FOUR SAUCEMEN: The Beef Rub - 300g

Let the beef do the talking

Some rubs bury the beef; this one bows to it. Built around garlic, salt and pepper with a hit of beetroot powder for vibrant colour, The Beef Rub lifts a good cut instead of hiding it — an award-winning blend from four mates in Auckland who cook for the taste of the meat, not to mask it.

The flavour

Earthy and savoury with a peppery backbone. No heat and no smoke-and-mirrors — just deep garlic savouriness, a clean peppery lift and a gentle earthy sweetness from the beetroot that also lends steaks and short ribs a gorgeous deep colour.

How to cook with it

• Season a thick steak, rest it uncovered in the fridge, then sear hard for a peppery, deeply coloured crust.
• Rub beef short ribs and cook low and slow until the bark is dark and the meat gives way.
• Coat a brisket the night before and smoke it long for classic bark and beefy depth.
• Take it past beef — it's a cracker on venison and lamb shanks too.

In the jar

A striking deep red-brown blend, courtesy of the beetroot, with a medium-coarse grind that grips big cuts and builds a proper bark.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: Salt, Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic, Beetroot), Spice, Vegetable Oil.

Dietary: Gluten-free (as stated by the brand); made in New Zealand. Allergens and traces — always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

The Smuggler's orders: rub it on thick, two coats on a brisket, and let the beetroot do the colour work while patience does the rest. Mop it late with Fancy Hanks Coffee & Molasses BBQ Sauce and keep Tracklements Strong Horseradish Cream on the table for the sliced ends. No heat, no gimmicks — just a dark, beefy bark worth guarding.