Author Topic: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers  (Read 17252 times)

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Offline Hub

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BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #-1 on: May 02, 2013, 11:21:51 AM »
BASIC Spices For the Barbeque Cook
By
Gordon Hubbell
KCBS MCBJ & CTC, Ph. B.

Experimenting with spices, especially in rubs, sauces, and even applying directly to cooked foods can be both tricky and rewarding.  So, I almost didn’t write this article because tastes are so divergent.  However, the more I cook in competition and the more I talk with my many and various “BBQ Buddies” about what we like to do in the back yard, the more I realize that there are some basics when it comes to spices we use.  For a newcomer to outdoor cooking, having some knowledge of where to start when it comes to accumulating a good and useful collection of jars and bottles could save not just some expense and storage space, but also perhaps some embarrassment when it comes to “what goes with what”. 

I still feel the need for a disclaimer, however, so here goes:  This article does not try to address all the possible spices that might be used for every traditional barbeque recipe or approach.  It also doesn’t go into specialized sub-categories of outdoor cooking like Cajun or Indian.  Rather, I’ll postulate a good, BASIC, spice cabinet that will cover the minimums and even allow interesting experimentation without breaking the bank or having to add onto the house for storage space.  I’ll also provide some instruction in what goes with what and when to use them.  Finally, some of the stuff I’m talking about isn’t a “spice” but might be a chemical or an herb or some other thing.  The term “spice” just serves as a convenient label.

Let’s start with PEPPER . . .

In olden days, this stuff was worth more than its weight in gold and intrepid explorers sailed the scary oceans of the world looking for more reliable and cheaper ways to get it.  Why?  The folks in Europe had good ships for the day, but still had no refrigeration and meat was often partially spoiled when it was eaten.  Pepper made it more palatable!  Every time I think of this fact I go and hug my refrigerator.

In terms of BASICS, I recommend three types:  (1) Black Peppercorns, (2) Ground Red Cayenne Pepper, and (3) Ground White Pepper.  Here’s why:  All provide a characteristic, tasty kind of heat but they do it at different times and with different taste characteristics.

The most BASIC pepper for cooking is the common black peppercorn available just about anywhere.  You can buy black pepper already ground, but by investing twenty bucks in a decent grinder, you’ll get a lot more flavor out of it.  My favorite grinder is a poojo (pronounced like its brand name: “ pugeot” )  Also, a good grinder will allow you to adjust the size of the output and grind fine pepper into sauces or coarse chunks into a salad or onto a hunk of critter.  The nutty, earthy taste of good black pepper is complimentary to almost everything and, unless you use a lot of it, not all that hot.  In fact, if heat is all you’re after black pepper will overpower your dish and throw it out of balance.  Use black pepper more for flavoring than heat.

Red “Cayenne” Pepper is much more powerful, heat-wise, than black but (if you don’t overdo it) adds both a natural fruitiness and a quick “tingle” that can be very attractive in sauces and stews.  A tiny sprinkle (literally just a pinch) over finished foods will give you that “zinginess” of some instant tang with no appreciable heat sensation. 

White Pepper is similar in heat level to red, but differs in the way the heat comes on to your palate.  A little white is almost undetectable at first taste, then will begin to “tickle your taste buds” after you’ve consumed it.  Like red, it can be overwhelmingly hot if you use it in too great a quantity, but it is one of the factors that add “interest” to many dishes that have a little heat but that sneak up on you.  White pepper is served in the shakers of a lot of Chinese restaurants.

You can buy white and red pepper in whole peppercorns if you’d like, but that means more grinders.  Since I use both only in their finely-ground state, I buy both already ground in shaker bottles that are easy to store and handy to use.  There are also a lot of exotic and multi-colored peppers that can be fun, but they aren’t BASIC so I won’t go into them here.

Don’t forget SALT . . .

Salt and pepper are, of course, the BASIC BASICS and most tables have both awaiting your pleasure.  But even NaCl (sodium chloride), the chemical we know as salt (not a spice), has its varieties and those varieties have their uses.  Here are the two I’ll recommend for starters.

(1)   Kosher Salt:  Coarsely ground, non-iodized, and not as harsh tasting as some other types, kosher is the mainstay of many good barbeque rubs (often it is the main volume ingredient of them, too).  Compared to other salts, kosher can even seem “sweet”, and it is somewhat more forgiving if you over-salt something.  Its grains are even big enough you can brush them off if you use too much, if you catch them before something dissolves them.

