All-Purpose Dry Marinade
To use the dry marinade, simply sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons on each side of your meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables and let sit. Meat and poultry improves from a full day in the refrigerator with the dry marinade rubbed in. Fish and vegetables can go on the stove or grill almost immediately.
INGREDIENTS | MAKES 1 ½ CUPS
Fresh Ingredients for Drying
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, diced
- ¼ cup fresh oregano, diced
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1–2 chili peppers
Remaining Base Ingredients
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup paprika
- 1/3 cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup coarse peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons dry Worcestershire sauce powder
Place the onion, garlic, oregano, and chives, evenly spaced, in the dehydrator or on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Zest the orange and lemon peels; put them on a second layer or sheet.
Finely dice the orange and lemon; place on a third layer or sheet.
Carefully seed the hot pepper(s); dice. Place on a fourth layer or sheet.
Dry the herbs, fruit, and pepper in the oven at 150 °F until crunchy. The mixture will dry in about 2 hours, but make sure that everything is crunchy (not rubbery). Any rubbery items should remain in the heat until fully dried. If using a dehydrator, follow the manufacturer’s recommended time and temperature guidelines, leaving longer if the items aren’t fully crunchy.
Place all the freshly dried goods in a spice grinder and grind for consistency.
Add spices to the remaining base ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container located in a cool, dark area. Dry marinade is good for approximately 1 year.
Dry Marinade
Most dry marinades are used as flavor enhancers. As in this recipe, a dry marinade consists of various spices rubbed into fish, meat, or poultry, which is why it’s also called a dry rub. Grilling and broiling are the two most popular applications for dry marinade.
