Smoked Meat Dry Rub Recipes Enhance The Flavor of Smoked Foods (2024)

FAQs

What spices are good for smoked meat? ›

The Spice Rub

The large amount of black pepper with a touch of red pepper flakes adds a peppy bit of heat to the brisket while the coriander, garlic, and onion powder provide a savory and aromatic background for the smoked meat. The spice blend is robust enough to stand up to the long smoking and steaming process.

Rubs added prior to the cooking process help pull some moisture to the top of the meat, mixing with the spices and creating a crust or bark on the outside of the meat, adding a whole new layer of flavour when the meat is done.

Smoked foods have a longer shelf life than conventionally cooked meats, reducing food waste and ensuring freshness. Moreover, smoking can enhance the tenderness of meats. The prolonged exposure to low heat breaks down tough connective tissues, resulting in tender, succulent dishes that practically melt in your mouth.

If you want a bold smoky flavor for your steak, use mesquite, hickory or oak wood. These woods all add amazing flavor to steak. If you prefer a milder smoked flavor with vibrant color, use cherry wood to give your steak its wood-fired flavor.

You can apply a rub right before you cook or a few hours ahead of time for basic grilling or up to 24 hours ahead if you're hot-smoking.

A dry rub can be rubbed directly into the meat and massaged until it sticks to the surface. We recommend patting your cut of meat dry using paper towels. From there, you can season directly onto the meat or apply a small amount of oil over the surface before coating generously in the dry rub.

Rub room temperature steaks with some olive oil to help the dry rub stick. Sprinkle dry rub on steaks. Once the pan started smoking, place steaks and cook for 3 minutes on the first side for medium-rare. Flip it and cook the other side for 3 more minutes.

Can you leave dry rub on meat overnight? ›

Meats benefit from even a half-hour of being dry rubbed prior to cooking. Generally, six or more hours is preferable. A dry brine is a dry rub (salt, spices, and herbs) with sugar added. It is meant to be left on the meat for at least a day, and up to three days, and then wiped or rinsed off prior to cooking.

The grilling and smoking processes that give meats that charred appearance and smoky flavor generate some potentially cancer-causing compounds in the food. Charred, blackened areas of the meat – particularly well-done cuts - contain heterocyclic aromatic amines.

Smoked meats and other processed meats contain additives such as nitrites and nitrates. These additives when cooked at high temperatures can cause them to form nitrosamine compounds, which are known carcinogens.

Smoked, processed meats and red meats have been associated with a higher risk of a variety of health conditions, including: Stroke. Heart disease. Type 2 diabetes.

Thyme's lemony taste will round off even the strongest of flavors, while sage's warmth and fragrance will lighten any dish. Dried red and green peppers are great additions to beef marinades. Oregano is another herb to look out for, especially if you are making a Mediterranean-inspired beef dish.

The rule of thumb is to use “heavier” hardwoods like oak and hickory for smoking “heavier” meats like beef and pork, especially if they're heavily seasoned or sauced. Use “lighter”, sweeter hardwoods like maple or fruit woods for smoking “lighter” meats like poultry and seafood or vegetables.

In its essence, a dry rub is a simple mixture of a few seasonings such as salt, spices, herbs, and sugar. These ingredients are mixed together to form a dry rub. The dry rub is then applied to the surface of the meat before you start cooking or smoking it. The main purpose of a dry rub is to add flavor.