Ingredients:

1/2 c kosher salt
1/4 c garlic salt
1/4 c celery salt
1/2 c ground black pepper
1/3 c smoked paprika
1/2 c turbinado sugar
1/4 c onion granules
1 T ground sage
2 T – 1/4 c dried rosemary

Optional spices to add: 1/4 cup chili powder or 1/8 cup chili powder with 1/8 cup chipotle.

Directions:

Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix it all together. Store in a tightly sealed container until use. Rub it on any beef that is grilled.

If you do not like too much salt, change the garlic and celery to just the seasonings. The large thick bone-on prime rib will become even more juicy and tender if the salt is let to sit on the roast all day or overnight. There’s science here. The salt draws out some of the moisture and combines with it on the outside of the roast. Then the meat drinks it back in, like brining but without the mess. You can still reduce the salt to your taste. It’s just fine.

Do not let thinner cuts of meat sit in the salt. For overnight or all day use, this rub is for thick cuts like roasts. You may go ahead and rub it on your sirloin right before it hits the grill.

ps – there is a lot of chefery disagreement about timing of the salting. Some are horrified if it is done in advance. Others think it is pointless if it is done right before grilling. Pick a side and own it! The Spouse of Spoon Mage™ lets the rubbed meat sit in the fridge overnight. That is how he grills up a lovely roast like the one to the right.

Rosemary is one of those herbs that some folks just do not like in abundance. If that is you, add one to two tablespoons only so the aroma remains in the background as part of the supporting cast. If you love rosemary, keep adding it, giving the mixture a whiff as you stir until the aromatics are balanced. For those that grow your own rosemary, you are aware that it will be more pungent than what you buy from the grocery, so you should start with a little less. Experiment. It is your rub now.