A Simple Meat Rub You Can Make Yourself

You may have noticed a wide variety of "dry rubs" available at grocery stores and specialty food stores lately. These fragrant combinations of herbs and spices add texture, color, and, of course, flavor to everything from steaks to chicken. Sometimes though, the commercial rubs are very salty and many contain MSG, which may give some people a headache. So why not try to make your own dry rubs with whatever herbs and spices you have in your pantry or spice rack?

Try this basic rub which is enough for about 10 steaks.

Steak Recipe

Basic Steak Rub

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. paprika

3 tsp. cinnamon

4 tsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. oregano

3 tsp. ground cumin

Combine the ingredients in a large, shallow baking dish. Place one steak in the dish and gently pat it down to coat the bottom side of the meat with the rub. Flip the steak over to coat the other side. Gently rub the mixture into both sides of the meat.

Repeat the process for each steak. Let the steak rest for about an hour or so, coated with the rub, then grill as usual once the steaks are at room temperature.

NOTE: Throw away any of the leftover rub that came into contact with the raw meat.

Serving the Steaks: Serve steaks without steak sauce since it will overpower the rub and you will only taste the steak sauce.

OTHER HERBS & SPICES TO TRY IN RUBS:

Marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, lemon pepper, dry mustard, celery salt, red pepper flakes, Chipotle powder, etc. - experiment until you get just the right combination of ingredients for your version of the perfect rub.

A Simple Meat Rub You Can Make Yourself

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Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, children's author, and The Working Writer's Coach. Find out more about her writing and coaching services at [http://www.lieurancegroup.com]

Thanks To : BBQ Recipe

Carne Asada Recipe - Simple and Easy

Have you ever visited a Mexican restaurant or a Taco Stand in your travels or in your local area? One thing that always stands out for me at these places, apart from the tremendous aroma, is the carne asada menu items. Typically what I see at a restaurant will be a burrito or chimichanga dish that uses this Mexican steak. More commonly, what I find at Taco Stands are the smaller hand-sized tacos. The following basic recipe shows you the ingredients that make for a great carne asada. Read on to see some other tips that can improve on this already delicious dish.

First off, pick up two to three pounds of skirt or flank steak. This steak is thin enough for a quick sear.

Steak Recipe

Build a base from the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of cooking oil
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1/3 cup of white vinegar
• 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons of minced garlic

Add the following spices:

• 1 tsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of pepper

Mix these ingredients up. Use your favorite marinade method and let it marinade at least an hour. I prefer keeping the meat in a bag, in the refrigerator, overnight. Another tip that pulls from the more authentic methods for creating this dish involves the use of additional citrus juices. Although most of us are more familiar with seeing limes or lemons complementing our favorite Mexican delicacies, I have learned that oranges are actually used a lot more during the carne asada preparation and grilling process. Try supplementing the lime juice with a half a cup of lemon juice and three quarters of a cup of orange juice.

Carne Asada Recipe - Simple and Easy

Check out these resources for additional tips on how to copy your favorite Mexican restaurant.

Carne asada marinade resources like this one - Carne Asada Marinade - provide additional tips in response to the carne asada questions I posed earlier. There is even a network out there that helps you copy the recipes that restaurants are making famous. Good stuff!

Visit : BBQ Recipe Steak Recipe