making your own rub

[dealm9]

i rarely make my own rub but i do every now and then and have some questions to help get better at it.

what is the best container to store rub and how long will it stay generally fresh? i have a little bit of pork rub left in a mason jar that i made last summer. is this too old or is it still usable?

does using fresh spices instead of store-bought spices already in shaker bottles make much of a difference? if using fresh spices, does this effect the shelf-life?

 

[MikeMSD]

I usually keep mine in sealed plastic containers. I've got some that have a pretty good locking lid. I usually use the rub until it starts losing flavor. I've personally found flavor starts really diminishing after 2-3 months. I don't think the spices really go bad, they just lose potency. As far as fresh vs store bought dried, from what I understand you will need to adjust because the dried crushed/ground spices are stronger than the fresh, however the fresh are supposed to taste better. I usually just store buy spices though, so I can't speak from personal experience.

 

[vafish]

I make my own rub and never have had it last long enough to go bad.

 

[mtbchip]

We make our own, purchase many of the herbs and spices from Penzeys (we found it DOES make a difference when using fresh quality products). We place what we want in a large bowl and mix and then use a coffee grinder and grind it FINE.

Then store in "canning" glass jars and keep them sealed. Oxidation is the enemy, keep jar closed and product in a jar just big enough to hold the rub with limited air space if possible.

 

[likeadeere]

I make my own run from a recipe in a Steve Raichlen book. I honestly seem to get better reviews with that recipe than most other commercial rubs. And when I make it I can tweak the amounts. One tip that I use, I keep some of those silica gel packets in my container that I've stolen out of a beef jerky bag - keeps the moisture down and prevents clumping.

 

[dealm9]

thanks for all the comments and ideas. it seems like it jjust boils down to common sense and using quality spices will get you quality rub and packaging correctly will make it last longer and retain flavor better. thanks for the idea of the gel packers deer. that sounds like a great idea, also just another reason to buy jerky:thumb:

 

[sandiegobbq]

I make my own run from a recipe in a Steve Raichlen book. I honestly seem to get better reviews with that recipe than most other commercial rubs. And when I make it I can tweak the amounts. One tip that I use, I keep some of those silica gel packets in my container that I've stolen out of a beef jerky bag - keeps the moisture down and prevents clumping.

Is this what you are using from Raichlen?

1. Brown Sugar
2. Sweet Paprika
3. Black pepper
4. Coarse Salt
5. Hickory Smoked Salt (or more Coarse Salt)
6. Garlic Powder
7. Onion Powder
8. Celery Seed
9. Cayenne Pepper
10. Celery seeds