Help me formulate a Turkish inspired BBQ rub

[jfmorris]

Ok, while on our trip to Europe (and Asia - Istanbul spans the divide of the two continents), I went to the Spice Market in Istanbul - it was about a mile walk from the port where our ship was. Using Copilot AI on my phone, I posed it a question about unique Turkish spices that I might want to buy and take home, for use in BBQ recipes with a Turkish twist. From the list I got, I selected 3 that I actually bought. These are the Copilot descriptions of the three:

• Isot (Urfa Biber)
  A smoky, fermented chili from Şanlıurfa. It’s mildly spicy with deep, earthy notes—perfect for grilled meats, stews, and even scrambled eggs. A hidden gem in Turkish cuisine.
• Sumac (Sumak)
  Made from dried berries, sumac adds a bright, lemony tang to salads, grilled meats, and dips. It’s especially good sprinkled over onions or mixed into yogurt.
• Pul Biber (Red Pepper Flakes)
  A staple in Turkish kitchens, these flakes range from mild to hot and are often drizzled with olive oil. Great for seasoning kebabs, soups, and eggs.

I tasted samples of all from what Copilot said was a reputable vendor at the Spice Market, with a history back to 1944, and ended up with 1kg of the Isot, and 1/2 kg each of Sumac and Pul Biber. I plan to share some of these with my son, as part of a gift with some other souveniers we bought for the kids. He is the other cook in the family.

I had almost forgotten that fairly large and dense vacuum sealed bags of spices were in my carry on suitcase until the customs agent on entry back into the United States pulled my suitcase aside and asked me to open it, and he started rummaging around. Those bags were under all the other gifts for the kids, and after questioning me and swabbing the bags extensively for explosives, he let me go on with it. I would have been sad if they had gotten tossed...

So, how would you use the above, along with other domestically sourced ingredients, to formulate a rub? What are your thoughts? I am not sure I need both the Isot and Pul Biber in the same rub, as both are chili based, so maybe they belong in different rubs.

[Ace]

jfmorris
I've not tried this but it may help in your search. I found it interesting.
https://spice.alibaba.com/global-spi...s%20or%20depth.

[jfmorris]

Thanks. That page does mention the sumac, which is somewhat citrusy, and the red pepper flakes I have can be used for American red pepper flakes. Just leaves the chili powder (Isot) to do something with.

[LA Pork Butt]

Jim, I don’t think I can help, but you might try searching myrecipes.com by ingredients for some ideas.

[Oak Smoke]

My daughter brought me back a bag of rub from Istanbul last year. I don’t have any left to try to deconstruct, but I think I sent SheilaAnn some of it. She may have an idea what she can taste in it.

[jfmorris]

I probably could have searched the Spice Market for rubs, so I may have made a mistake by chasing after individual spices. I'll make them work though!

Planning to get some small 1-2 oz shaker jars on Amazon with good seals, along with some to make a rub once I formulate it, then redo the vacuum seals and drop the bulk of it into the deep freeze for future use.

[shify]

Urfa and sumac are key ingredients in Adana Kebab recipes, so you can look at recipes for those for inspiration in creating a rub or finding complimentary spices. I think a combination of sumac, urfa and some cumin would be a great mix on grilled meats/skewers, almost like Turkish version of xi'an style skewers using the sumac/urfa instead of the typical chinese chiles

I also think pul biber is the same as aleppo pepper if that is going to help in your research.

[SheilaAnn]

jfmorris the rub that Oak Smoke sent is certainly delicious! Let me dive into it today and give you my 2 cents, FWIW.

[Richard Chrz]

So, while the word Baharat is Arabic for spices, there are some general spice recipes out there to consider when making your blend. As Baharat also seems to be a marketed word for a blend used in middle eastern grilling, etc.. Might be a place to dive into as well.

Sounds like there is going to be some tasty new offerings at the gatherings!

[jfmorris]

Thanks for the info Richard!

[ecowper]

As Richard Chrz says, Baharat is Arabic for spices. But it is also used to mean a rub made up of 6-7 spices/herbs that is kept handy to use in cooking in general. Every home has their own preferred Baharat. And many food companies sell something they call Baharat or 7 Spices.

Here is my own Baharat recipe, which is the base rub for everything (lamb, beef, chicken) .... you can tweak it with the spices you brought back.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
1½ tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and dry roast the whole spices/seeds (set aside the paprika, cinnamon and nutmeg) until they become very fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, tossing regularly to prevent scorching. Transfer them to a bowl and allow them to cool completely before grinding them in a spice or coffee grinder along with the paprika, cinnamon and nutmeg. Keep stored in an airtight glass jar.

I have a number of recipes that I have saved and that I have created that are directly inspired by the Levant and I'm happy to share. :-)

also, consider buying "Chasing Smoke" if you don't have it already. A great cookbook based on the Levant, including recipes from Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.

[SheilaAnn]

I second the book Chasing Smoke. Based on ecowper suggestion, I picked it up. So good!

[TripleB]

Just bought the cookbook. Looking forward to it.

[jfmorris]

Book is on the way here as well!