Need advice new experimental rub/paprika

cmwr

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I am playing around with a new rub. I am taking the best of some of my favorite rubs and customizing them to make one my own. It will be based off of a Kansas City style of sweet n salty. Can someone tell me if it is best to use paprika as a flavoring and to add color or just to add color only? This rub has a bit of cayenne for a touch of heat but not overly hot and I am thinking if I did add spanish or hungarian paprika if it would up the heat quite a bit. So would it be best to cancel out some cayenne and add a hotter more flavorful paprika or leave the cayenne and go with american paprika which appears to be bland but will give my bark color? I will play around myself and see what I like best but I could use some good advice to start with.
 
I never notice any heat from using Paprika, but maybe I am using the wrong type. That or since I like it spicy Paprika doesn't even register to me. I think you are going to have to whip up a batch and taste test it...
 
I use a small amount of spanish for color on my ribs. I don't notice any rise in the spicy catagory from it. Give your's a try and see how you like it. Good luck!
 
There are a few different types of pep, regular,hot , sweet, smoked, The hungarian hot will add a touch of heat but be careful it can over power. I like to use half smoked and half sweet and get my heat from something else like cayane. Cuman, corilander, chilli powder, cinnamon, will also add a little spark to the rub.
 
For me personally, some fine quality Hungarian sweet paprika is all I need, and it is used for both flavor and color. It does not have any heat, but does impart some red and some flavor for sure (as long as it's good, bulk brands tend to crap out after long cooking times).

I never got as good of color from other paprika's, and when it comes to heat, cayenne or other peppers can do the trick a lot better in my opinion. Also, most others lost a lot of flavor after such long cooking times, and the ones that did still have good flavor just couldn't match the Hungarian sweet in color at the end.

The trick is working on your ratio's once you find what you like. I use a lot of paprika in my rub, actually.
 
I will play around with it then and decide for myself. Most of my spices are bulk type that you find on any major grocers shelves.
 
Most paprika is not hot but it does have flavor as well as color. I would use sweet paprika and add something else for heat.
 
I use both GOOD Hungarian Sweet paprika AND GOOD Hungarian Hot paprika for both color and flavoring/spice. All of the "American" paprika that I've tried just doesn't seem to have anything going for it except color.
 
I use both GOOD Hungarian Sweet paprika AND GOOD Hungarian Hot paprika for both color and flavoring/spice. All of the "American" paprika that I've tried just doesn't seem to have anything going for it except color.

What's considered good. Can you lists some brands. I typically try to use readily available brands that I can get at almost any major store. I don't like needing something and having to search a dozen stores or do mail order just to get it.
 
Also Paprika contains Flavonoids which are antioxidents and help to carry the flavor from other spices forward so the mixture of spices may have a better flavor with Paprika than without it.

Paprika is often associated with Hungary, as it is commonplace in Hungarian cuisine, thus referencing the sweet form of Paprika as "Hungarian Paprika".

Central European paprika was hot until the 1920s, when a plant breeder found one plant that produced really sweet fruit. This was grafted onto other plants. Now, paprika can range from mild to hot, and flavors will also vary from country to country, but almost all the plants grown can produce the sweet variety.

The sweet paprika has more than half of the seeds removed, whereas hot paprika contains more seeds.

Spanish Paprika is available in three versions,
mild (pimentón dulce),
moderately spicy (pimentón agridulce), and
very spicy (pimentón picante.)

Some Spanish paprika, including pimentón de la Vera has a distinct smoky flavor and aroma as it is dried by smoking,
 
For me paprika adds color only. I cook w/ smoked paprika in stews, soups, etc... but not with meat in a smoker... not worth the added costs, doesn't add much flavor.
 
Sweet Smoked Spain

Great input from the Bros above. I like to use a quality sweet smoked from Spain. A good one will definitely add another layer of smokiness flavor besides all the other redeeming qualities of fresh ground product...
 
I'm the same way. I started to buy the hungarian sweet paprika but the flavor wasnt as pronounced as I thought it would be. I've been putting more chili powder in my rubs since then. Try out some small rub batches and see what works out for you.
 
Not all Hungarian paprika is the same. The one you buy here at the stores is a joke. Even the color not even close what you can buy in Hungary.I personally prefer the bright orange rather the deep red, the Hungarians prefer the darker color when they buy it at the open market. And now i just spilled a secret. The best paprika you can get is always from the small farmers in limited quantity. And now the origin. The best paprika is coming from either Szeged or Mako the two city relatively close to each others. Both city sits on the bank of the Maros river . As the river overflows-flood time to time it deposits some very fine silt , that is the reason the paprika taste so good. The soil never burns out. But i personally prefer the Kalocsa region grown. I find it tastier. Kalocsa sits on the bank of the Danube river . When the Danube floods the soil replenished . Before you buy look for the source on the can. It will tell you where is it from. And a final that. If you want to buy some better quality locate a Hungarian butcher who makes sausages or an import store like Otto's Deli and they may have exactly what you looking for. Talk to the owner tell him you want a pound from Kalocsa..or Szeged from a grower and not from a company.You can taste a small quantity from each region see which one you prefer. Do not buy those small cans. They are just for the show! I hope this little take down helped.....
 
Here is what I have mixed up so far. It tastes fantastic but I am aware I have to taste it on the finished product to truly judge it. I am awaiting the mother brisket to be done in a week and a half. We have a small portion of a brisket fresh off the cow in the deep freeze that I am planning on rubbing and smoking this weekend to test using Bludawgs HNF method. I am not sure what the hell the butcher did with the rest of the brisket. I am betting it is just the point I got. GRRRRR I bet my brother in law got the flat....:x I would rather screw up a 5 lb point instead of a 50 dollar brisket going on in 2 weekends. Tell me what you guys think of this. I am excited to try it. Oh and by the way it is just standard paprika cause that's all I had on hand at the moment.

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup paprika
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp celery salt ( I think celery salt has a unique flavor)
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp lawrys season salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
 
I like Hungarian paprika.

The last rub I did was one part each.
Salt, pepper, lemon pepper (with salt) turbinado, 1/2 chipolte, 1/2 cayenne, 1/2 paprika
 
What's considered good. Can you lists some brands. I typically try to use readily available brands that I can get at almost any major store. I don't like needing something and having to search a dozen stores or do mail order just to get it.

I pick up the "good stuff" in the market in Budapest. Stay away from the fancy packaging that is meant for the tourists and buy what the Babushkas buy. I'll have to check my pantry tomorrow to get brand names.
 
I pick up the "good stuff" in the market in Budapest. Stay away from the fancy packaging that is meant for the tourists and buy what the Babushkas buy. I'll have to check my pantry tomorrow to get brand names.

Budapest? Dude I live in Iowa lol
 
i use tone's sweet paprika. and it is the bigest part of my rub . you can get it at sams club . It just works for me
 
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