(2)   Table Salt:  The stuff in the shaker.  Handy as a pocket on a shirt.  Cheap.  Tastes salty.  Clumps up like rocks if you leave the shaker outside where it’s damp.  Perfect to add a little salty “adjustment” to food already served.  If you don’t think it is necessary, just try eating an egg without it.  Use too much and you’ll get not just a salty tang to the food but a bitter whang, too.  Use in moderation.

Exotic salts and flavored salts abound, but are not BASIC.  I have a few that I like and use from time to time but I can create their flavor and input with BASIC ingredients so I won’t expound further on them except to add that I like the convenience of having them already “compounded”.  Chances are you’ve got a bunch of them (like I do) already.  The most common one is garlic salt.

SUGAR is not a spice, either . . .

But, it is oh so critical to getting good barbeque to the table!  Like salt, there are only two that I consider BASIC to the barbequer’s spice cabinet:  (1) Good ol’ standard ground white sugar like the stuff you buy in the grocery store.  Comes in a bag, most often.  Tastes sweet.  (2) Turbinado Sugar.  Pretty much the same stuff as the aforementioned, but processed differently (it is sometimes called “raw sugar”).  Has a darker color and a slightly nuttier but still pleasing sweet flavor and fewer calories.  It burns at a higher temperature so it is quite handy for rubs and uses where the sugar will be subject to higher heat.

Just like pepper and salt, exotic sugars and blended sugars are both handy and readily found on the shelves of most markets.  Again, they aren’t BASIC and you can blend your own or substitute other sweeteners (e.g. honey or syrup) for them, so I won’t add much more.  I make my own vanilla sugar by keeping a small container of regular old table sugar sealed up with a vanilla bean in it.

A final sweet comment for those who, like me, can gain five pounds from just looking at a picture of a cake:  Be careful with “fake sugar”.  I use and like Splenda™ but particularly in larger amounts the flavor can be hard to control and the substance itself can exhibit funny tendencies when subject to high heat.  If you use a sugar substitute, test it thoroughly to see what it will do to the recipe.

In praise of GARLIC . . .

I love this stuff.  I put it in almost everything.  Nothing else compares to it when it comes to adding distinctive flavor to meats, particularly.  You can use it directly in and on meat and you can use it in sauces and rubs for meat.  Heck, it even makes vegetables (what food eats) taste better.  I’d wear it as cologne if my wife would let me (can’t you just imagine the overwhelming masculine charm of “hickory smoked garlic” aftershave?).  There are some different “breeds” and types but, for BASIC spicing you only need:

(1)    Garlic Powder
(2)   Granulated Garlic
(3)   Fresh or bottled Garlic

Of the types above I probably use more garlic powder.  Its fine consistency stirs in well with other ingredients and it will even dissolve in most liquids with just a little work.  Like any other flavoring agent, be careful and sneak up on the amount if you are devising a new recipe.  Too much garlic powder will add a clingy, almost bitter aftertaste.  Granulated garlic is the same stuff but in kosher salt sized “chunks”.  It is great for sprinkling on a roast or other hunk of meat and will bind with the natural moisture and won’t burn too easily.  Fresh garlic (chop, mince or smash up your own or buy it already done and stored in oil) is more of a bother but has no peers when it comes to imparting the best flavor.  It isn’t as handy as powder or granules and it won’t go into a rub, though.  Having all three around is best.

I love ONIONS . . .

That was the name of a song back in the sixties and if you’re old enough to remember it you probably had a dinosaur as a pet.  But, onions provide “distinction” just like garlic.  Leeks, shallots and scallions are varieties, but onion flavor is more easily brought to the barbeque cook via:

(1)   Onion Powder
(2)   Chopped or Minced Dried Onion

 These two forms of onion flavoring are BASIC because they are so complimentary and are so easy to use.  Like the garlic forms mentioned earlier, don’t overdo it if you are working your way up to a new recipe because they reach a saturation point and turn into something not so tasty.  The powder is very combinable and flexible.  The chopped or minced varieties may be better in some rubs or on some meats. 

PAPRIKA?

By all means!  The subtle sweet-smokiness and the color it brings to the dishes it is used in are well worth the bother of dealing with all the different types in order to learn what you like best.  Advice:  Buy small jars or containers until you’re sure you like what’s in them.

Paprika is really yet another pepper (Capsicum Annuum, usually).  It is finely ground (very fine) then augmented or processed  to produce several different flavor effects like sweet, hot, and smoky.  Usually the effect is subtle unless you use a lot. 

Start with a bottle of a good brand of standard, sweet paprika and get to know the flavor from that.  You can easily add more sweetness, some heat or smoke via another source or cooking method. 

