My Amazing Barbecue Rub

Inspired by an episode of Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie on Grass-Fed beef, I created my own amazing barbecue dry rub earlier this summer. As I mentioned in my last blog, it's great on grilled corn with a squeeze of lime and some butter or an nice fruity olive oil. It is also amazing on chicken or beef of course. Simply stated, I combined brown sugar, dry mustard, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to create a feast for the senses. 

This dry rub can easily be turned into a savory barbecue sauce. Start by sauteing a couple of finely chopped or pressed cloves of garlic in olive oil over low heat. Add a small Vidalia onion, roughly chopped and turn the heat up to medium. Once the onion gets nice and soft and caramelized, deglaze the pan with about 1/4 cup of champaign or white wine vinegar. Add about a quarter cup of the dry rub and let it melt down and bubble over a medium-high heat. Now open a can of whole peeled tomatoes, crush them with your hands and add them to the mix. Let it all cook together and reduce for at least 20-30 minutes. The last step it to puree in the food processor or blender to make a smooth sauce. Pair it with a nice Grass-Fed New York strip steak, rubbed with the dry rub and grilled med rare to med, some roasted new potatoes and a green salad simply dressed with a squeeze of lemon and a good fruity olive oil. Bon Appetite!