Today's Rib Rub


 
K Kruger

K Kruger

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
This rub incorporates fenugreek seed, one of my favorite spices. It is usually found whole though some distributors sell a ground product. It will last much longer whole. Fenugreek seed should be toasted lightly before grinding. Do not over-toast or it will become bitter. It is best used in blends (it is a primary component of curry powders); it is a rather unique flavor.



1/4 c light Muscovado sugar
1/4 c pure ground Ancho chili powder
1/4 c pure ground hot New Mexico chili powder
1/3 c onion powder
1/3 c dried thyme
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
12-15 whole allspice
1 Tbls whole fenugreek seeds


Toast the allspice and fenugreek in a dry pan that's been heating on med-high while you've been assembling the other ingredients. Toast 45-60 secs, stirring constantly. Grind immediately.

Blend everything.

As always, I do not include salt in my rub mixtures.

I prefer to apply a nice even amount of Kosher salt to my ribs, wait a few minutes for the surface of the meat to become moist, then apply the rub generously.

This recipe covered 3 racks of spares well.
 
Kevin,

I use fenugreek in a lot of Indian dishes - but have never tried to toast them first. I know that will enhance the flavors, and I will do that the next time a recipe calls for fenugreek seeds.

Thanks Kevin,

Ray
 
Sounds interesting Kevin though I have never used fenugreek .... can you describe it?

How did you cook the ribs and what kind were they?

Did you sauce the ribs? Glaze? Foil? Rest? Please expand on the details...


Thanks,

Shawn
 
Fenugreek is frequently described as bitter though I disagree. I put it--mentally--in the dark, exotic, family of spices with clove, nutmeg, Korintje cinnamon, dried ginger, allspice, cardamom. It has a somewhat round, almost maple-like flavor.

As mentioned, fenugreek is found in some curry powder blends but also in several North African and Ethiopian mixes. While not really a stand-alone spice (like ginger or cinnamon) it need not only be mixed into multiple-spice blends, but can support, add nuance, or round out a single spice (again, like ginger or cinnamon). Because of this, I recommend it for many desserts, glazes, and sauces--especially those that contain fruit, particularly cooked fruit, and particularly, pineapple, peach, necatarine, and banana.

Like with many other spices toasting can bring out a bit more flavor. They can get bitter if over-toasted so be brief and remove them immediately from the pan to cool. They are odd looking, small seeds, mustard-colored, not unlike 3-D trapezoids. They are very hard. Because of this, if your grinder can't quite handle them use more than you need and do the best you can, then use a mesh sieve to remove the larger unground pieces.

[Added bonus: Fenugreek supposedly increases milk production in lactating women!]

I used spares, 3 racks, about 4lbs each (though they were labeled <3, go figure). I trimmed St Louis style.I took them to the very good color stage, which was somewhere around the 3.5 hour mark, then foiled them adding a 5:1 ratio of pineapple juice to tamarind juice (which I made myself with tamarind pulp and hot water; made a fairly strong concentration). They were in foil about 1.5 hours. I unfoiled more because I felt like it than anything. (I need to focus more here; I should've checked them to make that decision.) I saved the liquid in the foil. They went back on the cooker for about an hour; rested 45 min. I used tangerine and cherry for smoke.

The ribs were delicious, some of my better ones. I lucked out on the foiling front. I will again take them to the more-colored stage, but next time I'll check them before unfoiling; it's too critical a point to leave to luck I think. Though all three racks were virtually identical at the outset and were all treated the same, one was fall-off-the-bone tender, the others were better, imo, with superior texture

When I taste tested the trimmings when they were done early in the cook I decided on a different approach to the sauce. I knew I did not have the time to make several sauces as I usually do. I'd focused on the sides (garlic basmati rice with diced butternut squash, currants, and minced smoked almonds; sautéed collards with grape tomatoes and a vinegar splash) to play off each other as well as the ribs so I decided to make a sauce for the rice primarily, but that would work with the ribs and pick up elements of the collard dish. (Does that make sense?)

Anyway--I sautéed onions in a little oil then added a little garlic and ginger, then about 2 c of fresh pineapple and cooked it briefly, a few min. To that I added some of the Chardonnay I was drinking (about 2 Tbls) and about 1/3 c ketchup. This I brought to a simmer, mashing it a bit, then added about 3/4 c of the liquid I'd saved from the foil (after removing much of the fat. I puréed this in the pot then reduced it to a thick, not-quite-pourable consistency. Salt, and ground white pepper finished it.

As I've mentioned elsewhere I do not glaze ribs and didn't these, but I've been finding myself toying with various glaze ideas recently. Hmmm. Stay tuned.
 
I searched for fenugreek at Harris teeter...no luck. The spice rep for the McCormick distributer happened to be in the store. She had never heard of it!

It is found as a major component in McCormick curry...is there a good substitution? I wanted to make this rub Thursday.
 
I found fenugreek, and several other unusual spices, this past weekend at an middle eastern market. Only about $2.50 for a 4 or 5 ounce jar.
 
Steve-- There really isn't a replacement for it though you can mimic its 'exotic' qualities somewhat but not the flavor. Try Bombay Bazaar at 6233 South Blvd.
 
In this case a contact of a contact who thinks they have them. I called the store to find out. The proprietor couldn't understand what I was asking for (often a good sign!) and I was totally blanking on the Indian name (Bengali, Punjabi, Hindi--the name is similar in all, Ray Crick might remember) but I'm thinking now it's meti, methi, or methri. Anyway, the proprietor told me they had lots of spices. Indian labels are usually in English as well. Let me know if you go there--I'd be interested to know what they've got.
 
Fenugreek Other Names
Bird’s Foot, Foenugreek, Goat’s Horn
French: fenugrec Sénegré, trigonelle
German: Bockshornklee, Griechisches Heu
Italian: fieno greco
Spanish: alholva, fenogreco
Indian: mayti, methe, methi
Tamil: venthium
Malay: alba
Sinhalese: uluhaal
 
Steve,

I hope you found it. I usually have to go to Raleigh and visit an Indian market there to get fenugreek. And I am really impressed with Doug's language skills! Kudos to you Doug!

Ray
 
Steve,

If you are a bit adventuresome, you might want to also buy some asafatida (hing) while at the market. It is a really powerful and pungent spice. A bit of caution however - the aroma is so strong that I have to keep it triple sealed or my whole kitchen would smell like asafatida. I buy a small container, then put it inside a plastic zip-lock bag, then put that inside another larger glass jar.

Household kitchens in India all smell of this spice.

Good luck to you Steve,

Ray
 
I am experimenting with new rubs and sauces found here. Today I'll make a supply run and hopefully get them put together. I'll report back.
 
Originally posted by Ray Crick:
Household kitchens in India all smell of this spice.
Click to expand...
Mine often does too. Especially when in samosa-making mode or making accompaniments for lamb vindaloo.
 
Kevin,

Some of my Indian friends affectionately call asafatida "elephant poop" because of the strong smell.

Ray
 
Unfortunately, I did not get to the market for the fenugeek. Trips to two Docs interferred. I will report on two rubs-not the ones I had planned on.

Wild Willy's #1 and a no onion, no garlic paprika rub.
 
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