Somebody’s done all the work for you. They’ve found just the right blend of seasonings to help you take your dinner from ho hum to delicious.
Garlic2 Rub/Seasoning from Lane's BBQ
We've written about Lane's BBQ before, the business Ryan Lane started that turned his favorite hobby into his favorite job. They're based in Bethlehem, nine miles north of Monroe, and they turn out an amazing array of rubs and sauces. This fall we're loving their Garlic2 Rub and Seasoning. Garlic, salt, onion, black pepper, parsley, oregano, basil and a bit of turmeric - what's not to love? We think it's perfect sprinkled on a steak before grilling, and we're trying it on brisket as soon as the weather cools off enough to make standing at a smoker all day a pleasure and not a chore. Don't restrict its use to beef though. It would be delicious on any protein, but what about potato salad or pasta salad? If you're a garlic lover, you'll really like this one.
$8 per 4-ounce jar. Available at Atlanta Grill Company in Roswell, The Mad Hatter in Alpharetta, Striplings General Store in Bogart, Georgia Spa Company in Kennesaw and Alpharetta, Patton's Meat Market in Duluth and Ace Hardware in Johns Creek and online at lanesbbq.com.
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Fish & Seafood Rub from Casa De Rusch Custom Rubs
Jim Rusch of Brunswick goes by the moniker of Pitmaster Jim. I met him at the Brunswick Farmers Market, held each Saturday on the river in downtown Brunswick. His bestselling rub is Pork & Barbecue, but the market site overlooking the water made me reach for his Fish & Seafood Rub instead. I had never even thought of a rub for seafood, but it makes total sense. And you don’t need to restrict it to use as a rub, although we used it to season Georgia shrimp for the grill and thought it was perfect. He’s combined paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, pepper, lemon and more to make a flavor combination that’s spot-on for seafood. Step aside, Old Bay. We’ll be using this for boiling shrimp from now on and sprinkling it on our South Carolina snapper, too.
$4.99 per 3-ounce package, $7.99 per 5-ounce shaker bottle. Available online at pitmasterjim.com/.
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Ras el Hanout Spice Blend from MarRay Foods
It was just a few years ago I first heard of Ras el Hanout, a spice blend traditionally used in the savory Moroccan pie, b’stilla, and tagines. Our new favorite source is Smyrna-based MarRay Foods, the brainchild of Diane Curtis who has a passion for culinary history and a particular love of the Mediterranean Sea and the countries surrounding it. Her Ras el Hanout is a blend of 13 Middle Eastern spices including cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and more. Open the bag and it really smells like North Africa - warm, slightly sweet, exotic. You expect it to be good on poultry or lamb, but Curtis says she uses it on almost everything she cooks and particularly likes it for seasoning root vegetables as they’re roasting. These days we’re sprinkling it on popcorn and loving it.
$5 per 3-ounce bag. Available at the Decatur and East Atlanta Village Farmers Markets through late November and online at marrayfoods.com/.
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