UPLOADED/REDIRECTED Rub, Soak and Slather
Photo by Marcy Holquist. Styling by Keith Recker.
Longtime TABLE Magazine contributor and recipe writer Rhonda Schuldt has some terrific advice for your summer BBQ menu: go to the next level of flavor by soaking, rubbing and slathering your meats, fish and veggies with her delicious concoctions.
Rubs, pastes, marinades, and sauces…these various seasoning techniques offer endless options for summer’s outdoor cooking, grilling, and barbequing. Here are some guidelines and a few favorites to get you started. Get adventurous and create your own combinations. Some will sure to become classics in your own home — as these have in ours.
Dry Rubs
Dry rubs are a blend of herbs and spices, literally rubbed onto meats to impart flavor and create a wonderful crusty coating. Typically used in barbeque, dry rubs are best when massaged into the meat and left for several hours or overnight (in the refrigerator) to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Lee’s Favorite Rub: Pork, Beef, Chicken
An outstanding, tried and true barbeque rub from my father-in-law, the king of summer barbeque!
· 3/4 cup paprika
· 1/4 cup salt
· 1/4 cup ground black pepper
· 1/4 cup turbinado sugar or light brown sugar
· 2 tbsp. chili powder
· 2 tbsp. garlic powder
· 2 tbsp. onion powder
· 2 tbsp. celery powder
· 2 tbsp. ground oregano
Mix together in a bowl.
Wet Rubs /Pastes
Wet rubs are just that: wet instead of dry. The inclusion of moist ingredients turns this flavor-enhancer into a paste-like consistency. As with dry rubs, they are best massaged into the meat and given time in the refrigerator to allow flavor infusion.
Pastes can be made with a variety of fresh or dried herbs, spices, peppers, garlic (roasted or raw), mustards, mayonnaise, oils, juices, and yogurt. Wet rubs and paste not only impart flavor, but also help keep meat, fish, or poultry moist during roasting and grilling.
Roasted Garlic, Horseradish and Mustard: Fish, Pork, Chicken, Beef, Lamb
A terrific flavor-enhancing paste. Modify it by leaving out the horseradish or changing the herbs and mustard (try honey mustard or grainy mustard) to suit your taste.
· 4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
· 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
· 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
· 1 tsp. dried thyme
· 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
· 1 tsp. kosher salt (optional)
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash together into a paste.
Marinades
Marinades are liquids that flavor and tenderize meat, seafood, and even vegetables. The flavor combinations are endless, but all marinades typically include an acidic tenderizing ingredient such as wine, vinegar, or citrus as the base to which herbs, spices, and other ingredients are added. Marinating should always be done in the fridge and in a non-reactive container; zip-top bags are perfect.
Simply Delicious Lemon, Garlic, White Wine Marinade: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef, Fish, Seafood, Veggies
Delicious on its own, this is also an incredibly adaptable marinade base for any flavor profile you’re going for.
Basic Marinade:
· Juice of one fresh lemon, approximately ¼ cup (use Meyer lemons when in season)
· 1/3 cup white wine
· 5 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tsp. kosher salt
· ½ tsp. black pepper
Mix all ingredients together before pouring over meats or vegetables and marinate according to suggested time.
Some favorite adaptations:
§ Add a combination of dried basil, oregano, and fresh or dried thyme for delicious Mediterranean grilled chicken breasts or thighs
§ Use lime juice instead of lemon, add ground cumin, coriander, oregano, and a splash of soy sauce for grilled flank steak
§ Use juice of a fresh orange instead of the wine, add cumin, coriander, a bay leaf and a little cayenne for a Cuban-inspired grilled pork tenderloin
§ Double the recipe, add a handful of fresh, chopped rosemary for an amazing grilled or roasted leg of lamb
§ Substitute 1 cup of yogurt for the wine, grated ginger or ginger paste, garam masala, and ground coriander for a resplendent grilled cauliflower
“How long to marinate?
Fish and Seafood:
½ to 1 hour*
*no longer or consistency of the fish may change
Chicken:
1 to 3 hours
Beef, Pork & Lamb:
Small cuts: 1 to 3 hours
Large cuts: 6 to 24 hours
Tip: Make a double batch of marinade and set half aside to baste the meat while cooking.”
Sauces…the crowning touch of barbeque!
Unlike rubs, pastes, and marinades that are introduced to the meat before cooking, sauces are typically added during the last part of cooking or as an accompaniment when serving barbequed and grilled food. One thing almost all barbeque sauces have in common is a sweetener such as sugar, molasses, maple syrup, or honey that provides balance and caramelization, deepening the flavor of barbequed meat. So, slather on your favorite (in Pittsburgh, we love BBQ Stu’s assortment of sauces).
“Because the sugars in most sauces tend to burn, they should be added during the last part of cooking as a finishing step. This will prevent the sauce from blackening or burning before the meat is done. ”
Story by Rhonda Schuldt // Photography by Marcy Holquist // Styling by Keith Recker
Don’t miss a single delicious thing!
Rhonda Schuldt, founder and owner of Local Goodness LLC, grew up in Kansas City. She and her husband fire up the smoker and grill year-round and enjoy the flame-kissed and slow-cooked flavors of their favorite barbeque joints.