A few weeks ago I had the honor of judging a Cooking with Maple Syrup contest at the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford, NY. The winning entry was a maple-glazed chicken that I’ll share another time. Today I want to focus on an ingredient that made that dish stand out.
The chicken recipe called for a maple garlic black pepper rub sold at a farm stand. I couldn’t find it for purchase, so I did what many cooks do: I recreated it at home. The rub was surprisingly simple to make—the name listed the components, so it was mostly a matter of finding the right proportions. The result is a versatile rub that’s wonderful on chicken and pork whether you pan-fry, roast, broil, or grill.
The balance of sweet, salty, peppery and garlicky flavors is what makes this rub so appealing. Each element shows up without overpowering the others. One ingredient deserves particular attention: maple sugar. If you’ve never tried it, maple sugar is concentrated maple sap boiled down until almost all water is gone and the syrup crystallizes into sugar. It has an intensely maple flavor and dissolves on the tongue like maple syrup, a bit like cotton candy turning to syrup. For anyone who grew up in maple country, pressed maple sugar candies are a nostalgic favorite.
Maple sugar adds a distinct maple note that you won’t get from ordinary granulated sugar. If you can source it locally, that’s ideal; roadside stands and sugar shacks in maple-producing regions often sell maple sugar along with maple syrup. If local options aren’t available, online retailers can supply it.
Use this rub thoughtfully: the sugar content means it can scorch at very high temperatures, so it’s best for braising, slow roasting, pan-searing over moderate heat, or grilling over indirect or low heat. Stored in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place, the rub will keep up to six months.
Cook’s Notes:
- Maple sugar is essential for the distinctive maple flavor—ordinary sugar is not a true substitute.
- Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months.
- Avoid very high direct heat when cooking with this rub; the sugar can burn. It works best for braising, slow roasting, or grilling over indirect or low heat.
Maple Garlic Pepper Rub
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pure maple sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and transfer to an airtight jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. If you need exact values, calculate nutrition using the specific brands and amounts you use.
did you make this recipe?
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