WHAT ELSE . . ?

The items so far are not, as I stated in the beginning disclaimer, a total list at all.  Chances are you’ve already got some good additions to the list and maybe even a few exotic ones I haven’t heard of.  To complete a BASIC spice shelf or cabinet, I’d add a few more things, but not much (when you get past this you’ve gotten past BASIC).  My suggestions:

•   Cinnamon – nutty, a little hot, a little subtle sweetness.  Ground is the most versatile.

•   Cloves – piquant and zingy.  Doesn’t take much.  A small jar of ground cloves will last a long time.

•   Ginger – You can get it fresh or even pickled, but again ground is the most versatile form.  Be careful because it can add a heat wallop you’ll need to factor in.

•   Mustard – powder again.  Adds a bitter/sour/hot follow-on.

•   Sage – Earthy and aromatic, this one marries up well in pork and chicken dishes.

•   Cumin – Adds “smoke” without using smoke.  Ground is versatile.  Doesn’t take much.

FINALLY A FEW “RULES” . . .

No, not rules.  That sounds harsh.  These are really suggestions:

1.    In spicing, less is more.  Many spices pack a lot of flavor into relatively small amounts and can turn flavors most un-flavorful if over-utilized.  If I had a dollar for every time my wife has told me to “back off the _________  next time” I’d be driving a Rolls.
2.   Generally, beef and “sweet” don’t harmonize well, but are okay if you don’t overdo it.  Sweetness and pork, on the other hand, create a pleasant effect.  What it comes to is that strong meats don’t need much spice, milder meats can be well augmented with it.
3.   Applying spices, even as rubs and in sauces, can change the exterior texture of meats.  Some (particularly salt) are desiccants and will make it dry on the surface.  Sometimes you want this (e.g. bark on a butt) and sometimes you don’t (e.g. a skin effect on ribs).  Timing the application is the key to controlling the effect.
4.   Sugar (and some spices) will burn at high (and even medium) temperatures and taste like hell once they do.  Timing of application and distance from the heat source control this.
5.   Sealed tightly, ground and dried spices will keep for a long time, but will gradually lose potency.  It is good advice not to buy large quantities of stuff you don’t use a lot, though.  If it no longer has its characteristic aroma when you open it, toss it.
6.   Buy recognized name brands.  Store brands and generics are often cheaper but may be old stocks or packed with fillers.

NOW . . .

Let’s have some fun.  Chime in by adding your thoughts and favorite “spice” items to the list I’ve started.  They don’t even have to be BASIC, but that helps.

Hub
« Last Edit: May 17, 2015, 07:39:19 AM by Hub »
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Offline GusRobin

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« on: May 02, 2013, 12:13:15 PM »
thanks - good info
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Offline CDN Smoker

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2013, 12:22:24 PM »
Amazing Hub, that's a lot of work.

Many Thanks
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Offline sliding_billy

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2013, 12:42:20 PM »
Let me block off some time on my calendar for this read.  ;)
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Offline IR2dum

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2013, 04:09:46 PM »
Hub, a great read. I'm finding out that I need to learn a lot more and all your articles are helping me tremendously. Thanks for doing this.

Offline TwoPockets

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2013, 05:56:20 PM »
Thanks again Hub!
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Offline muebe

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2013, 07:55:49 PM »
Great read. Thanks Hub.
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Offline Keymaster

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2013, 08:54:02 PM »
Great thread, Thank you.

Offline mikecorn.1

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BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2013, 08:56:22 PM »
Nice read!


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Offline Scott6049

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BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2013, 08:21:26 AM »
Thanks Hub, for the great info.
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Offline deestafford

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2013, 08:31:51 AM »
Hub,  Reading posts like this shows my ignorance...which is good because that means there is something I should know and don't and can learn.  Thanks.  Dee
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Offline bbqchef

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2013, 08:38:46 AM »
Great information. Thanks for taking the time!
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Offline fishingbouchman

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2013, 08:45:37 AM »
great info.  this just proves I got sooooo much to learn. 
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Offline WitchyWoman

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2013, 09:52:24 PM »
Great tutorial on spices. Thank you!

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Offline Don O

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Re: BASIC SPICES for Barbequers
« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2013, 10:17:22 PM »
Thank you so very much.  Interesting and informative.

Now, when you find the time and interest, perhaps you might want to take it to the next level.

Those special combinations that only the more knowledgable BBQ people know how to use and with which meats.

Put that on your list of things to do for 2014.

Thanks again.