Today I’m reviewing Rod’s Rub Original.

Before testing, I visited Rod’s website to try and learn a little about the rub and about the creator himself. I enjoyed reading the history behind Rod’s Rub and learned quickly that we share a few things in common. First we both have careers in Law Enforcement, and second were both hockey fans. One difference? Rod played professional hockey for the Detroit Red Wings (I’ll forgive him – I’m a diehard Avalanche fan!).

According to Rod’s website, he was injured while playing hockey for the Red Wings and later started in the law enforcement profession. Like most BBQ aficionados, he has a deep passion for food. What I found interesting was that it was through his business contacts he established as a law enforcement officer that his knowledge and expertise in combining spices were called upon. He created several rubs for a friend who owned a restaurant, and ended up later sharing these same rubs with family and more friends. He eventually found himself packaging and producing these rubs for the rest of the world to enjoy!

When I first opened the bottle of Rod’s Rub Original, I treated it as I do any rub I’m deciding to use … I smelled it! I do this first trying to guess what the make-up of the rub is and what I would like to use it on first. Immediately I could smell garlic, paprika, brown sugar and pepper. I then tasted it, very good and my assessment was right on from what I tasted and I could read on the label of the rub.

Like any creator of a rub or spice mix, there are obviously more ingredients that remain known only to its creator and in the right key proportions, after all that’s what makes each and every rub unique in and of itself.

I used Rod’s Rub Original on a turkey that I honey brined for 12 hours and then slow smoked using Cherry wood pellets. The end result?  The turkey turned out very moist with Rod’s Rub complementing the overall flavor and skin of the finished turkey.

To me what makes the perfect rub is a very precise amount of salts, spices, aromatics and sugars. Too much of one ingredient can overwhelm a dish very easily and ruin it. This is not an easy thing to accomplish. Many individuals, including myself, spend years perfecting rubs and sauces. This is what makes each of them unique. Due to this labor of love, anything the rub is placed on is enhanced, the flavors intensified helping to create a memorable final outcome of the dishes prepared.

Bottom line, was the Bossman impressed? Yes I was VERY impressed. I too have a rub I’ve bottled in much the same way that Rod has done. I can honestly tell you, having won awards in competitions for my chicken, I would use and recommend Rod’s Rub without hesitation. In fact, I have now added Rod’s Rub to my arsenal of spices and rubs for contests, home demos, catering and family occasions.

Do yourself a favor … before your next grilling or smoking adventure, go to Rod’s website (http://www.rodsrub.com/) and order a couple of bottles. I think you’ll find that it will be a site you add to your favorites so you can easily go back and order more rub before you run out!