½ tsp celery seed
• ½ tsp parsley, crumbled
• ½ tsp curry powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well.

 

Peppered Lavender Beef Rub

• 1 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
• Pinch of savory

In a small spice or coffee grinder, coarsely grind the black peppercorns, white peppercorns, fennel seeds, thyme, and lavender flowers; rub mixture all over the meat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (preferably).

This is good on a tenderloin roast, rolled roast, steaks or even pounded Round steak.  Just sear the meat then broil or crock pot cook it until fully cooked.  The recipe amount is calculated for a 3 to 4 pound roast

Fish & Poultry Rub

• 2 parts sorrel
• 1 part lemon balm
•  ½ part thyme 

This blend can also be made with fresh ingredients.  Just finely mince the fresh herbs using the same proportions add to a bit of olive oil and spread on your fish or chicken like a paste.  When using dry herbs combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Use as a rub or stuff the cavity before poaching or baking.  Use about 1/3 less on you fish or poultry when using dry versus fresh herbs in this mixture.

Blackening Rub

• 4 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 1.2 tsp. cayenne pepper (adjust for personal taste)
• 2 tsp. garlic granules
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt (optional)

Combine the dry ingredients in a screw-top jar, using more cayenne if a hotter mix is required; shake well

 

Recipe to try

Blackened Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 8 Tbls butter, melted
• A generous portion of  Blackening Rub

Pound the chicken breasts lightly until thinner and of an even thickness. Heat barbecue or cast-iron skillet or grill pan for about 10 minutes, until very hot.

Dip the chicken into melted butter and sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, until a black crust forms and the chicken is cooked through. (This cooking process will create a lot of smoke and is best done outdoors. Have a strong exhaust fan operating if cooking indoors.)

 

Pork Roast with Horseradish & Herbs (Serves 8)

• 1  2-pound lean boneless pork rib roast or loin roast, all visible fat removed
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 2 Tsp. Backyard Patch Butter N Cheese Herb Mix

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pork roast in a shallow baking pan. Rub horseradish over the surface of meat. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over roast. Place roast, uncovered, in oven. Cook about 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 160°F. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice to serve.

 

 

Making Herbal Rub Mixtures for Grilling

This was originally posted on the Supporting Artist Blog back in June 2013.  That Blog is now gone so I thought I would share the recipes here, in case you missed them back then.  For details on What Meat Rubs are and how to use them see this previous post - What is an Herbal Meat Rub?

With Father’s day right around the corner, I thought I would share a few ways to make some great blends of herbs to use for grilling everything from beef and chicken to fish and vegetables.

The Backyard Patch makes several Grilling Rubs and Marinade Mixes.

Two of the blends are nice and spicy for those who like a robust meat rub:

N’OrleansSecret - This blend will add some punch to everyday dishes and makes a great meat rub for grilling as well as a way to zip up your ketchup for burgers.  Just try 1 Tbls. N’orleans Secret in a cup of tomato ketchup for a spicy summer condiment. 

Four Spice Meat Rub - A nod to the fact that when barbequing the need for a stronger flavor that will hold up to fire is sometimes required,  we created this spice blend (with a few herbs) that can be used as a meat rub.  You can also use it to create a wonderful warm BBQ sauce.  Blend 1 tablespoon Backyard Patch Four Spice Meat Rub with 1 cup ketchup or tomato sauce and a bit of salt to taste, then warm in a sauce pan and serve hot.

For a sweeter rub try Mint Meat Rub - this blend with cinnamon and allspice is flavored with mint leaves to make a perfect pairing with pork.  Rub the blend into a pork roast and broil or grill until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.

If you want to craft your own rubs and seasoning, here are a few blends to try.  At the bottom of the post are a couple of recipes to go with these blends.

Bay Blend for Meat and Poultry
3 parts powdered bay leaf
2 parts rubbed sage
2 parts dried savory
1 part dried marjoram
1 part dried thyme
1 part dried basil
1 part dried rosemary
½ part garlic powder
½ part onion powder

Mix all ingredients. Store in lidded container. Rub into meat or poultry before roasting or broiling, or grilling.

No Salt Seasoning Mix

Good sprinkled on eggs, meat or chicken.  Use 1 to 2 Tbls. as a meat rub.  Blend with butter or margarine over fresh steamed vegetables.   You can even combine 1 Tbls. of the blend with 2/3 cup oil and 1/3 cup vinegar for a tangy salad dressing.

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. basil, crumbled

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. thyme, crumbled

½ tsp celery seed

½ tsp parsley, crumbled

½ tsp curry powder (optional)

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well.

Peppered Lavender Beef Rub

1 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flowers

Pinch of savory
 

In a small spice or coffee grinder, coarsely grind the black peppercorns, white peppercorns, fennel seeds, thyme, and lavender flowers; rub mixture all over the meat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (preferably).

