Graduations, birthdays and the Fourth-of-July. Summer picnics, block parties and backyard get-togethers. Summer is the time for impromptu fun and outdoor time with family, friends and anyone else with whom you want to share your smiles.

You know the tune–via email, flier, snail mail or word-of-mouth–it’s always a variation of the following, “We’re hosting a (fill in the blank). We’ll supply the grill so come join us for the fun and bring a dish to pass.”  

These invites represent the light-hearted happiness of warm, sultry weather. But take note; as often and last-minute these gatherings are they still require someone to be the initiator. Someone has to send the invitation, stock the grill, clean the yard, open the kitchen, provide the cups, supply the linens, play the music, set the mood, greet the guests, etc. Even the most relaxed get-togethers require a certain effort of coordination.

Wouldn’t you agree that person deserves a small token of appreciation for their efforts? Too often the idea of a host or hostess gift is overlooked in casual summer gatherings. That’s too bad, especially when it’s so easy to give a small gift that reflects your good taste, nice manners, and the event itself. 

Spice Sherpa is here to tell you how you can make an attractive (cool), personalized jar of BBQ dry rub spices. This spice blend is meant for white meat however it’s friendly with vegetables or even red meat if you add a decent amount of cracked, black pepper (my own .02).

BBQ Dry Rub Ingredients

Makes 1/2 cup

• 2 Tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• ground pepper to taste (Please use fresh ground pepper. That gray stuff in jars off the grocery store shelf is a mere shadow of the zing pepper is supposed to provide)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly (I prefer to use small whisk). Spoon mixture into a spice jar. Close the lid and tap the bottom of the jar on the counter firmly to settle the contents. Spoon in more of the mixture to fill the jar to capacity. Close it up, label it, decorate and…baddabee baddaboom…you’re done.

For The Label

On the front: BBQ Dry Rub for White Meat

On the back or inside: Rub generously on chicken, pork, turkey, or corn-on-the-cobb. Grill.  OR add to olive oil; onion and garlic; heat until fragrant add bitter greens and saute.

Side note: I always list the ingredients and the amounts in case they wish to make more. 

In a hurry?

Spice Sherpa is all about simple so you can whip this up, put in a jar, label it and wrap a ribbon around it all in less than twenty minutes. That said, off you go—don’t be late! Oh wait…it’s summertime. Never mind.  A few extra minutes won’t bother anyone. Especially when you show up bearing gifts. 🙂

Resources

Spice jars: I purchased my spice jars at our local kitchen supply store, Cook’s World. For convience you can also order them online. Here’s a set of twelve attractive spice jars so you can stock up and keep these on hand for last minute occasions. Just remember to store them in a dark, cool and dry place! In terms of price, these average out to less than $2/bottle (I paid $3 for mine).

Labels: If you want to get fancy and stock-up on convenience you can personalize your own labels from My Own Labels – custom labels, tags and more.

 More spice blend recipes: Here are some easy-to-make recipes for Tuscan, Indian, Caribean or Spanish spice blends. They make nice gifts too!

What’s your favorite summer BBQ/cookout dish?