Great flavor a flash! With rubs for grilled meat, poultry, or fish, you get vibrant flavor pronto -- even faster if you make your favorites in bulk so they're always on hand.

Click on the link to watch a brief demonstration about rubs. Elizabeth ~ March 2009

 "Rules of the rub" are loose and fancy-free.  There's a broad definition as to what rubs are, and within that it's a cook's playground (or the proverbial candy shop) of spices, herbs, and condiments.

 A rub is a mixture of Herbs, Spices and Seasonings liberally applied to coat the outside of meat, poultry, or fish.  Salt is always a great starting place for a rub. It helps the rub penetrate, and it rounds out and brings together the flavors of the ingredients.  Sugar is also a popular addition to rubs as it caramelizes when exposed to high heat. If adding a sugar, do so sparingly as they burn easily.

 If using seeds, nuts, dried herbs, or spices, be sure to Crush them first to release their entire flavor.  The only real rule is that there is no right or wrong mixture. It's all a matter of personal preference!

 These are mixtures containing any number of Dried herbs & spices.  Dry rubs adhere using the natural moisture of the meat, poultry, or fish.

 A wet rub has a moist ingredient added to the spices and herbs. Common ingredients added to make a wet rub may include, but are not limited to: mustard, finely chopped garlic, oil, horseradish, and yogurt.  Wet rubs are also called paste denoting their consistency. They adhere to food more easily than dry rubs.

 A rub should have time to work its magic.  If applying a rub to chicken with skin on, place it under the skin.  Lightly scoring meat, poultry, and fish will help the rub flavors penetrate further.

 How long a rub should rest on the food before cooking spans from 15 minutes to 2 hours and up to several hours. It depends on the density of what you are applying it to and how strong the flavors of the rub are.  Keep the rubbed food in the refrigerator, for safety's sake.

 Dry rubs will keep in tightly closed containers up to 6 months.  If you're planning on storing a large batch of dry rub, use the most recently purchased dried herbs and spices. Most lose their flavor after the bottle has been open for 9 months to a year.  Wet rubs will generally keep for a few weeks under refrigeration.