Spices add flavor to grilled fare

Home-blended wet and dry rubs are an easy way to add some flair to your flame this barbecue season.

Sure, basic salt and pepper tastes delicious - and probably still is the best way to set off a prime porterhouse - but many of your favorite grill items will truly blossom when rubbed down with some extra herbs and spices.

"A rub will give more focused flavor per square inch" than most other flavor-enhancing techniques, such as marinades, says Jim Tarantino, author of the cookbook "Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes."

Even better, rubs are the easiest and fastest technique for flavoring grilled foods.

Rubs generally fall into one of two categories - wet and dry.

Dry rubs contain seasonings, usually some blend of coarse salt, black pepper, sugar and dry herbs and spices. The mixtures are rubbed onto the surface of the meat before grilling.

Wet rubs (also called spice pastes) are more of a hybrid of a dry rub and a marinade. Ingredients are similar to dry rubs, but with added moisture from pureed fresh herbs, fruits or vegetables, juice, vinegar, alcohol and/or oil.

Some wet rubs are applied hours or minutes before grilling, while others are best during the final minutes of cooking to prevent scorching or flares on the grill.

Whether to use a wet or dry rub depends mainly on ingredients available and flavors desires. But there also is a chemistry component. Wet rubs with acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or pineapple juice, that are allowed to marinate can slightly tenderize meat. Dry rubs applied hours before cooking will have more of a curing action.

"Rubs are used for three different purposes," says Steven Raichlen, author of the cookbook "The Barbecue! Bible" and host of public television's Barbecue University and The Primal Grill programs.

"First, a rub is a seasoning. It adds a layer of flavor. Second, if it's applied for four hours to a day before, (the salt in the rub) partially cures the meat," he says. "Third, it helps with the formation of a crisp crust. That bark on a brisket, that's the result of a rub."

Nearly any American barbecue rub will call for four basic seasonings - salt, black pepper, brown sugar and paprika - generally in equal parts. This alone will make a simple, delicious rub. But there also are easy ways to enhance that.

Expanded All-American: Add celery seed, onion and garlic

Southwestern: Add cumin, onion powder, garlic, oregano, thyme and cayenne (or other pure chili powder)

Cajun: Add white pepper in place of some of the black, as well as cayenne, thyme, onion, garlic, file powder and ground bay leaf

Argentine Grilled Eggplant

3 small (4 to 6 ounces each) Italian eggplants

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the eggplants crosswise into inch slices. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic and olive oil, then brush this mixture over the eggplant slices, reserving the excess. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the oregano, basil, thyme, paprika and pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.

Prepare a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.

Arrange the eggplant slices on the grate and grill until nicely browned on the bottom, about 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the slices with more of the garlic oil.

Turn the eggplant slices with tongs, then brush the other side with the remaining garlic oil.

Sprinkle the herb mixture over the eggplant slices, then season with salt and black pepper. Continue cooking until the slices are nicely browned on both sides and the flesh is soft, 3-5 minutes longer. Serve at once.

Serves four.

Adapted from "The Barbecue! Bible: 10th Anniversary Edition" by Steven Raichlen (2008 Workman Publishing, $22.95)

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cocoa-Chili Rub

1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoons onion powder

¼: teaspoon cinnamon

Grated zest of half an orange (about 1 teaspoons)

1 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoons black peppercorns

4 mahi-mahi fillets (about 6 ounces each and 1 inch thick)

Canola oil

Prepare a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

In a spice mill or blender, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cocoa, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and pepper. Grind to form a coarse powder.

Lightly brush both sides of the mahi-mahi with the oil. Sprinkle on the rub and lightly press the blend into the fish. Grill over direct high heat until the fish is opaque throughout, 8-10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Serves four.

"Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes" by Jim Tarantino (2006 Ten Speed Press)

Fresh Tuscan Rosemary Wet Rub