How to Use a Meat Rub

Meat rubs are a seasoning mixture of herbs and spices that are applied directly to meat prior to grilling or smoking. Meat rubs enhance the taste yet shouldn't overpower the flavor of the meat itself. Meat rubs also create the dark flavorful crust or "Bark" on the meat. Most meat rubs contain salt, sugar, spices and herbs.

Dry meat rubs use only dry ingredients. No fresh or moist ingredients are used. This prevents you from taking a bite of meat and getting a clump of fresh oregano. Dry oregano mixed in with other dried herbs and spices will guarantee equal distribution of the flavors in each bite. Dry meat rubs are sprinkled on the meat. The moisture of the meat itself allows the dry rub to adhere, but most barbecuers brush the meat with olive oil first.

Wet meat rubs, or pastes are created by adding a wet ingredient to the blend. Most often olive oil is the vehicle that carries the fresh herbs and spices. One disadvantage of wet meat rubs is their short shelf life. They must be used immediately and tend to lose their potency in a matter of days. Wet meat rubs are not commonly used.

How to make and use meat rubs
To make dry meat rubs, measure out each ingredient and set aside individually. Once everything has been measured out, grind the herbs using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. This will refine their size as well as bring out their true flavor. Use fresh dry ingredients. If they have been sitting in your cupboard for years, they've lost their potency. Once the larger sized ingredients have been ground to a uniform size, mix all ingredients together in a bowl. You're now ready to apply your meat rub.

How to apply meat rubs
Remove the meat from any brine or marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the meat with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle the rub over all sides of the meat. No real rubbing is involved. You can pat it lightly to assist the adhesion. A heavy, even coating works best.

Once rubbed, set your meat aside so the dry rub can do its magic. 30 minutes to an hour should be sufficient. If you need more time, it may be wise to refrigerate.

Dry rub tips
Mix up extra when making a dry rub. Store in an old spice jar for future use.

When using a meat rub on poultry, apply the rub under the skin for best results.

Scoring meat in a criss cross manner will help the meat rub penetrate deeper.

Experiment and make notes. You'll be better prepared the next time.