My father-in-law makes perfect roast chicken on the barbecue. It took a few nudges for him to tell me his secret, but he eventually revealed that he used a store-bought spice blend, which is full of preservatives. Right away, I went to work developing a spice rub using only natural ingredients that would taste better. We taste-tested them side by side and I’m happy to say that this blend is officially Dad-approved. As a bonus, it is also a great way to use up any leftover lemon peels after making the Vanilla Bean Lemonade.
Zest from 3 lemons (or zest reserved from the Turmeric Ginger Juice Shots recipe)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Makes 4 tablespoons
Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Zest the lemons with a box grater. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly across the paper. Place into the center of the oven for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, crush the zest between your fingers and sprinkle across the paper.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Crush again, and return for 10 minutes. The lemon zest is done when it is dry and still yellow in color. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Grind the sugar and all the spices, together with the lemon zest, in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder until fine. Store in a glass vessel and keep in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
TIPS
Watch the lemon peels closely as they bake. They brown quickly and, if overcooked, they will be bitter.
Use this spice rub to make the Kumquat Pistachio Chicken with Coconut Black Sesame Rice and the Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Pickled Tomatoes.