Spice Up Your Wedding Favors
Photograph by Holly Redmond
When you want edible wedding favors, but DIY sweets won’t do, show your guests a more savory side. We asked a few local chefs known for their tasty rubs and tangy BBQ to dish up some ideas for you. Their recipes are the perfect way to channel grilling season even when your celebration’s in the dead of winter. Just mix up them up, then pack them into fun personalized tins or mini mason jars.
Chef Andy Husbands of Tremont 647, Sister Sorel, and The Smoke Shop
IQUE BBQ Sauce
Yields 3 quarts
4 cups brown sugar
1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns, freshly ground
1-1/2 teaspoons long peppercorns, freshly ground
1-1/2 teaspoons chipotle or cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups of ketchup
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ dry rub
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring brown sugar, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and add thyme, mustard, garlic powder, cumin, ground Szechuan peppercorns, long peppercorns, chipotle or cayenne pepper, and ground cloves. Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir in ketchup and corn syrup, return to stove, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the dry rub. Cool and put into individual mason jars, just like the chef did for his own wedding (shown above).
Chef Brian Poe of Tip Tap Room and Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake
Poe co Loco Mexican Spice Mix
2 cups ground cumin
2 cups dark chile powder
2 cups paprika
2 cups garlic powder
2 cups dried oregano
2 cups ground coriander
2 cups white pepper
Kosher salt/black pepper to taste
Combine cumin, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, and white pepper together in a large mixing bowl and stir to thoroughly combine.
Note: To make this into a “taco hell grande” sauce, combine an 8 ounce can of tomato juice, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of the spice mixture. Place ingredients in a pan, simmer for 10 minutes, remove let cool. Then add juice of one lime and bottle it up.
All-Purpose Greek Seasoning, True Aussie Beef & Lamb
Yields 2 cups
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
½ cup dried marjoram
½ cup ground rosemary
¼ cup Kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
¼ cup dried mint
¼ cup dried oregano
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Executive Chef Farouk Bazoune of STRIP by Strega
BBQ Spice Rub
Yields: 4 servings
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground all spiced
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, then put into little glass jars with personalized thank you messages for the wedding guests.
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