Every chef has their own preferred combination to rub on their meats – their grilled Aussie meats, of course. Simply put, rubs are magic on grilled meats because the intense flavors from salts, dried spices and herbs “bloom” and rehydrate in the juices from the meats as they cook. A bit of sugar in the mix can help caramelization during cooking, too. A liberal coating of rub can create a nice “bark” on the outside, sealing in juices. We chatted with Chef Aron Harbiger about what he goes for in rubs on Aussie beef and lamb.
"I tend to think about a rub from the accompaniments on the plate, not just the meat. Right now, stone fruits are everywhere and they play really well with lamb."
"With lamb, my go-tos are cumin especially, then paprika, garlic, coriander and salt. I don’t like too much pepper, and not too many herbs as they can overpower the dish, especially the mildness of Aussie lamb. When you have a good product, you want to let that natural flavor shine through and not mess it up. But the combination of roasted peaches, cumin and lamb on the plate...Wow! it’s a crowd pleaser for sure."
"For beef, it’s a little crazy but I’ll take a very large quantity of scallions and slow-roast them to ash, then add smoked paprika and salt, and let that cure on the beef for 24-48 hours. Grilled and finished with a bit of cracked pepper, it’s amazing how it amplifies the earthy, grassy notes in the beef, and creates a delicious result that people can’t quite put their finger on.”
Image courtesy of Chefs Roll