Most Awesome Homemade Spice/Dry Rub
Made this while living as a bachelor a few years back while trying to omit/cut back on salt in my diet. Eventually the rest of my family learned about it and now they all use it! We just keep it in a little ziplock container and sprinkle it on with a spoon. I put it on everything. Used it as a dry rub marinade for a roast. Seasoning for BBQ chicken. Even as with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil on salad.
Made this while living as a bachelor a few years back while trying to omit/cut back on salt in my diet. Eventually the rest of my family learned about it and now they all use it! We just keep it in a little ziplock container and sprinkle it on with a spoon. I put it on everything. Used it as a dry rub marinade for a roast. Seasoning for BBQ chicken. Even as with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil on salad.
- Carbohydrate 48.7639000852042 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 5.23473000770426 g
- Fiber 18.3624003295195 g
- Protein 11.8618700205004 g
- Saturated Fat 0.879670001269223 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (95g)
- Sodium 7292.38262089337 mg
- Sugar 30.4014997556847 g
- Trans Fat 0.727318001009304 g
- Calories 235 calories
Step-by-step
- Nothing special here. Just put it all together in a container and mix it up good.
Combining dried herbs and ground spices requires a completely dry container to prevent moisture from causing premature caking inside the blend. Because fine powders like garlic and cayenne settle differently than flaky herbs such as basil, shaking the mixture thoroughly ensures even distribution across every spoonful. When scaling this mixture up for longer storage, glass jars with airtight rubber gaskets outperform plastic bags by blocking ambient humidity that degrades volatile aromatic compounds over a six-month window. Furthermore, storing the container away from direct heat and light preserves the vibrant red pigmentation of the paprika.
Dry rubs historically evolved from preservation techniques designed to form protective crusts on meats before modern refrigeration existed. Early iterations relied heavily on heavy salt concentrations, whereas contemporary blends utilize dehydrated aromatics and capsicum to drive flavor without relying exclusively on sodium chloride. Paprika provides both color and a mild fruitiness that anchors the sharper elements like black pepper and cayenne. This balance demonstrates how traditional spice blending prioritizes visual appeal alongside functional taste profiles.
Coarsely ground black pepper releases more piperine when it encounters oil, making this rub particularly effective as a paste when combined with fats like olive oil. The dried parsley functions primarily as a visual marker, but crushing the flakes between clean palms before adding them releases residual essential oils trapped in the dehydrated tissue. Kosher salt grains dissolve slower than table salt, which creates micro-pockets of salinity when applied directly to raw proteins prior to cooking. Adjusting the ratio of cayenne allows home cooks to calibrate the heat level without altering the foundational herb ratios.
Fine mesh sifters can be utilized if a completely uniform dust is preferred over the rustic texture provided by whole leaf herbs. Maintaining a dedicated scoop prevents moisture transfer from damp hands reaching directly into the storage vessel. Spices lose potency gradually once pulverized, meaning smaller batches consumed within three months yield sharper pungency than bulk quantities held for a year. Proper sealing remains the single most effective method for extending the shelf life of these botanical elements.
