Three decades (or more) ago I had nearly a religious experience when I tasted–for the first time, dry rubbed pork spare ribs at a Houston’s Restaurant in Nashville, TN.
Previously, I wasn’t a fan of spare ribs because those drenched in sauce were a mess to eat, and to me, the “tang” distracted from the flavor of the pork.
After my ferocious bone sucking exposure to dry rub ribs, I came home and played with mixing seasonings and spices that would nearly replicate Houston’s Dry Rub. Each rub I throw together is a bit different from the last, but the spare ribs are very forgiving. Brisket too.
I mix most stuff to order, but I keep these on hand:
combination ethiopian mekelesha and berbere (the current mix, which I’m still working on, contains coriander seed, fenugreek seed, black pepper, green cardamom, allspice, cloves, thyme and oregano as a substitute for ajwain, garlic powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, paprika) in shiro wat, beef tibs and all the redder stews. Also good on avocado.
middle-eastern za’atar (traditionally wild thyme but in mine some mix of mediterranean thyme and oregano; sesame seeds and sumac) also on avocados, chicken, and in olive oil for bread dipping.
meatn3
(equal opportunity eater in the NC Triangle)
25
I just realized that the lemon salt is directly linked to making preserved lemons. I generally need the juice of 2 more lemons to cover my batch of preserved lemons. I’ve learned to go ahead and zest them prior to juicing. Interestingly both the lemon salt and the preserved lemons last me about the same length of time!
I use almost entirely homemade spice mixes. First, as someone else mentioned, I want to control the amount of salt that goes into a dish. Second, mixing my own increases turnover in my core herbs and spices so everything stays fresher.
Mixes we use often like Italian seasoning and taco seasoning get made in bulk and go in reused spice jars, labeled of course. Less often used mixes get made on the fly in the amount needed.
The only spice mix I can think of that we buy pre-made is garam masala.
Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning is my favorite spice blend.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons dill seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cook peppercorns, mustard seeds, dill seeds, and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and beginning to pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush, or transfer to a sturdy resealable plastic bag and coarsely crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Add salt, garlic, and chile flakes and crush to combine.
Spice mixes I like to make are adobo, and various rubs for smoking or BBQ, or if a recipe calls for a blend I don’t have. With whole spices, my grinder, and the bagged spices I have, I can usually come up with a good blend. With a little help from the internet.
Good for you !
I make spice mixes, but mainly at the day of cooking.
Left overs are obviously kept and generally become part of my surprise collection.
As I normally forget to label them;)
Ones I make on a regular base and keep on hand are shoarma, cajun and an SE Asian rub
Trader Joe’s Mushroom Umami blend has the following ingredients:
Kosher Salt, Dried Onions, Ground Mustard Seed, Porcini Mushroom Powder, White Button Mushroom Powder, Crushed Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Dried Thyme.
However I think it tastes like the rest of the things more than mushrooms (especially red pepper, which is an incongruent flavor).
I have a different porcini finishing powder that is just porcini mushrooms, and a truffle powder that tastes nicely mushroom-y though not very truffle-y (which is fine, as it wasn’t really priced for me to expect that even though it has truffles listed as an ingredient).
Yes, and what are the pros and cons of other ingredients, and perhaps relatedly, how do you use it?
I was using the TJ’s in cooked recipes calling for mushrooms, but only today realized that salt was the first ingredient and that some “umami” seasoning might include things like onions and garlic.
I have thought about grinding up dried shiitakes, but mine are purchased, and when you soak them, there’s a bit of grit that is deposited into the water, so I hesitate for that to be in the powder.
As I said above, I think the additions are a distraction from the mushroom flavor, which is all I really want. However commercial blends have to add stuff to balance cost, that’s why the mushrooms end up lower down the ingredient list.
Anywhere you want a mushroom or umami boost. Dishes with mushrooms (risotto, pasta), anything beefy, soup, and so on. I have chicken stock powder too – this is good when I don’t want chicken flavor but need a bouillon boost. There are lots of good mushroom bouillons available too.
