Winter is fast on its way, and those of us not fortunate enough
to live in a location where you can grill year-round, are sadly
putting away the barbecues and prepping for the snow ahead. For
the die-hard griller this is always a tough time, for they know
it is at least 3 months before they get to enjoy the aroma and
flavors that they love so much. But, it doesn't have to be that
way.
We all have a favorite seasoning or dry rub, but the
vast majority think of this as something that is only used on
meats when grilling, when in fact, a quality dry rub can be
versatile enough to use anywhere. For example, next time you
make a chicken pot pie, add a little of your favorite pork or poultry dry
rub or seasoning blend instead of just salt and pepper. The
herbs and spices used in a quality dry rub will permeate your
pot pie with aroma and flavor, taking your meal to a whole new
dimension in taste.
You can use dry rubs and seasoning blends anywhere you want to
add an extra kick of flavor. We like to use them to add life and
essence to casseroles, salad dressings, dips, and appetizers.
One of my favorite things to do is to add a teaspoon or two of
our Texas Beef and
Game Rub to the mayonnaise when I make steak or roast beef
sandwiches. It really does take the sandwich from ordinary to
extraordinary!
It is extremely important to take into consideration the amount
of salt in your recipes when using a dry rub. Many rubs use salt
as their primary ingredient, so you will want to account for
this when you add your rub. Fail to remember this, and you might
end up with a very salty end product. This also applies to rubs
and blends that are spicy and use chili peppers. It is always
best to start small and add more as you need, or you risk
overpowering the dish and making it far too hot.
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