Grilling Spices 101

Barbecuing is one of America’s favorite activities, and so the debate continues to wage on. What tastes better: barbecue sauce or barbecue rubs? Which way of prepping your ribs or chicken will result in tastier, more tender meat? While there’s no one right answer to this question, American grillers typically tend to rely more on sauces. Maybe that’s just because they don’t know enough about what the right spice can do for a piece of meat! Here’s a look at some popular grilling spices and seasonings, and the flavors you can expect from them.

Grilling spices 101

Pepper

Pepper comes in two varieties: black and red. Black pepper comes from the pods of a plant called Piper nigrum, which is native to India, while red pepper is prepared from the dried fruit of a New World chili plant called cayenne. Both types of pepper impart a kick, but when used in moderation, they actually act as flavor enhancers.

Cumin

Cumin is a plant that’s closely related to parsley, and it grows wild throughout the Mediterranean and central Asian regions. When dried and ground, cumin seeds impart a distinctive earthy flavor to any food they’re added to. A little bit of cumin goes a long way, so be sparing in your use.

Dried Onions

Properly speaking, onion powder is a seasoning while onion salt is a spice. Both add a savory overlay to the flavor of grilled meat without the bite that is so often associated with raw onions.

Turmeric

Turmeric has a citrus-like scent, but its actual taste is slightly bitter, so this spice works best as an accent note that’s added to complement the flavors of sweeter spices and condiments.

Grilling Spice Blends

Grilling spices work best when they work in concert with other spices, seasonings and condiments. Hot spices like pepper blend particularly well with sweet flavors like citrus and mustard.

If you’d like to give your barbecue an island touch, try prepping your chicken with a rub made from allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. Allspice is actually a close relation to black pepper and was first used in Jamaica as a food preservative.