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Salt and sugar curing can be enhanced with the addition of pepper, herbs or honey for extra
flavour.
5.3 Marinades
Marinades are liquids or pastes comprising a mixture of spice or herbs, used to flavour and
tenderise meat over generous periods of time.
Marinades are used to increase the flavour of foods. However a common problem with them is
that they often contain far too much sugar for close-contact cooking such as on barbeques or in
fry pans. Marinades however, are perfect for smoking as the temperatures used in this cooking
environment aren’t high enough to burn the sugars.
Chris' Basic Marinade Recipe
1 cup white wine
1 cup grape seed oil
Juice from one lemon
3 crushed cloves of garlic
3 or 4 stems of rosemary
1 tsp of crushed pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a ceramic or glass dish.
Add the meat and thoroughly cover it with the marinade before refrigerating overnight.
5.4 Dry Rubs
Dry rubs are generally comprised of a mixture of dry herb and spices combined with salt and
sugar. These rubs help dry the food by extracting moisture from the meat. When used properly, dry
rubs can function like a combination of brining and salt or sugar curing. Generally rubs are applied
on the outside of the meat the day before and allowed to refrigerate overnight.
If smoking for long periods, it is advisable to apply the dry rub in small batches throughout the
cooking process. Or as an alternative, add the dry rub towards the end of the smoking process in
order to ensure the spice flavours are at their peak.
Note: wet rubs are essentially dry rubs combined with a wetting agent, such as olive oil, beer, wine
or fruit juice.
Chris' Basic Rub Recipe
1 tblsp cumin powder
1 tblsp smoked paprika
1 tsp black pepper powder
Directions:
Rub the meat with a clove of garlic, cover with the rub mixture. Leave in a plastic bag or in a glass
or ceramic bowl in the fridge overnight.
