How To Make Gluten-Free Food Rubs


Gluten-free recipes and diets are becoming increasingly common. Everyone seems to be progressively becoming a fan of gluten-free meals, even if they are not “gluten-sensitive”.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a group of proteins commonly found in wheat. Gluten is commonly used as glue to hold and help other foods stay in shape. This is because mixing wheat flour with water produces a paste, gluten, with flexible, elastic, and sticky proteins. Gluten is widely found in doughs and batters. 

Though a commonly used component, people with specific symptoms and complications can have adverse reactions to gluten. Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten sensitivity are common reasons people react to gluten.   

Gluten in Spices

This has to be one of the most commonly held discussions among spice lovers. Many argue that most spice makers like to add flour with the intent to stretch out the spices. Also, the silicon dioxide commonly used as a preservative to protect spices from forming clumps is argued to contain gluten. 

Another major concern has been the possibility of cross-contamination resulting from gluten-containing spices. This may result from seasoning mixes that, in most cases, do contain gluten. Most spice or herb blends are mostly combined with wheat starch, wheat flour, wheat protein, and wheat crumbs that are known to contain gluten. 

Though many spice manufacturing companies state that their products are gluten-free, we recommend carefully examining the ingredients and labeling to ascertain if it’s gluten-free. 

Can you make your own gluten-free food rub? 

The answer is an absolute yes! Making your own food rubs at home is the only guaranteed way to achieve a 100% gluten-free seasoning. It’s also an easy do-it-yourself process that you can easily pull off without much hassle. 

Perhaps you’re wondering how to go about it, especially if it’s your first time hearing about homemade gluten-free food rubs. We’ll share with you our specially formulated, simple procedure on how to make your own gluten-free spice mix.

Our homemade gluten-free food rub is a convenient, highly customizable, and versatile blend that you can use on an array of dishes. This will allow you to cook your favorite delicacies without worry. You will also be in total control of what goes into your food smoker, assuring yourself a gluten-free meal. 

There are many spices that you can use as ingredients in making your gluten-free food rub. We have listed some of the best spices that you can pick from below. Remember, go for spices that work well with the type of food you’re cooking. We also advise carefully examining the options available and their use to ensure you pick the finest ingredients that best suit your tastes and preferences. 

List of Spices

  • Salt – this is by far the number one rub that you should never miss out on in any of your seasoning rubs. We recommend going for sea salt in particular for its richer mineral composition. 
  • Garlic – we recommend picking garlic that has been made from dried garlic seeds.
  • Black pepper – another commonly used spice. We prefer using black pepper powder made from peppercorns.
  • Onion powder – it is the convenient extra natural flavor you need for all kinds of dishes. It also goes well with other spices, such as garlic powder, to give you a variety of savory seasonings.
  • Rosemary – this Mediterranean herb is famous for adding that extra aroma. 
  • Thyme – this is one of the best spices for a rub. It mostly goes well with different types of meat such as chicken, pork, and lamb. 
  • Dried mustard – it’s one of the best spices to throw into your food rub paste to add that familiar zing. 
  • Coriander seed powder – also known as cilantro powder, it’s arguably a universal spice that we recommend adding to your list of top spices.
  • Smoked paprika – this spice is commonly made from dried, smoked, and crushed pimento peppers.

Serving: 80 teaspoons 

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp garlic powder 
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 6 tsp salt 
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 6 tsp ground black pepper 
  • 2 tsp dried mustard
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp ground coriander

How to Prepare

  1. Pour all the ingredients in a mixing jar and mix to perfectly combine. 

Your readily prepared rub is ready for use. You can apply it on beef roasts, steaks, and pork roasts.

Freshly blended gluten-free food rub should serve you for up to six months while still giving the same quality. This is mainly if you have used ground spices or dried herbs, in which case, you could stand a chance of doubling the recipe if need be. 

Interested in checking out more information about meat rubs? Look no further than our articles on:
3 Homemade Rubs to take Your Smoked Chicken to the Next Level
Famous Rub Types Paired with Delicious Recipes
What is a Rub, Why and How to Do It?

For more great ideas on how to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.