Featured Recipe
Montreal Style Steak Spice Mix
By Kate
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A robust, coarsely ground steak seasoning riff inspired by classic Montreal flavors. Uses cracked black pepper, coriander seeds, dill seeds replaced by caraway and fennel seeds plus smoked paprika and a hint of cayenne for heat. Coarse salt and garlic powder bring balance with punchy onion powder. Quick prep with mortar or coffee grinder. Sprinkled thick before grilling steaks, poultry, or fish. No em dash in formula. Custom tweaks on quantities for flavor balance and texture. Optimized for smoky char and aromatic crispness on the grill. Keeps gluten free, vegan, nut free, dairy free, egg free.
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Prep:
7 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
7 min
Serves:
Enough for 6-8 steaks
steak seasoning
BBQ
grilling
Introduction
No shortcuts on fire or seasoning. Steak rubs that get blistering crusts and hold flavor through grill heat take fine tuning. Here’s a blend built to punch through thick cuts straight from the butcher or thick chicken thighs. Pepper coarsely cracked, not just powder or you lose the bite; herbs shifted to caraway and fennel for warmth, smoked paprika for smoky drift, cayenne for flickering heat upfront. Salt coarseness controls drying and crusting. Walk the line between char and burnt. Spray water or move steaks if flames lick too high. Listen for sizzle, watch for edge caramelization. Aromas shifting from spicy to nutty tell you to flip. Rest steaks, let juices settle, crust hardens crisp yet soft inside. Makes more than seasoning; makes steak something to remember.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Always start with whole spices; pre-ground lose essential oils fast. Crack coarsely not powder fine for texture that sticks when grilling — powder burns too fast. Sea salt or kosher preferred for a clean saltiness that dissolves slowly. Smoked paprika adds color and depth — if you can’t find it, use regular paprika plus a small pinch of ground chipotle for smoky effect. Caraway seeds are a subtle nod to dill, replacing its brightness with earthiness. Fennel seeds add sweet licorice tones without overpowering. Cayenne flakes bring measured heat; adjust to taste but remember heat intensifies over fire. Garlic and onion powders ground fresh, not old, smells and tastes the best. Store blend airtight in a dry cool place to keep punch for weeks. Avoid moisture contamination or clumping.
Method
Preparation
- Pulse cracked peppercorns, caraway, fennel seeds, and cayenne flakes in a coffee grinder or mortar until coarsely crushed, not powder. Aim for gritty texture to hold on meat and resist burning on grill.
- Transfer to bowl then add sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder. Mix well with spoon until even color and texture. The smoky paprika replaces aneth’s brightness; caraway and fennel shift the herbal note deeper.
- Pat steaks dry before seasoning — moisture kills crust formation. Sprinkle generously all sides. Rub slightly to adhere. Let sit 10-15 minutes at room temp before grilling; spices bloom, salt draws flavors in.
- Fire up grill to hot, listen for sizzle immediately on contact. Grill steaks to desired doneness watching edges for charring without burning. The gritty spice crust should blister with fragrant aroma, turning deep brown.
- Check steaks by pressing gently; springy but still firm means medium rare. Avoid cutting too early—rest uncovered 5 minutes letting juices redistribute. The spice crust firms and locks in moisture and smoky flavor.
- Use on chicken pieces or thick tuna steaks alike; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Keep blend airtight in jar; lasts 4 weeks without losing punch. If no sea salt, coarse kosher salt is fine but weigh salt by volume for balance. Swap smoked paprika for regular if unavailable; less smoky, more sweet. Cayenne can be replaced with chipotle powder for earthier heat.
- Don’t grind spices too fine; texture critical to grilling aroma and crust build. If spice burns black quickly, reduce cayenne or cook over slightly lower heat.
- Good backup: Add finely chopped fresh herbs off grill for freshness; rosemary or thyme complement without overwhelming.
Application
Storage and Substitutes
Technique Tips
Grinding spices coarsely matters — too fine your rub turns to paste on meat. Use coffee grinder or mortar and pestle in short bursts. Mix spices before adding salt and powders to evenly distribute. Salt draws flavor in; don’t rush — rest meat 10-15 min after seasoning so salt penetrates. Grill hot — listen for immediate sizzle when steak hits grill grate, that means great crust formation. Sizzle dies quickly? Grill temp too low. Flip when crust edges near dark brown but not black. Press test for doneness: soft, springy means rare/medium rare; firmer means well-done. Always rest meat 5 minutes after grill off; juices redistribute and crust firms up into crackly shell. Working with chicken or tuna? Same rub, extend or reduce grill time depending on thickness. Watch for burning on exposed spices, especially cayenne. Water spray to tame flare-ups. Keep spices coarse and fresh for that authentic Montreal BBQ bite.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with whole spices. Pre-ground lose oils fast; crack them coarsely for better texture. Hold up on meat; don’t burn quickly. Experiment with spice ratios. Flavor balance is key.
- 💡 Pat steaks dry first. Moisture kills crust formation. Generously sprinkle all sides with spice. Rub gently, let it get into meat. Rest at room temp 10-15 min. This blooms flavors.
- 💡 Listen for the sizzle when meat hits the grill. If silent, grill’s too low. Smoke, aroma shift as spices cook. Pay attention to edges for char. Avoid burning; flip carefully.
- 💡 Chill on cayenne if burning occurs. Adjust for mildness; chipotle’s an option for earthiness. Seasoned crust should be crispy, yet locking moisture inside. Check doneness, don’t cut early.
- 💡 Store spice blend airtight. Lasts about 4 weeks. Swap sea salt with kosher; measure by weight if possible. Smoked paprika can be replaced; regular plus a dash of chipotle for smoke.
