<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rick Kramer:
I go thru a lot of rub...But being new at this cooking game it's hard for me to distinguish what makes one brand better than the other. Is the difference that great?...Any tips or suggestions?
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I go through a lot of rub myself but it's the other capsicums (Anchos, New Mex, Cascabels, Negros, et. al.) that I sail through. I use paprika in just a handful of rubs, mostly as a carrier rather than a major flavoring ingredient. I find the other capsicums more suitable for flavoring the types of rubs I most often make; the flavors stand up to--and blend well with--the other spices and herbs in the rub. For example, I can mix Ancho (for fruitiness) with NM (for heat and flavor--much better than cayenne, imo), and Guajillo for depth; or Aleppo (for fruit with a little heat) with Ancho and Cascabel. Using ground chilies also satisfies the chile component of the generic 'chile powder' found in many rubs; I can add the other components if I wish.
Paprika I tend to use when I'm looking for little (or very subtle) pepper-fruit flavor but where the paprika--when blended well with the other rub ingredients--will 'carry' those ingredients evenly across the food I'm rubbing. This is particularly effective when I want to throw the focus on ground peppercorns, say (black, green, white), or on exotics (cardamom, cubeb, ginger, mace, e.g.), or on easily 'lost' flavors (citrus zests, ground dried fruit or nuts, coriander), and where use of these ingredients as primaries would be impractical or overkill.
I definitely think there are differences between the herbs and spices offered by different companies (sometimes strikingly so) though that can vary within the company in question. You may notice the difference as soon as you open the jar of a given herb or spice or the difference might not be as evident till the spice is cooked. I have used some of Tone's stuff as well as other supermarket and warehouse-store brands--some were marginal, some passable, some perfectly fine. I buy from Penzey's (and Pure Spice) primarly, because I like how and where they source their stuff and because I can get a specific herb (Turkish oregano or Mexican oregano--they're different), or spice (Korintje,Vietnamese, or Ceylon cinnamon; California or Hungarian--half-sharp or különleges paprika; Sarawak white peppercorns, Malabar or Tellicherry blacks) and that's important to me. They have tremendous turnover so I'm confident I'm getting fresh.
If you are happy with what you're using, good. But since you make your own rubs I assume you enjoy the process, like the element of control, the greater possibilities to create signature mixes, find the pre-made rubs lacking, or all (or any combo) of the above, for your own knowledge and pleasure I'd urge you to try replacing some or all of your ingredients with Penzey's when you can and see what you think. Try pure chilies (I usually buy chilies at markets catering to Mexicans) in place of some or all of your paprika, chile powder, and/or cayenne as well; if you're happy with paprika as a base you might wish to try a non-generic paprika* (or a blend of a couple). As many here have said, you get to eat your experiments.
Kevin
* Peppers for paprika are produced all over the world. Hungary and Spain are major producers; here, it's Texas and California. Paprika is instrumental in Hungarian cuisine and they've made paprika production an art. The best are produced in the Kalocsa and Szeged areas. As far as I know they are the only producers that grade the finished product. The grades are determined by the degree of ripeness of the pepper when picked, and the level of pungency of the finished product. Különleges, e.g., is produced from selected,perfectly ripe peppers that are ground without seeds or placenta yielding a delicate, non-pungent finish. Its mild fruitiness is lost in most rubs, but is great for many other uses. Two grades up the pungency scale is edesnemes (half-sharp), two up from there is er?s. These two are more appropriate, imo, for rubs. If you're interested in trying them I have a source where you can get both grades (from both Kalocsai and Szededi growers) in small, 10oz containers ($4.95). If you prefer any of them, they are also available in 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, and 50-lb (as well as 100-kilo) bulk packaging for much less $ per pound, but of course there's shipping to consider. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>