Citrus-flavored rubs


 

Paul H

TVWBB Gold Member
Need some help with this . I know the flavor I'm trying to achieve but am new to the combining of spices to get what I want. I want a rub that won't cover the flavor of the meat with too much heat or sugar but add a taste of citrus like lemons and oranges. I want a little heat but just enough to let you know it's there.Sweet and sour also. Can any of you steer me in the right direction. Thanks.
 
Just a thought, but have you tried Lemon Pepper? It should give you the citrus taste.

As a start, try:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>2 parts paprika (color, a little sour)
<LI>2 parts lemon pepper (citrus, a little heat, a little sour)
<LI>1 part brown sugar (for a little sweet)
[/list]

If you want a little more complexity, and don't mind the cumin flavor, add:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>1 part Chili Powder[/list]

...and if you need to up the heat:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>0.25 parts cayene pepper [/list]

You may have to play with this a bit to get the balance to your liking, but hopefully it's a start.
 
Mike, thanks. What about using orange peel along with the above? Would it give it an orange taste?
 
Unfortunately it depends on what you buy if you buy dried peel. Some has so much pith that its bitterness is overwhelming.

You can make your own though, with much better results. It's best if you have a Microplane grater or a wood rasp. Remove just the zest (the colored part of the peel) of a washed sweet orange or tangerine--it needs to be very fine. You do not need to dry it first. Apply--sparingly, a very light dusting--before applying the rub.

Orange can read as bitter, especially when mixed with dried red peppers (cayenne, chili powder) so you will need a little sugar in your rub. A pinch of clove is nice with orange. Alternatively, you can use a little orange juice in the sauce; not too much as it can be overwhelming.
 
Kevin, thanks for the suggestions. Seems pretty labor intensive to get the orange "dust". How much do you get from an average orange? I forgot to mention that this was going to be a dry rub. I like the clove addition. I've made BBQ sauce with oranges and lemons sliced in the mixture. They cook down and are fairly good tasting.
 
Paul.
G'day
To get that citrus flavour without overpowering the taste of the meat I cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the meat squeezing the lemon a bit as I go to release some of the juice. I then let it stand for 1/2 - 1 hour before applying a rub. This gives it a chance to dry out a bit.
There are so many rubs that you can make, everyone's taste buds are different - basically you have to experiment. A lot of times I just use the lemon trick and then make a rub of 1 part garlic flakes, 1 part onion flakes, 1 part mustard powder, 1/2 part of black peppercorns, 1/2 part chilli powder, 1/2 part dried Kafir Lime leaves, 1 part sea salt and 1 part brown sugar. I grind all this togeter in my mortar and pedestal, lightly apply it to the meat and leave it marinate overnight before cooking. This is enough to flavor the meat but not enough to take the taste away.
 
paul--

Actually, it's not vey labor intensive; it's very quick. This is the rasp I use (without the holder--they didn't make one back when I got mine). Yield depends on size of the fruit and how much pith you rasp. I rasp very little pith so my yield runs a couple teaspoons to a couple tablespoons or more, depending on fruit size, but you still have the flesh left to use in whatever way you wish. The length of the stroke you make determines the size of the zest. I use a very short stroke, almost like a tap, when zesting for rubs. You can run a knife over it to make it even finer. You can allow it to dry or use it fresh.

Give Phil's suggestion a try as well. There are flavor differences between the juice and the zest. You might like one, the other, or both. Be cautious with orange juice though. Like zest, it can easily overwhelm.
 
Another choice for citrusy flavors is corriander (seed form of cilantro). Make sure you get the Asian version rather than the more prevalent Mexican version. The latter has more of a celery flavor & aroma than the former.

You can tell the Asian version(s) by their shape. They are more oblong; along the lines of a rugby ball rather than tiny ball bearings.

Since I go through a good amount (I use it in make Belgian-style Witbiers too), I get it in bulk from the Indian foods section at Whole Foods (or similar).
 
Paul, thanks for starting a citrus rub topic. I have used wet citrus, lemon, lime and OJ in marinades and sauces but not rubs. I can imagine chicken, grilled pork, ribs (Raichlen has a wonderful lemon apple marinade for ribs)....

Joe, corriander gets a lot of use here. When you mentioned the 'celery' aroma and flavor, I realized why I use it so much. I have an anti-celery crowd here and I can slip corriander in without upsetting my guys.
 
Hey guys, thanks for all the suggestions. I think I can come up with a rasp for the peel. I'll look around for the asian corriander. Will try some experiments and let you know what I come up with. Now I have to be organized to write down my portions so if I come up with something decent I can recreate it. I'm used to putting in ingredients "by the seat of my pants". It was hard for me to even start using a cooking log with the WSM
 
Would garlic be a nice touch to the original combination?
I was thinking
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>2 parts Paprika
2 parts Lemon Pepper
1 part Brown Sugar
1 part Garlic Powder[/list]
 
It would definitely work for me.

A pure ground chile (like mild Ancho, or a blend of two like Ancho and hot New Mexico if you like heat) could replace a little, much, or all of the paprika as an option as well.
 
Orange zest (fine) seems to be a candidate not to overlook. If you're looking for fresh herbs, try playing around with fresh tarragon leaves (citrus/orange like taste) and fresh sorrel leaves (lemon/citrus taste). Might also look at lemongrass.
Have fun !
 
One other thing you might try, Paul, is Lemon Balm. It's a member of the mint family and can be grown pretty easily. Or you can buy it dried. Or you can grow it and dry it yourself, if you like.

For orange there's Orange Mint or Bergamot mint. If you're familiar with teas, Bergamot is what flavors Earl Grey.

Just a thought.
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Bergamot
True, J. Nice with lamb. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bergamot rather than Rosemary? There's another citrus-y flavor, Rosemary.

And aren't those Microplanes just terrific??
 

 

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