This is good on a tenderloin roast, rolled roast, steaks or even pounded Round steak.  Just sear the meat then broil or crock pot cook it until fully cooked.  The recipe amount is calculated for a 3 to 4 pound roast

Fish & Poultry Rub

2 parts sorrel

1 part lemon balm

 ½ part thyme

This blend can also be made with fresh ingredients.  Just finely mince the fresh herbs using the same proportions add to a bit of olive oil and spread on your fish or chicken like a paste.  When using dry herbs combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Use as a rub or stuff the cavity before poaching or baking.  Use about 1/3 less on you fish or poultry when using dry versus fresh herbs in this mixture.

Blackening Rub

4 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. black pepper

1.2 tsp. cayenne pepper (adjust for personal taste)

2 tsp. garlic granules

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt (optional)

Combine the dry ingredients in a screw-top jar, using more cayenne if a hotter mix is required; shake well

Recipe to try

Blackened Chicken

6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

8 Tbls butter, melted

A generous portion of  Blackening Rub.

Pound the chicken breasts lightly until thinner and of an even thickness. Heat barbecue or cast-iron skillet or grill pan for about 10 minutes, until very hot.

Dip the chicken into melted butter and sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, until a black crust forms and the chicken is cooked through. (This cooking process will create a lot of smoke and is best done outdoors. Have a strong exhaust fan operating if cooking indoors.)

Pork Roast with Horseradish & Herbs

Serves 8

1  2-pound lean boneless pork rib roast or loin roast, all visible fat removed

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

2 Tsp. Backyard Patch Butter N Cheese Herb Mix

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pork roast in a shallow baking pan. Rub horseradish over the surface of meat. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over roast. Place roast, uncovered, in oven. Cook about 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 160°F. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice to serve.

Fast Recipe for a Busy Weekend - Salsa Meatloaf

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup prepared BYP Salsa made with fresh or canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 to 2 Tbls. BYP Grilled Meat Rub or Meat Seasoning Blend
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 cloves garlic
• minced dried parsley, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. stir Meat Seasoning blend or Grilled Meat rub into bread crumbs.  In a large bowl combine beef, salsa, seasoned bread crumbs, cheese, egg and garlic. Add parsley, salt and pepper as desired. Bake in a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan for 45 minutes. Servings: 6 to 8.  You can pour extra salsa over the top as you bake for a bit of sweetness.

What is an Herbal Meat Rub?

What really makes a rub a rub is how it is applied. I suppose that you could say sprinkling salt and pepper over a steak was like adding a rub, but this really isn't what we mean when we talk about rubs, particularly a traditional barbecue rub. A rub should coat the surface of the meat. You should work a rub evenly into the meat to get the flavor inside as much as possible.     

Rubs come in two varieties, wet rubs and dry rubs. A dry rub is made of herbs and spices and can be either sprinkled over meat or actually rubbed in. A wet rub contains a liquid ingredient, usually oil and is coated over the surface of the meat. Beyond this, practically anything goes.

What you want in your rub is really a matter of personal taste. You want a good rub to add flavor and color but you don't want it to overpower the flavor of the meats you are rubbing.   

 Most dry rubs contain such things as paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, etc. To get these dry ingredients to stay on requires the natural moisture of the meat.  You want to enhance the flavor of the meat without overpowering it, so a good rub will be a mixing of strong spices with mild, complimentary ones to create an even distribution. If you're going for a hot spice combination, chose a blend with chili powder, cayenne or paprika. It will give the meat a good color and add the level of heat you want without making the meat too hot to eat.

The advantage of a wet rub (or paste) 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 or meats that tend to be naturally dry. The other advantage of a wet rub is that it can help keep meat from drying out. This is especially true 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. Remember that a wet rub should have the consistency of a paste, thick.

Lemon peel and tarragon were used in oilive oil

 

As I said, a rub should be worked into meats completely. If you are applying a rub to poultry try and get it in under the skin. Skin blocks flavors so putting a rub on the surface of skin won't do much for the meat. If is also good to 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. Dusting a pork chop with a rub seconds before it hits the grill will result in a well flavored set of burners and a good supply of smoke from burning spices. It won't add a lot of flavor to the chops.

4 Spice Meat Rub from the Backyard Patch used on a pork tenderloin

I have a whole list of meat rubs for all marinades and rubs that I created for the Backyard Patch because I love the quick easy way you can rub a plain meat in herbs and spices and conjure tastes of far away yet still have a meal in my own back yard. I put together a special set of 5 grilling mixes that has free shipping too!

If you want to try your hand at making your own rubs, check out this post I first did over at the Supporting Artists Blog but have posted on my own blog here: Grilling Rubs for Father's Day.  You can find several rub recipes to get your started.