In the parlance of barbecue vocabulary most everyone understands the more known terms. But there is one term in the barbecue vernacular seems to get lost in the barbecuing universe and that is the barbecue rub. Just what is a barbecue rub? Everyone knows all about barbecue sauce and barbecue grills but ask the average guy on the street about a barbecue rub and he may just stare blankly back at you.

A barbecue rub can make a good piece of meat a great piece of meat simply by adding an explosion of taste that isn’t found in unseasoned meat. Of course many people argue that the skill of the cook has a lot to do with the final outcome and there is a lot of truth to that. There are people who just can’t cut it at the barbecue and then there are those who are true masters at their craft. But the really good cooks know the secret of creating an excellent grilling experience lies not only in how they cook the food, but also the seasonings they use to bring out the flavor. If a master griller can up the ante with a simple rub, imagine the ego boost even the most inept cook can receive by successfully employing a rub the next time they make a barbecue attempt.

Of course we still haven’t answered the original question, what is a barbecue rub? Very simply it is a mixture of herbs and spices that are rubbed, by hand, into the meat before it is placed on the grill. The great thing about a rub is it can be made up of any combination of seasonings, allowing the chef the opportunity to pick and choose what goes best with the particular food choice he has made. Spicy, sweet, hot or mild it can be whatever you want it to be.

Making a successful rub may take some trial and error. Pin-pointing the exact ingredients in the proper amounts can take some time, but don’t spend time fretting over minor details. Just mix some stuff together and see how it works out. Before long you will have your own secret ingredient that will have friends and family salivating for your famous barbecue gatherings. If you are having a hard time making your own rub you can always buy a pre-made barbecue rub at just about any grocery store, just pour it out of its original container into a sealable glass jar and no one will be the wiser.

With the approach of barbecue season it may be time to add the barbecue rub into your repertoire of grilling knowledge. And before long the smell of barbecues grilling steaks, burger, chicken and other mouth watering foods will start to drift across neighborhoods everywhere. Why not add your own distinctive aroma to the mix with a barbecue rub that will have everyone talking.