When I grill anything, I love to experiment with seasoning. That is particularly true when it comes to grilled steak.
Often my husband and I come up with our own concoction, which we use as a marinade or a rub. My husband has constructed one recipe that is better than anything I know of on the market today.
However, we also like to try out rubs from the market shelves. Recently we discovered a new one called Chart Crust. We picked their Amazin’ Cajun flavor.
The story behind Char Crust is fascinating. It was invented by Al Farber for his Chicago steakhouse back in the late 50’s. Because of the succulent, juicy flavor it gave steak, it soon became his restaurant’s signature dish. In fact, the rubs he designed were so popular that his customers begged for him to sell them to the general public.
The first two flavors he released as Char Crust rubs were called Roto Roast and Hickory Grilled. He couldn’t make them fast enough to keep up with the demand. So when he finally closed his restaurant in the late 70’s, he decided to focus the business on his Char Crust rubs instead.
Restaurants all over Chicago and throughout Illinois and surrounding states clamored for more of Farber’s products. That quickly grew into a national business that stemmed coast to coast.
Al has long since passed. However, his family continues the tradition. In fact, the line has expanded to incorporate other flavors including:
– All American Barbecue,
– Amazin’ Cajun,
– Ginger Teriyaki,
– Hickory and Molasses,
– Roasted Garlic Peppercorn,
– Roto Roast,
– Smoky, Spicy Southwest and
– Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic.
My first choice of rubs was the Amazin’ Cajun. I love all things spicy and Cajun flavored and this one doesn’t disappoint. It is a wonderful combination of spicy and sweet with cayenne pepper, garlic and a lot of other flavors reminiscent of a Louisiana Mardi Gras.
Char Crust rubs help to seal in the juices of the meat. They are appropriate for beef, chicken, shrimp or fish. You can even use them on vegetables.
The rubs are easy to use. Coat your meat with a small amount of olive oil and then sprinkle on the Char Crust, making sure to cover the dish thoroughly. Then just bake, broil or grill to your liking. It couldn’t be easier.
Let’s talk about nutrition. Each 4 oz package of Amazin’ Cajun Char Crust rub contains 38 servings. A serving size is 1 tsp. of rub, which is about 3 grams. There are 8 calories in each serving.
The good news is there are not fat grams in this rub. There are; however, 2 grams of carbohydrates and 180 micrograms of sodium.
Ingredients include:
– cayenne pepper,
– celery,
– corn,
– garlic,
– miscellaneous spices,
– mustard,
– natural smoke flavor,
– onion,
– paprika,
– red chili pepper,
– salt,
– soy,
– sugar,
– wheat and
– worcestershire sauce powder.
Char Crust rub is one of the best rubs on the market today. Here is my summary review:
Taste: 5 stars. The taste is unbelievable.
Appearance: 5 stars: Talk about a top chef look for any meal. Char Crust delivers.
Nutrition: 4 stars. This is very natural and healthy.
Ease: 5 stars. The instructions are easy to follow. You can’t mess it up.
Green rating: 5 stars. The packaging is recyclable.
Packaging: 5 stars. The rub comes in a cellaphone bag inside of a cardboard box of black and purple with the Char Crust logo on the front. It is easy to find on the store shelf.
Ease of storage: 5 stars. The box is small and will fit into a cabinet or drawer.
Availability: 3 stars. The product can be a bit difficult to find locally but it can be ordered online.
Price: 4 stars. The cost is $4.99 but you can make several meals from one box and the flavor makes the cost well worth it.
Product purchase probability: 5 stars. I love this rub. It stays in my cabinet.
Final rating: 4.6 stars.
5 stars – outstanding
4 stars – good
3 stars – average
2 stars – below average
1 star – poor
