This dry rub recipe comes from the master of grilling, Steven Raichlen. I routinely use his book, Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs and Marinades. Use this spice mixture into skirt steaks, chicken boobs, or whatever other food you plan to grill for fajitas. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours before grilling.
Raichlen notes there are several possibilities for chili powder; ancho or New Mexico chili powder for mild fajitas; chipotle chili powder for something spicier. Whatever you use, be sure it's pure chili powder and NOT a blend.
HERE IT IS
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons pure chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Transfer to a jar, cover, and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months. Makes 1 cup.
Variation--
To make a wet rub, add 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 3 tablespoons olive oil to the rub and stir to make a thick paste. Spread this mixture on the meat and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour before grilling.
Sounds fabulous Jill. I LOVE rubs. I’m making grilled chicken this week so i may just try it!
Good morning Amanda!
Let me know what you serve up on the side. You’re a good cook and I want to know. ;D
Hi Jill!
new to your site, but i love it
i hope these aren’t dumb questions- i don’t have very much experience with rubs etc.
do you have a recommended meat to rub ratio? i was going to do 3-4 pounds of chicken breast cubes in a large cast iron skillet (don’t have a grill, sadly) with onions and peppers. using a whole cup of the rub seems pretty hardcore, and i thought i’d check. i thought maybe you need more rub if you’re grilling than if it’s in a pan or something, but wasn’t sure.
also, in the variation to make a wet rub, it’s 3 tbsp worcestershire, 3tbsp oil, and ALL of the dry rub?
thanks so much.
Hi Seth!
Try 1/2 tablespoon dry rub per chicken breast and see if that’s strong enough for you. This rub has a mild kick to it, so depending on your tolerance for spice…
season to taste.
As for the wet rub, yes, the 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire and oil goes with 1-cup of dry rub. However, you can add the oil, spritz with Worcestershire, then massage in the dry rub on to individual cuts of meat.
If I remember correctly, the wet rub made plenty for me to cover 3 pounds of skirt steak.
Let me know how it turns out.
thanks for your response, jill
i made it kind of weird (i was impatient and couldn’t wait, so i guessed)- i did the wet rub, except instead of the whole cup of rub i did the 6 wet tablespoons with 6 heaping tablespoons of the rub- i could tell it was going to be awesome just from the way it all smelled.
i put food processed the 3lbs of chicken breast with the blade attachment, not the grater side and marinated for an hour with the rub- with the chicken so mangled, it soaked all the wet rub up right away, no problem.
then it was into my hot cast iron skillet, and it smelled great, cooked well and everything. the only thing is i guess my skillet got too hot while i was chopping up peppers to put in, and so some of the chicken got burnt, but i think that it tasted good that way- like a simulated grill thing. i’ll have to try it with skirt steak like you said… mmmm. i don’t know why, but i’ve basically wanted nothing but meat lately, and usually i barely eat it at all.
anyway, i made a double batch of the rub, and am glad i did because it’s so good. i’ll have to check out Steven Raichlen’s grill books when i finally get a grill (please god, let it be soon).
Hi Seth!
It sounds like your dinner turned out great! I’ve never thought to run poultry through a food processor. How many times do you pulse the meat? Are you just trying to shred it? or make it like a ground meat?
You’ll love learning from Raichlen’s books, but you don’t have to wait for an outdoor grill to use them. I have a grill pan that works great for rainy days. It makes the kitchen a little smokey but it puts nice grill marks on chicken, burgers and veggies.
oh man, i just deleted my reply!
i just put the breasts in one at time into the processor and push it down with the thingie. 5-10 seconds later, the bowl is filled with irregular chicken slices, bits and mushifed chicken viscera. i usually use the lowest speed because it makes the cut pieces come out a bit bigger. it’s a mexican food kind of texture, which is a good thing in my book- not entirely ground, somewhat shredded, but with some pieces that are sort of like actual slices about the size of the beef you get in beef and brocolli, if that’s a meaningful illustration for you, lol.
cutting manually is a chore, takes time, gets all sorts of surfaces all bio-hazardy and this way it’s a way faster, more contained process, plus it makes clean up super easy (i rinse the processor/processor components, then leave them in the sink and fill it up with scalding water and soap- just mind that processor blade thing). PLUS cutting the chicken so small (with the blade setting) ups the surface area, and THAT renders the marinate time obselete, as i discoverd tonight.
i didn’t burn it this time, and it came out very good (again), very juicy and flavorful, but i also really liked it semi-scorched! i think i’ll do it again next time on purpose just for kicks.
i will definately take it to heart regarding the grill pan!