Going out on a limb: BBQ chicken rub from the '60s??


 
Grant Cunningham

Grant Cunningham

TVWBB Pro
When I was growing up in the '60s and '70s, my Dad would often get together with other civic-minded folks in our small town and do a chicken feed for various social events (both family and community.) Those events were the highlight of summer, and I'd like to recreate that recipe. They cooked over a pit fire and used a sprinkled-on rub for flavor. It was delicious.

Unfortunately my Dad died in 2001, and at the time I wasn't interested enough in BBQ to ask him what the seasoning was. The only thing I seem to remember is that it was made by some company in New York state (we lived in Oregon — how he learned about this, or where he got it, is one of the mysteries.)

Here's a clue: it was a very tangy rub, red in color, and had the same taste as the common "BBQ" potato chips of the day. Not the fancy "mesquite" or maple BBQ chips that crowd the shelves today, but simple cheap BBQ potato chips. You know the kind - the powder they're coated with makes your fingers and lips red. Probably carcinogenic, but delicious!

Does any of this jog a memory out there?
 
When I was in service back in the 70s there was guy that would bbq he was from NY an would use rub or sauce called Cornell ?
 
Sorry I'm no help, but searching for things like this drives me nuts, and I truly hope you get an answer. It will be so rewarding when you do. GL!
 
The local market has rotisserie chicken in the 60's and it was really good! I found out my friend was the butcher and he was the one that made it. I was so happy when I found out he was the one that made and excitedly asked him what was the seasoning? He said I don't remember, whatever I thought would taste good. :oops: I guess back then not everything followed a recipe. Just thought I would share that story because I feel your pain. :cry:
 
JohnTakahashi said:
The local market has rotisserie chicken in the 60's and it was really good! I found out my friend was the butcher and he was the one that made it. I was so happy when I found out he was the one that made and excitedly asked him what was the seasoning? He said I don't remember, whatever I thought would taste good. :oops: I guess back then not everything followed a recipe. Just thought I would share that story because I feel your pain. :cry:
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I worked in the meat department of a grocery store when I was in high school (mid-1970s.) We too had a big rotisserie, and the head butcher had an "old family recipe" for chicken rub that he used on the birds. He locked himself in the back room when he put the rub together, so I didn't know what was in it, only that it was stuff "off the shelf" from the store and it was delicious.

We often sold more cooked chickens in a week than raw ones!
 
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Joe T Gomez said:
When I was in service back in the 70s there was guy that would bbq he was from NY an would use rub or sauce called Cornell ?
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Not what Grant is looking for, but delicious all the same!

www.virtualweberbullet.com

Cornell Chicken - The Virtual Weber Bullet

Cornell chicken was made famous at the New York State Fair in 1949. This version from Cook's Country magazine is smoke-grilled over high heat in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker.
www.virtualweberbullet.com www.virtualweberbullet.com
 
Grant Cunningham said:
Here's a clue: it was a very tangy rub, red in color, and had the same taste as the common "BBQ" potato chips of the day. Not the fancy "mesquite" or maple BBQ chips that crowd the shelves today, but simple cheap BBQ potato chips.
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There are recipe for making your own BBQ chips on the internet, maybe one of the spice seasoning will be close to the taste you remember. Or at least a starting point on the spices to use in making your own.
 
If nothing else, Grant, it sounds like a fun project to experiment and try to get close! Salt, sugar, paprika and pepper are all likely to be in there. Might take some time to figure out the "tangy" part of it......mustard power, cumin, allspice, citrus zest, other? I wonder if MSG is likely to have been in it given the vintage you mention.

I stopped mixing my own rubs a long time ago, but if I had a memory like the one you have, I'd definitely be on the trail to recreate it as you are!

Good luck!

R
 
Hand me down simple Chicken Rub my Gramps used to use Iv always thought it had a BBQ chip taste.

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 TBS smoked paprika
1 TBS garlic powder
2 TSP chili powder
2TBS salt
1/2 TSP pepper


Cornell or Fire house chicken is a staple here in New York!!
 
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Rich G said:
If nothing else, Grant, it sounds like a fun project to experiment and try to get close! Salt, sugar, paprika and pepper are all likely to be in there. Might take some time to figure out the "tangy" part of it......mustard power, cumin, allspice, citrus zest, other? I wonder if MSG is likely to have been in it given the vintage you mention.

I stopped mixing my own rubs a long time ago, but if I had a memory like the one you have, I'd definitely be on the trail to recreate it as you are!
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I've got a couple of ideas on that "tangy" part. It'll take some experimenting.
 

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Here's a recipe I found that may be close to what you're looking for. It does taste like the old style of plain old BBQ chips that I remember.
It's actually supposed to be a table type seasoning, haven't tried it as a rub but I think I'll try it this weekend

Barbecue Spice Mix Seasoning
Ingredients
  • 4 Tbsp onion powder
  • 4 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 3 Tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp fine sea salt, (You can use less, of course. Try half the amount if you are looking to make a lower sodium version.)
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dry thyme
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. I process this in a food processor to ensure that it is well combined and to make the spice blend as fine as possible.
  2. Store in an airtight spice shaker. Makes 1 cup of BBQ Spice Mix Seasoning.
  3. When seasoning hash browns or french fries, add them to a large bowl, straight from the fryer. Begin shaking on the seasoning a little at a time and tossing the hash browns or french fries between
 
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This is good on steak or pork, but even better on chicken.

Southwestern Rub

1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Source: Weber's Big Book of Grilling-Jamie Purviance-2001

Marc, would you mind posting the name of your recipe at the beginning of the recipe (like above)? Thanks if you do it. lol
 
Joan said:
This is good on steak or pork, but even better on chicken.

Southwestern Rub

1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Source: Weber's Big Book of Grilling-Jamie Purviance-2001

Marc, would you mind posting the name of your recipe at the beginning of the recipe (like above)? Thanks if you do it. lol
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Apologies for the oversight; Post has been corrected.
 
Sweet Rub From Hey Grill Hey, Susie Bulloch

1/4C dark brown sugar
1T coarse sea salt
2t cracked black pepper
2t smoked paprika
2t garlic powder
2t onion powder
1t ground mustard
1/2t cayenne pepper

I'm going to try this when the weather gets better. Sounds promising.
 
This rub tastes a lot like BBQ potato chips to me. Not too salty, pretty tangy. Contains brown sugar, sugar, paprika, salt, spices, garlic, dehydrated orange peel and tricalcium phospate to prevent caking.... so if you use it on your birthday, you may not get any cake ;)

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JohnTakahashi said:
Sweet Rub From Hey Grill Hey, Susie Bulloch

1/4C dark brown sugar
1T coarse sea salt
2t cracked black pepper
2t smoked paprika
2t garlic powder
2t onion powder
1t ground mustard
1/2t cayenne pepper

I'm going to try this when the weather gets better. Sounds promising.
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After trying out a few of the options, this one (without the cayenne) turned out to be the closest. Really quite good — thanks to everyone for the help!
 
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