There's the rub...

As we’re coming into the summer here in England, assuming the rain stays away it will be well and truly barbecue season.  Many shops sell pre-seasoned and marinated meat but it really is just as easy – not to mention cheaper and more fun – to make your own.

Here are recipes for three different dry rubs that I put on chicken drumsticks put which could have easily gone on steak, pork chops, ribs, whatever.  I personally prefer to use the dry rub rather than a sauce, as generally the sauce will burn and that is what usually blackens the food.  Sauces can be put on afterwards if necessary.

All you have to do is simply rub the meat all over with the mixture and set it aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the meat to really absorb the flavours.  If you have the time, put it in the fridge overnight.

The method is the same for all these rubs… simply mix together with your fingers.  It is that easy.

Eastern Rub

This is the only one that requires a little bit of prep that isn’t measuring ground spices out into a bowl.

Ingredients

20 star anise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
10cm cinnamon stick
12 cloves
1 ½ tablespoon golden caster sugar
1 ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon mango powder

The prep

1.      Take the star anise, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves and dry fry them for 30 seconds or until the seeds start popping.

2.      Grind them up to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle (which will take about 15 minutes) or you can use a dry mill or grinder.  The Bamix has a dry mill attachment that is perfect for this task and it takes about 15 seconds.

The method

1.      Mix all the powders together with your fingers, breaking up any clumps of sugar or large salt flakes.

2.      Rub all over the meat and set aside for at least half an hour before cooking.

The “four-by-four” rub

This is called the four-by-four as it uses four ingredients in four equal quantities.  The method is the same as above and there is no prep other than to measure the spice and seasoning.  This is the rub I used in the Beer Can Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground ginger

Mexican Rub

As before… no prep, just measure and mix.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon rock salt or sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Midweek Pasta Sauce

Kids generally love pasta.  However, the tastiest sauces that you can buy commercially aren’t cheap and the ones that are contain all sorts of rubbish.  This sauce is made for them after school of an evening and takes 10-15 minutes max, including all the prep.  In fact, get the pasta on first and you'll havce finished the sauce by the time the pasta has cooked. It’s quick, cheap and healthy… plus it tastes so much nicer than the bottled or packet sauces.  There is absolutely none left on the plate once the kids have wolfed this lot down and very rarely is there anything left over for us!

Ingredients (serves 4 children or 2-3 adults)

500g fresh tomatoes (you could use canned chopped tomatoes in an emergency but using fresh is just so much better)

1 clove garlic

A good pinch of salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Worcester sauce

50g Parmesan cheese

Several fresh basil leaves

1 tblsp Olive oil

The Prep

1.      Bung the tomatoes in the food processor and whizz for a few seconds until they are very roughly chopped.  You want to be able to see some lumps in there, so don’t make it a puree!  Cherry tomatoes are particularly good for this recipe.

2.      Peel and crush the garlic clove

3.      Grate the cheese

4.      Tear or finely chop the basil leaves, setting some aside for garnish

The Method

1.     Put the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic.  Heat on medium for about 30-40 seconds.

2.     Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.     Add most of the chopped basil, the salt, pepper and a dash of Worcester sauce (or to taste – but it is very overpowering if you use too much).

4.     Continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes, making sure the seasoning is well stirred in.

5.     Pour over the pasta, sprinkle some of the grated Parmesan on top and add the remaining basil leaves.

Voila!  A simple, basic pasta sauce the kids will love and which can be totally prepared while the pasta is cooking.

(Tip – For something with a spicy kick, add a chopped chilli in to the mix. Don’t be afraid to experiment with seasoning either… for instance, Oregano goes extremely well with this dish too.)

Beer Can Chicken

Just recently I discovered this BBQ recipe for chicken which is sweeping across the USA.  BBQ’s are big business over there and they have “Grill Shops” that even sell contraptions to keep the chicken from falling over during cooking (the picture at bottom explains that statement).  I’ve yet to find one in the UK although to be fair I haven’t looked very hard.

What I have done though is made this on the BBQ and Dawn thinks it’s probably the nicest chicken she’s ever tasted.  The principle is that the chicken is cooked upright, sat on a beer can that is half full of beer.  The heat makes the beer evaporate with the steam keeping the chicken moist inside, and the fact that it is upright stops it laying in its own juices, especially if you can find a way of keeping it vertical. 

There are two other tricks; the seasoning, which is detailed below and is one of several dry rubs that I use for BBQ meat (I call this one a 4-by-4 as it is 4 spices/seasonings in 4 equal measures) and the fact that it is cooked using “Indirect Grilling”, which takes longer to cook the bird but doesn’t make it burn or char.  A kettle BBQ with a lid is essential for this and a meat thermometer is extremely useful.

Aside from that, it's probably the easiest BBQ chicken ever.

Ingredients –

1 whole chicken (without giblets)

1 can of beer (any type) – 440ml

1 tablespoon rock salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon ground ginger

The Prep

1)      Combine the salt, pepper, paprika and ginger in a bowl and mix well to make a dry rub.

2)      Remove the Parson’s Nose (if necessary) to ensure there is a large cavity opening at the south end of the bird.  Cover the chicken in the dry rub and rub it in well – that’s why it’s called a rub - putting some of the seasoning in the cavity of the chicken. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

3)      If using a gas BBQ, light the outside burners only.  If using charcoal, light the coals and then, when smouldering and turning white, move into two piles at the edge of the BBQ.  We basically want no heat in the middle.  Charcoal users may find this tricky as there are no fats or juices fuelling the flames and unless watched and tended the BBQ may go out.

4)      Empty half the beer from the can into a glass.  You can drink this bit. Enjoy!

The Method

1)      Place the half full beer can on a baking or roasting tray and stand the chicken on it,  pushing the can into the cavity (see picture).

2)      Make sure BBQ is as hot as it can be and then place the tray with the chicken in the middle.

3)      Close the lid.

4)      Wait between 1 and 1.5 hours.  Hopefully the bird will still be upright and the juices will be in the tray.  The skin shouldn’t be burnt or charred and to make sure the bird is cooked, insert a thermometer into the deepest part of the breast.  You are looking for a temperature of around 80 degrees.

5)      Once done, using an oven glove with one hand and BBQ tongs with the other, gently lift the chicken off of the can and put on a plate or board to stand for 10 minutes.

6)      Carve and enjoy!