Beer Can Chicken Rub

I saw this in the July 2013 Bon Appetit Magazine and it caught my eye.

4 tbsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. sweet paprika
1 tbsp. cayenne

This makes enough for 2 chickens.

Grab a can of beer and a chicken...apply the rub.  Open the can.  Sit the chicken on the can (yes I said sit the chicken on the can).  Grill over medium high heat for an hour or so depending on the size of your chicken.

The finished product is heavenly!

Brisket Rub

Chris smoked a brisket a couple of weeks ago...it was so good.  Here's the rub.  You'll need a smoker; either stove top like we used or an outdoor smoker.

2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. coffee
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sea salt 1 tsp. black pepper.

Mix all ingredients together and rub meat thoroughly.  If you don't have a smoker, you could roast in in a 300 degree oven.  Cooking time will depend on the size of the roast.

Coffee Spice Rub

We use something similar on pork but I bet this would be good on a steak, or a roast or if you're feeling adventurous, put this on a turkey breast and either grill it or smoke it.

I have to stop posting these right before bed, I am starving!

1/4 C. ancho chile powder
1/4 C. finely ground espresso beans
2 tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. arbol chile powder

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Rub meat cut of your choice liberally and grill.

City Slicker BBQ?!?

Chris and I LOVE BBQ. We spent a few days in North Carolina a couple of years ago and got lost a couple of times in search of great BBQ. We have waited in line for hours here in Chicago at a place called Smoque for some of the best BBQ I have ever had. We'll talk someday about the peach cobbler. We are working on our own brand of city slicker BBQ. With the help of several grills and a smoker I got for a song at a Hammacher Schlemmer sample sale, we are trialing and erroring our way to BBQ heaven.

One of our favorite things to order at a BBQ restaurant is the brisket. So we thought, hey, we could do this. So we tried it for the first time yesterday. Smoque in Chicago makes the best BBQ brisket I have had. Now keep in mind that I have eaten BBQ in NC, Memphis, Chicago and Philadelphia so take my opinion for what it is worth but the Food Network came to see Smoque, Guy Fieri to be exact so I think they know what they are doing there.

I made a rub while Chris prepared the smoker. I will post my rub recipe below. The brisket came out delicious but as this is still trial and error, we did not cook it long enough so the meat was not "fall apart" tender. What a shame that we have to keep on working at this. We have also done turkey breasts in our smoker and they were out of this world.

I have to give a shout out to my old neighbors the Burns who used to wake me on summer Sunday mornings to the wonderful scents of smoking meats. You guys started my obsession with the art of smoking and I thank you for it.

Warning: if you are attached to the hair on the backs of your hands, DO NOT refill the fuel box on your smoker with charcoal, douse it with lighter fluid and then use your long nosed lighter to get the fire going. Chris and I witnessed a refresher course in combustion yesterday afternoon and let me tell you, it isn't for the faint of heart.

Spicy Cajun Brisket Rub

I am guessing this rub would also be OK on ribs, pork roast and chicken. The only thing I measured was the brown sugar because I didn't want it to get too sweet. It's not for you if you don't like spicy and if you do like spicy, it's not out of hand, it has a nice slow burn that stays with you for a bit. Enjoy.

I toasted some coriander seeds and some white peppercorns in a dry fry pan for about 10 minutes. When they cooled, I ran them through a spice grinder. I had a about a tsp. total of both of these when ground. I added Cajun seasoning, garlic powder sea salt, 2 tspe brown sugar, mustard powder, paprika, dried minced onion, seasoned salt and celery seed. I tasted it about a gazillion times until I had it the way I wanted it. It turned out delicious!