The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3 spice mixes and rubs to amp up your meals
Somebody’s done all the work for you. They’ve found just the right blend of seasonings to help you take your dinner from ho-hum to delicious.
Garlic2 from Lane’s BBQ
We’ve written about Lane’s BBQ before, the business Ryan Lane started that turned his favorite hobby into his favorite job. They’re based in Bethlehem, 9 miles north of Monroe, and they turn out an amazing array of rubs and sauces. This fall, we’re loving their Garlic2 rub/seasoning. Garlic, salt, onion, black pepper, parsley, oregano, basil and a bit of turmeric — what’s not to love? We think it’s perfect sprinkled on a steak before grilling, and we’re trying it on brisket, as soon as the weather cools off enough to make standing at a smoker all day a pleasure and not a chore. Don’t restrict its use to beef, though. It would be delicious on any protein, but what about potato salad or pasta salad? If you’re a garlic lover, you’ll really like this one.
$8 per 4-ounce jar. Available at Atlanta Grill
Co. in Roswell, the Mad Hatter in Alpharetta, Striplings General Store in Bogart, Georgia Spa Co. in Kennesaw and Alpharetta, Patton’s Meat Market in Duluth, Ace Hardware in Johns Creek and at lanesbbq.com.
Pitmaster Jim’s fish and seafood rub
Jim Rusch of Casa De Rusch Custom Rubs in Brunswick goes by the moniker Pitmaster Jim. I met him at the Brunswick Farmers Market, held each Saturday on the river in downtown Brunswick. His bestselling rub is pork and barbecue, but the market site overlooking the water made me reach for his fish and seafood rub, instead. I never even had thought of a rub for seafood, but it makes total sense. And, you don’t need to restrict it to use as a rub. We used it to season Georgia shrimp for the grill and thought it was perfect. He’s combined paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, pepper, lemon and more to make a flavor combination that’s spot-on for seafood. Step aside, Old Bay. We’ll be using this for boiling shrimp from now on, and sprinkling it on our South Carolina snapper, too.
$4.99 per 3-ounce package, $7.99 per 5-ounce shaker bottle. Available at pitmasterjim.com.
Ras el hanout spice blend from MarRay Foods
It was just a few years ago that I first heard of ras el hanout, a spice blend traditionally used in the savory Moroccan pie, b’stilla, and in tagines. Our new favorite source is Smyrna-based MarRay Foods, the brainchild of Diane Curtis, who has a passion for culinary history and a particular love of the Mediterranean Sea and the countries surrounding it. Her ras el hanout is a blend of 13 Middle Eastern spices, including cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and more. Open the bag, and it really smells like North Africa — warm, slightly sweet, exotic. You expect it to be good on poultry or lamb, but Curtis said she uses it on almost everything she cooks, and she particularly likes it for seasoning root vegetables as they’re roasting. We’re sprinkling it on popcorn, and loving it.
$5 per 3-ounce bag. Available at the Decatur and East Atlanta Village farmers markets through late November, and at marrayfoods.com.