Grilling and roasting in backyard barbeques- all these come with the inception of summer. So, if you are a meat fanatic who thought of making a really delicious steak, we are delighted to share the best spices for steak rubs from this episode.
Dry rubs typically come together with a number of spices, herbs, and other flavorings like salt and sugar. But the nine best steak rub spices include:
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Cumin
- Mustard Seeds
Chili Pepper Types —- - Cayenne Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Paprika
- Red Chili Flakes
So, how would these flavors give your steak dry rub its flavor? Let’s get to know.
The 09 Best Spices For Steak Rubs
All spices are flavorful. But, when choosing spices for steak rubs, they should be extra zesty, aromatic, and packed with a punch that complements your piece of meat.
Thus, when you choose a dry rub from the store or make one at home, try incorporating these spices on the list below.
01- Black Pepper
Heavenly earthy black pepper is a universal and versatile spice with a serious punch of peppery and piney tones. This spice has the ability to team up with many herbs and spices.
Freshly ground, powdered, or freshly cracked black pepper complements steak big-time, particularly when paired with salt. Most steak rubs that you buy from the store contain this spice. And, if you make your own at home, you can always use more or less with other ingredients like salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried herbs.
02- Garlic Powder
The powdery consistency of garlic powder has the versatility to disperse its pungent, robust, and intense garlicky notes throughout the rub. There are instances where granulated garlic is also being used in steak rubs.
Yet, we believe that the powdered version has a better capability to blend with other ingredients. Garlic Powder is often coupled with onion powder. Moreover, it gets along really well with other ingredients like black pepper, chili powder, paprika, dried herbs, etc.
03- Onion Powder
Onion powder is paired with garlic powder in most steak dry rubs. This spice can also distribute its strong, sulfur-like, umami flavor profile throughout the rub, just like garlic powder.
Onion powder complements the meat while teaming up with other ingredients like black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and dried herbs. If you make your steak dry rub at home, you can also use granulated onion. But the powdery version works the best!
04- Cumin
Coarsely ground or powdered cumin seeds work incredibly better with most steak dry rubs. This spice is warm, nutty, and slightly sweet, which could add a unique taste to the rub.
When incorporated with other pungent ingredients, the flavor notes of this spice intensify, making it more earthy and bold. Cumin often gets along well with spices like garlic powder, paprika, dried herbs (thyme, mint), etc.
05- Mustard Seeds
Ground mustard seeds or dry mustard powder is one of the best spices for steak rubs, which adds a great flavor that everyone in your family would love!
This spice carries an intense, sharp, and hot flavor profile. Mustard powder is often paired with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and dried herbs like oregano and thyme.
Chili Pepper Types
Hot, spicy, and fiery chili peppers could complement the steak in a way that you always wanted. Due to the high heat levels of these spices, most store-bought and homemade dry steak rubs usually contain only one or two types of chili peppers.
06- Cayenne Pepper
With a depth of flavor and beautiful color, cayenne pepper is a must-use spice in your rub for steak. It is usually used in its powdered form, and its heat ranges from 30,000-to 50,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale. Generally, cayenne pepper powder pairs well with most dried herbs and other spices like cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, etc.
This could be one of the main flavorings in your rub that contributed to the spiciness. Therefore, if you are making your own dry rub at home, you can always use it more or less on your taste preferences.
One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating
Luciano Pavarotti.
07- Chili Powder
Chili powder is a vibrant red-hued powder made by pulverizing one or more types of red hot chilies. However, most chili powders that you get to buy from the store come with other spices and flavorings like garlic powder, salt, etc., in addition to the powdered chilies.
Nevertheless, we hardly see this is being employed alone to flavor the dry rubs but often paired with other herbs and spices. Some could say that this is not a single spice but is a seasoning. Well, it is solely decided upon the type or brand of chili powder you choose.
However, chili powder could undoubtedly add a great kick to the dry steak rubs, especially when integrated with other herbs, spices, and flavorings.
08- Paprika
This spice is an impressive flavor enhancer that could provide different flavors to your dry rub. For example, if your dry rub contains or you use smoked paprika, it will give a unique smoky, earthy tone.
And accordingly, the flavors would change from being hot, mild, or sweet depending on the variety of paprika powder. However, no matter what type is used or contained, this spice has a profundity of flavor and gives the rubs a bright, pleasant reddish color.
Paprika is an integral part of many seasonings used to flavor steak when grilling. So, if you are interested in discovering the best seasonings that work better with steak on the grill, click here!
09- Red Chili Flakes
Red chili flakes are usually multitasking on your rub! The reason is that they give color and flavor and add a distinctive texture. The flakes create a nice coating around the steak while providing a nice touch of hot and spicy kick.
Most store-bought red chili flakes contain seeds, and they carry an extra punch of heat. So, if you make your steak dry rub at home, we suggest you be careful when mixing it with other hot spices.
Best Spices For Steak Rubs For The Best Flavor Blast!
So, as you see, these spices, which include black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, mustard seeds and types of chili peppers (cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, red chili flakes), are super flavorful and complement the meat very well.
Hence, when you choose a rub to grill or roast your steak next time, see whether these spices are incorporated. And when you make your own rubs at home, make sure to include at least some of them.
