NoMU - eat. drink. live. - Rubs, Dippers, Grinders, Vanilla, Cocoa, Hot Chocolate — products — how-to

how to rub

Your great-grandmother probably used rubs in the form of butter, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs on the Sunday roast! All that has happened since then is that a verb has been turned into a noun! Essentially a rub is a beautiful combination of herbs & spices that adds loads of flavour to your recipes.

The salt and sugar content in rubs is there to draw out some moisture from the meat, so that the flavours from the rub melt and penetrate the flesh of the meat. When heat is applied the rub acts as a seal and all the infused flavours remain absorbed in the meat. NoMU prefers to keep sodium and sugar levels low, so you might need to add more to suit your taste. Be cautious however as too much salt can draw out too much moisture and too much sugar will burn.

Rubbing with NoMU rubs is incredibly easy and a great way to produce delicious meals which bring a great sense of reward! With rubs you can be creative not only in flavour but also in method as you can roast, fry, bake or barbeque!

How to dry rub
The jury is out on this one as some people believe that using oil as a marinade creates a barrier and prevents the flavours of rubs from being absorbed into the food. However we will let you decide and choose what works best for you. Make sure to pat poultry and meat dry inside and out before applying a rub. Use the palm of your hand to press the rub firmly into the meat or poultry and just before cooking tap the meat or poultry to remove loose seasonings. Foods that have a very high fat content like duck or pork belly for instance are perfect for a dry rub and require no added oil or fat.

How to wet rub
The easiest and most uncomplicated way to use a NoMU rub is to simply drizzle olive oil onto whatever you want to cook, for example sweet potato or roast chicken. Sprinkle with the NoMU Rub of your choice, season well and then rub or toss well to coat. Place in a hot oven and roast to perfection. Some of our favourite flavour combinations are potato wedges with Cajun Rub, butternut with Moroccan Rub and shallots with Masala Rub.

marinade

To create a quick and easy marinade, stir a tablespoon or two of your favourite NoMU Rub into some olive oil.

Give the flavours in rubs time to develop, apply the rub and then leave for at least an hour before cooking.

If you want the marinade to act as a tenderiser to your meat and for some extra taste just add some lemon juice or red wine.

pastes

To create a flavourful basting sauce for cooking, just add other ingredients from your fridge to the NoMU Rub of your choice with some olive oil. For example a great way to baste chicken or fish while cooking is to add some NoMU Smoky Peri-Peri Rub to some apricot jam with a dash of olive oil. For an easy and quick dinner make small cuts into the flesh of chicken drumsticks and apply the Smoky Peri-Peri paste into the chicken. Or if you are making lamb or beef, make a delicious paste with some Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and a rub of your choice and simply spread all over your meat. Or create an oriental glaze with some NoMU Oriental Rub, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

yoghurt

Yoghurt or buttermilk work very well to break down proteins and tenderise tougher cuts of meat.

Add the rub of your choice to the yoghurt and marinade your meat for at least 3 hours. We prefer to use thick Greek style yoghurt which holds flavouring much better than thinner yoghurt.

Firm favourites are Tandoori, Indian or Masala. We also love to use Lamb Rub for traditional Greek style lamb.

butter

Take softened butter, place it in a bowl and add some rub of your choice and mix really well.

This is great to spread
on to fish before cooking or to spread under the skin of chicken before roasting. These butters can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Another great idea is to place a slice of flavoured butter onto any hot food straight from
the grill for an on the spot flavourful sauce.

Handy tips

You can freeze meat after applying a rub, simply defrost and then cook!
A nice idea for a quick and easy sauce is to melt some butter and add a squeeze of lemon
juice, some garlic and a tsp of NoMU Seafood Rub for a quick tasty dipping sauce for prawns or fish.
If you do not want to get your hands dirty, then marinade in a plastic bag, a non metallic dish or bowl.
Always taste the rubs before you put them on your food.
Don't be afraid to experiment and have loads of fun!