Spice rub facts for kids
A spice rub is a special mix of ground-up spices. You rub this mix onto raw food, usually meat or fish, before you cook it. The rub creates a tasty coating on the food. Sometimes, you let the food sit with the rub for a while. This helps the flavors soak in. Other times, you can cook the food right away!
Most spice rubs are dry powders. These are called "dry rubs." But some rubs are "wet." This means they have oil, water, or another liquid added. This makes them a thick paste.
What's in a Spice Rub?
The spices in a rub are usually ground a bit coarsely. Besides spices, people often add salt and sugar. Salt adds flavor to the food. Sugar helps the food turn a nice brown color when cooked. This browning is called caramelization. Sometimes, special salts like Himalayan pink salt are used for their unique taste. The simplest rub might just be coarsely ground black pepper, like on a steak called steak au poivre.
Spice rubs can also have other things mixed in. These include herbs, crushed garlic, or oil to make a paste. Some less common ingredients can even include coffee beans!
Foods That Use Spice Rubs
Spice rubs are mostly used to prepare different kinds of meats and fish. There are many different recipes for rubs. Most of these recipes are made for a specific type of food. The best mix of spices for a certain food can be different. It often depends on the region or culture.
How to Cook with Spice Rubs
Cooking with spice rubs almost always uses a "dry heat" method. This means very little water-based liquid is used during cooking. The most popular way to cook food with a spice rub is grilling. Other dry-heat methods include Baking and pan roasting. Sautéing is another method, especially if the rub has flour or bread crumbs in it. If water is used for cooking, it's usually after the food has already been partly cooked with dry heat.
See also
In Spanish: Spice rub para niños
