Rubs and marinades for animal proteins are key staples for keeping variety alive in a whole food diet. The beauty of using rubs over marinating is the convenience – just apply and grill, no waiting time for the flavors to do their magic. (Though if you wish, you can rub your meat ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for up to a day before grilling.) While there are plenty of great high-quality, ready-made dry rubs on the market, it’s not hard to make your own. As the ingredients are dry, they will keep for weeks or even months in a cool pantry. You can use all kinds of flavor bases, such as dried chilies, herbs, spices, or even raw cacao powder. The key is to add a bit of salt and sugar to lend “brightness” to your base flavors and help them penetrate the meat fibers. You can use erythritol or stevia instead of sugar for the lowest-possible carbs, but the amount you need is so minimal that it’s worth it to use real sugar (palm sugar, from the coconut plant) for the full flavor impact.
