Marinades & Rubs
Whether you are seasoning your pork chop with an ethic-inspired rub before throwing it on the grill or marinating your pork tenderloin with a homemade concoction, check out Farmer John’s tips for garnishing your meal.
Meat Flavoring Methods:
- Marinating - Let pork chops and roasts marinate in a bath of flavor before grilling. Marinades are simply seasoned liquids used to infuse extra flavor into foods.
- Glazing - Create a glaze with your favorite barbecue sauce, a shot of soy sauce and some fruit preserves. Brush on sauces toward end of grilling to prevent burning.
- Rubbing - Rub pork with dry seasoning blends like jerk for a taste of the West Indies or five-spice for an Asian flavor. Rubbing spices onto the surface of the meat delivers flavor without fat.
Rub Ribs Right
Rubs are a blend of herbs and spices applied directly to the meat before cooking. Make your own or sample the many blends available at the supermarket today like garlic pepper or Cajun seasonings.
Make Your Own Globally-Influenced Rubs
- French Provencal Rub: four tablespoons crushed rosemary leaves, four tablespoons dried thyme, four tablespoons ground white pepper, five crushed bay leaves, three tablespoons ground allspice, eight crushed juniper berries, two tablespoons salt. Place all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid; shake well to blend seasonings thoroughly. Store covered at room temperature. Makes about one cup (enough to coat two slabs of pork back ribs).
- West Indian Rub: three tablespoons curry powder, two tablespoons ground cumin, two tablespoons ground allspice, three tablespoons paprika, two tablespoons ground ginger, one tablespoon cayenne pepper, two tablespoons salt, two tablespoons ground black pepper. Place all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid; shake well to blend seasonings thoroughly. Store covered at room temperature. Makes about one cup (enough to coat two slabs of pork back ribs).
- Latin American Rub: four tablespoons ground cumin, four tablespoons chili powder, two tablespoons ground coriander, one tablespoon cinnamon, one tablespoon brown sugar, two tablespoons salt, one tablespoon red pepper flakes, two tablespoons ground black pepper. Place all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid; shake well to blend seasonings thoroughly. Store covered at room temperature. Makes about one cup (enough to coat two slabs of pork back ribs).
- Mediterranean Rub: Zest of two lemons, 1/3 cup thinly-sliced garlic cloves, 1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves, 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper, two tablespoons salt. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until garlic, herbs and lemon zest are chopped finely and ingredients are thoroughly combined. Store covered in the refrigerator. Makes about one cup (enough to coat two slabs of pork back ribs).
- Oriental Rub: four tablespoons five-spice powder, four tablespoons onion powder, two tablespoons ground cloves, two teaspoons garlic powder, two tablespoons salt, two tablespoons sugar, two teaspoons ground white pepper, two teaspoons ground coriander. Place all ingredients in a jar with tight-fitting lid; shake well to blend seasonings thoroughly. Store covered at room temperature. Makes about one cup (enough to coat two slabs of pork back ribs).
Tantalize Your Grill with the Bold Flavor of Jerk
As Americans embrace bold Caribbean flavors, jerk has become more familiar as a culinary term than as a pejorative. Jerk seasonings reflect a flavor profile of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and thyme within the foundation of serious heat from Scotch Bonnet or habanero chiles.
Historically, jerk refers to the cooking method employed by the Arawak Amerindians in Jamaica. Meat, most usually wild boar, was seasoned and cooked in earthen pits. Cooked in this smoky and spicy way, the meat was delicious and also was kept from spoiling for a period of time.
While recipes abound for making your own jerk rub, seasoning, marinade or sauce, you might want to try one or more of the jerk sauces available at retail stores. Mo Hotta Mo Betta, the original hot and spicy food company, offers a wide array of Jamaican jerk sauces perfect for serving up tantalizing jerk pork from your grill. Island Pit Hot Barbecue Jerk Marinade, Miss Pearl's Jam House Jamaican Jerk Sauce, Vernon's Jamaican Jerk Sauce and Busha Browne's Jerk Table Sauce are just a few of the amalgams available to bring a touch of the trade winds to your table.