Coffee BBQ spice rub?!?

I use this rub a lot for smoked and grilled beef.  It's also good with lamb.  With the optional brown sugar, it will work well for pork, too.

If you like it and are going to use it for your restaurant, please find some way of crediting me under the Boar D. Laze moniker. 

Some people may recognize this as a very slight twist on my "Basic Beef Rub" already posted on a variety of sites.

Espresso/Chocolate Beef Rub

(Yield about 1-1/2 Cups)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Diamond kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• (Optional) 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbs coarsely fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tbs paprika
• 2 tbs mild chili powder, or 2 tbs ground chipotle chili, or 1 tbs chile de arbol or cayenne pepper
• 1-1/2 tbs espresso ground (very, very fine ground) coffee
• 1 tbs unsweetened ground cocoa
• 1 tbs granulated garlic
• 1 tbs granulated onion
• 2 tsp dry Colman’s or other hot mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Technique:

Combine in a spice blender, or with a fork. 

Store in a covered container. 

Always shake well before using to make sure the spices are evenly blended.

Hope you like,

BDL

PS.  The usual yadda:  This is my own recipe.  If you wish to share it, you have my permission as long as you credit it to me, Boar D. Laze. 

Could maldon sea salt substitute for Kosher salt ... and what about whole roasted chicken ...   

Sure, sea salt for kosher salt.  You want something that will stick but not dissolve too fast.

I'm not sure how much of an improviser as opposed to measurer you are.  The volumes of different salts don't always translate evenly. I think you might need a greater volume of Maldon than Diamond kosher.  If, when you use a rub, you always think of it in terms of using the right amount of salt and don't over salt, you'll never go too far wrong. 

I think this particular rub is a little bitter and too much depth for roast chicken, but there's no law saying you can't try it.  If you do, for heaven's sake let me know how it worked.

A slight variation on this cocoa/espresso rub, my "Basic Beef Rub" has won a lot of barbecue and grilling competitions for a number of people competing in various beef classes; but I don't know if it's ever been used for chicken by anyone else.  If so, they never told me.  

My chicken rub is more herbaceous, more garlicky, and better calculated to compliment citrus.  No cocoa or coffee, though.

BDL

After pondering on the subject, I shall take ur advice ...

Unfortunately, I have never seen kosher salt in the main expat thoroughfare El Corte Ingles, however, I have some Embassy contacts who either have some kosher salt or could tell me where to purchase ...

I shall try ur spice rub on meat ... I think chicken could be too delicate ... just a spontaneous thought ...

Thanks.

November 16th

Re:  Brands of Kosher Salts - Boar d´ Laze´s BBQ Spice Rub

My publisher had called his colleague at the American Embassy and asked him about where to purchase Kosher Salt. He was very informative on topic. He mentioned 3 Brands:  Diamond Crystal, David´s and Morton which are all available in the capital of Madrid at Taste of America.

Could you advise, which is the best brand to buy ?

Thanks alot.

I also wanted to mention that I have normally made my Turkey Marinating Brine with Calvados, Cider and Apples, however I wish to do something totally different this year so your Citrus Marinating Brine shall be on my bill of fare. The Green Goddess too ... Simply simple recipes ... Cool. Thanks again,

Margcata.   

In my kitchen quality standard products are somewhat interchangeable. What I mean is that good salt is good salt. For this purpose I'm not so sure there will be any difference. All three(3) brands you listed are fine. I would make my choice based on price. Now that's just me and my opinion. It is what it is. 

I don't know about David's off hand.  With respect to Ice, Morton and Crystal have different densities.  2 cups of Morton = 1 cup of table salt, 1-1/2 cup of Diamond = 1 cup of table salt; leaving us with the thought that 3/4 cup of Diamond = 1 cup of Morton.  All of my rub recipes were calibrated for Diamond.  But in agreement with Ice, at the end of the day it won't make much difference.

You absolutely can use Maldon or any other type of coarse salt.  You want coarse and flaky, because it doesn't dissolve as easily as fine and granulated.  Always use "saltiness" as the primary criteria figuring out how much (salted) rub to use.  Always trust your palate over a recipe, including mine.  Salt is one thing you don't want to screw up. 

People who claim they can tell the difference between kosher salts, usually prefer Diamond, saying it has a cleaner taste. 

FWIW, kosher salt has no particular religious significance.  It's preferred for kashering (kosher slaughtering) precisely because it sticks to the meat and doesn't dissolve quickly. 

I'm dying to know how you like the rub. 

BDL

I'm sure BDL is on spec. I almost always under-salt things that I prepare. I like to let quality do their flavor thing. Back in the day I was a salt maniac. I would so much as put extra salt on pretzels and pop-corn, even pizza. Today I'm of the belief that after obesity, high blood pressure is the second culinary-induced killer. Plus I'm of the thought that you can always put more on, but you can't take it out. I've never done any measurement evaluation tests as BDL has, but I've found a different interesting fact. Kosher salt has a much bigger grain than regular table salt, and sea salt is bigger and flaky-er. Simply, we just looked at the grains under a microscope. Neither one comes out of a common shaker very well. Sea or Kosher salt tastes better too. For no real reason, I don't use Maldon salt, maybe just the price. I've found that Morton's is cheaper at grocery stores and Diamond is cheaper at restaurant stores. Dave's is just expensive everywhere. In the last year or so I've fallen in love with "Trader Joe's Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals". They come in their own grinder for $2. It also tastes the best. I can use a third (1/3) the same amount just as a finisher without having to add any to the recipe, and get great taste in the end. OK, maybe that's just my opinion too I guess, but still. One last thing that is really cool is to grind up a tablespoon of salt in a coffee grinder. You can use again only one-third (1/3) the amount on pop-corn for great taste. I've got personal highly scientific test results to prove that if you're interested. Anyway, that's my salt story. 

* Sorry if there's a hyjack going on, but I think the original "?" has been answered.

Boar d´Laze and Iceman,

I am heading over to Taste of America tomorrow in Madrid and thanks a ton for all all your advice, suggestions and explanations.

I had read a very interesting article on Kosher Salt and  I have been quite aware, it is commonly used in the USA for exactly the reasons mentioned. I am planning to follow your recipe exactly for New Year´s Day the 1st ...  I am sure this Kosher Salt is triple the price here in Madrid !  I had bought some tiny American token Gifts last Christmas and I paid over 6 Euros for each of them ... Pricey here on U.S.A. imports for eg: Paul Newman anything, Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker etcetra ... However, for certain, this is something we shall have a long time and use it on our meats ...   

I am going to Switzerland at 7am on 12th, Grandmom call --- Nathalia´s 3rd baby boy and shall be returning on 26th ...

Lamb is quite exquisite in Castilla León and we are planning your rub for it on the 1st January !  I shall let u know on 2nd January ...

 I love " espresso " ... so, I cannot wait to try it either, as it is extraordinaire ingredient wise.

Thanks a ton guys.

True Gents. 

Margcata    

Saturday 11.20am Madrid Time

Re:  Kosher Salt

Diamond ...

Now off to Central Market for some beef to do a try out ... Afterall, New Year´s Day is not that far away ... And I do not want any mishaps ... So, we shall experiment tomorrow on beef following ur recipe ... Thanks again. Margcata.