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The Unoriginal Chili Lime Rub

The Unoriginal Chili Lime Rub

Wet –
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh-squeezed lime juice from 1 lime
Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I used Frank’s)

Dry –
1 teaspoon each of the following:

chili powder
brown sugar
oregano

1/2 teaspoon each of the following:

ground cumin
paprika
onion powder
garlic powder
sea salt
ground pepper

It is summer and it is hot. We’ve had several 100 degree plus days already and when the heat is on I think about grilling. Don’t heat up the kitchen and minimize the mess. Fearing the Rut I began to think about the limes I had in the fridge and thought “I wonder if there are any chili lime marinade recipes on the Internet?”.

There are literally dozens of chili lime recipes on the Internet. So I looked at several and while different they were all basically the same. They all looked like taco seasoning with oil and lime juice tossed in. So for the record, I didn’t steal this rub. But since they’re all very, very similar I’m calling this stuff The Unoriginal Chili Lime Rub.

The recipe makes enough rub for a little over a pound of animal protein. If you are cooking for a crowd doubling or tripling this recipe should work out fine. I made boneless chicken breasts to test the rub and the meat turned out well. Unlike marinades, just rub on the rub and let the protein sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Grill until done. Eat.

  1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
  2. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  You should have a wet rub with the consistency of a loose paste.  If the rub is too thick, add a touch more oil.  The hot sauce can be omitted or kicked up to taste.
  3. Slather (like this word?) your animal protein with the rub, making certain the entire surface area is SLATHERED.
  4. Allow the protein to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before hitting the grill.

Tips:

The rub was so tasty The Boss and I decided it was a keeper.  I’m looking forward to using this rub on chicken thighs, beef, and pork.  NO FISH.  Really, no fish.  That could get ugly.  TOFU?  You try that first and let me know.