*This is a collaborative post 

If you think that barbecues are about slapping on some pre-marinaded chicken or a few sausages from your local supermarket then sorry…then think again! because barbecues can be, and should be, so much more. The good news is that you CAN have a better and healthier Barbecue and here’s the best part….you don’t even have to sweat bullets to even make that happen.

Now that National BBQ Week is fully open us, I’ve teamed up with Bbq Gourmet, purveyors of flavoursome rubs, mouth-watering seasonings and sauces which once you have tasted (and smelt!)…will make you never want to eat anything else again…trust me.

In the UK, real barbecuing is still in its infancy and most people don’t know what real barbecue is (gah!) but all that is set to slowly change…and with that in mind we’re going to impart on you how to impart that amazing BBQ flavour to your food, without having to slave away for hours on end.

It’s all in the rub

A ‘rub’ (also known as a dry rub, spice rub, seasoning rub, dry marinade, BBQ rub, or wet rub/paste when wet) is any mixture of ground spices made for the purpose of being rubbed on meat prior to cooking.  Salt and sugar are frequently included in the rub – the salt for flavour and the sugar for caramelisation.

Rub recipes are often kept very secret, with Grillmasters guarding their recipes jealously and not revealing their secret ingredients to anyone. But happily for you, there are some awesome rubs available at BBQ Gourmet which will make you seem like a barbecue god or goddess in an instant. If you wondering how exactly to use a rub, these instructions, courtesy of Oakridge BBQ, are a must read.

Some rubs to try out include:

Oakridge BBQ ‘Dominator’ Sweet Rib Rub – a blend of Raw Cane Sugar, honey, Vietnamese cinnamon and select exotic spices which delivers an intoxicating but perfectly balanced edge with its  deep savoury and subtly spicy notes.  Perfect on  pork ribs, or any other cut of pork or chicken for that matter.  Don’t just cook your food: dominate it!

Oakridge BBQ ‘Habanero Death Dust’ – This rub is often hailed as the BEST Ultra-Hot barbecue rub in the World! A blend of the very best raw cane sugar, sea salt, source-verified spices as well as the highest quality Habanero chiles available.  One for the chilli heads (kids step away please!), this rub is HOT, but it also has a richness and depth of flavour unlike any other ultra-hot spice rub out there.

Bad Byron’s Butt Rub – yup, everyone loves a good butt rub don’t they?! Used by championship barbecuers, professional chefs, and backyard cooks everywhere, Butt Rub  is an all-purpose seasoning with a balanced blend of onion, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and chipotle (smoked jalapeno). Once you’ve laid your hands on a good old Butt Rub, chances are you won’t be able to live without it!

Oakridge ‘Santa Maria’ Grill Seasoning –  A spin on the fabled Santa Maria grill seasoning the combination of  rich garlic, pungent pepper and spicy chilies  with just the right amount of natural sea salt and other special herbs and spices makes  for a perfect salty/spicy/savoury balance.  You’ve never experienced just how good beef can be until you’ve tried this rub on your fave cut of beef!

It’s BBQ sauce, but not as you know it

Barbecue sauce is essentially a flavouring sauce used for basting during cooking, as a marinade prior to cooking, or as an accompaniment to meat cooked on a barbecue.

But please! Step away from the supermarket shelves now! Ingredients can vary widely, and so not all barbecue sauces are equal. For a mind blowing BBQ try…..

Rufus Teague ‘Apple Mash’ BBQ Sauce – mash and apples in a sauce? No joke, this stuff tastes real good, works on everything, and is a far cry from any BBQ sauce you’ve probably ever tasted before. Team it up with the Dominator rub mentioned above for serious barbecue heaven!

It’s time to rub the calories away

The good news is that with the right know-how, BBQ food can actually be healthy! Rubs can often be a low-calorie route to a lip-smacking barbecue and I was quite amazed to discover that BBQ Gourmet’s rubs are under 5 calories, so for those of you looking to slim down for summer and give your chicken breasts and veggies some va-va-voom then rubs are an ideal option.

So what are you doing sitting there and staring at this screen…..now you know how to have a better and healthier barbecue all that’s left is to is simply…..just do it!

***For the full range of rubs, sauces and marinades see the BBQ Gourmet website here.***

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