Herb Rub for Birds by Karen Eagle
This makes enough rub to season four whole ducks for the oven, rotisserie, or smoker.
Combine ingredients, leaving the bay leaf whole. Make the blend ahead of time for the bay leaf to infuse the mixture. Discard the bay leaf when using the blend. Store in a dark cupboard in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 months.
Rules of Dry Rubs
Dry rubs are just that, a mixture of dry spices, herbs, or a combination of both. Because there are no fresh ingredients in a dry rub, they have a significant shelf life. Rubs may be stored in tightly covered glass jars for up to 3 months. After 3 months, they tend to lose some of their pungency, so make only the amount that you'll use up in that time period. Take care to portion out the amount of rub to be used for each recipe so that you do not cross contaminate while handling raw meat. Sprinkle dry rubs in soups, stews, and sauces, too.
Yields 1 cup
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons lemon pepper
2 tablespoons white pepper
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
