Recipe No 132 spice blend

Barbecue dry rub spice blend

This is a general spice blend for barbecue meat and vegetables. It has no particular origin which is great if you’re trying not to offend visitors from any particular region.

The sumac is tangy and reminiscent of lemon, so it goes well with fish and chicken. Make sure the grind is extremely fine, because sumac has an odd texture if not ground fine enough. For a modernist version, sieve through a lab sieve with a very fine particle grade after grinding.

Time

Prep:

Total:

Difficulty
very easy
Yield
2–4 serves • 20 g
Special equipment
spice grinder
Metric Imperial

Processes

  • Cumin seeds
    1.1 g
  • Black peppercorns
    0.8 g
  1. 01
    Pre-heat oven to 170°C / 340°F.
  2. 02
    Roast whole spices in an oven-safe non-stick pan until lightly colored and aromatic, about . Agitate the pan every and check the spices are not burning.
  3. 03
    Transfer to spice grounder.

  • Chili powder
    0.7 g
  • Sumac powder
    2.1 g
  • Cinnamon
    2.6 g
  • Paprika, mild
    6.9 g
  • Turmeric, ground
    6.6 g
  1. 04
    Add to grinder.
  2. 05
    Grind to fine powder.

Notes

Connoisseurs will tell you that spice blends are better when made fresh, and we’ve found this to be case, too, though the benefit is marginal. In the context of a full menu, there is no doubt that making your spice blends ahead of time is a significant advantage. Of course, the freshness of the spices you use will also impact the result. Regardless of this, making your own blend will always be better than those you buy and is worth the effort.

Making ahead

Spice blends can be made in full ahead of time and stored.

Storing

keeps for several months in an air-tight container out of direct sunlight

Categorisation

Category
spice blend
Meal
component ingredient
Cuisine
international
Diet
lacto-ovo-vegetarian low carb low fat low protein vegan vegetarian
Tags
barbecue barbeque