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Brisket Seasoning — What the Pros Use (And Why)
Walk into any competition BBQ tent and you will find dozens of custom rubs. But when the judges' table is set and the best teams are competing for championships, they almost always come back to the same fundamentals: salt, pepper, garlic, and one or two subtle additions that build complexity. What the Pros Actually Use The classic competition brisket seasoning is called "the bark" — a crust that forms on the outside of the meat during a long, slow smoke. This bark is where flavor lives. The best pitmasters use:... Read more...
Best Seasoning for Grilled Chicken — 5 Methods That Actually Work
Grilled chicken is one of those dishes where seasoning makes all the difference. Get it right, and you have a centerpiece. Get it wrong, and you have chicken that tastes like... chicken. Here are the five methods the pros use. Method 1: The Dry Rub (Best for skin-on chicken) Coat the chicken generously inside and out with a seasoning blend 30 minutes before grilling. The garlic and black pepper create a savory crust while the heat caramelizes the spices. San Felipe Garlic Jalapeño adds both heat and depth — the... Read more...
How to Season a Steak Like a Pitmaster — The Complete Guide
You have 20 minutes before guests arrive. You have a premium steak. You want it to taste like the best steakhouse in the city. The difference between a good steak and an unforgettable one comes down to one thing: how you season it. The Pitmaster's Rule: Salt and Pepper Only? Not quite. While salt and pepper are the foundation, great seasoning adds depth without overpowering the meat. The classic approach — used by competition BBQ teams and Michelin-starred kitchens — is a balanced blend that includes garlic, black pepper, and... Read more...
Chimichurri Seasoning vs Fresh Chimichurri — When to Use Each
You have seen chimichurri everywhere — green sauce on steak, marinade on chicken, dip for bread. But there is chimichurri sauce and there is chimichurri seasoning, and they are not the same thing. Here is when to use each. Fresh Chimichurri Sauce — The Real Deal Fresh chimichurri is Argentinian through and through. It is made from fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil — blended into a vibrant green sauce that gets better the longer it sits. It is bright, acidic, and deeply aromatic. Perfect alongside grilled steak or... Read more...
Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning — Heat Without the Burn
Most spicy seasonings are a one-note punch — all heat, no nuance. San Felipe Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning is different. It is heat with flavor, depth with kick. What Is Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning? Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning is a blend built around two things: the savory warmth of roasted garlic and the bright, lingering heat of jalapeño peppers. Unlike hot sauce or pure cayenne, it does not overwhelm the food you are seasoning. It seasons it. It adds complexity alongside the heat. Why San Felipe's Version Works The key is balance. Too... Read more...
Best Brisket Rub for Smoking — How to Build The Perfect Bark
The bark — that dark, caramelized crust on smoked brisket — is what separates good brisket from legendary brisket. And it all starts with the right rub. What Makes a Great Brisket Rub? A brisket rub needs three things: salt for penetration and crust formation, pepper for depth and texture, and spices that won't burn during the 12+ hours of low-and-slow smoking. Too much sugar and it chars. Too much garlic powder and it turns acrid. Get the balance right and you get a bark that shatters when you bite... Read more...
Chimichurri Seasoning — The Argentine Herb Blend Taking Over BBQ
Chimichurri started as an Argentine condiment and has become the secret weapon of every serious griller in North America. If you have never used a chimichurri seasoning blend, you are missing out. What Is Chimichurri? Chimichurri is an Argentine herb blend built around parsley, oregano, garlic, red pepper, and vinegar. In Argentina, it is traditionally served as a wet sauce on grilled meat. The dry seasoning version lets you apply chimichurri flavors directly to meat before cooking — no sauce, just pure herb and spice. Chimichurri vs Cilantro Lime vs... Read more...
Adobo Seasoning — What It Is, How to Use It, and Where to Buy It
Adobo seasoning is one of the most misunderstood spice blends in home kitchens. Some people think it is a sauce. Others think it is a single spice. In reality, it is the foundation of Latin American and Caribbean cooking — and once you understand it, you will use it every single day. What Is Adobo Seasoning? Adobo is a dry seasoning blend rooted in Puerto Rican, Dominican, and broader Caribbean cuisine. The word comes from Spanish and refers to a blend of spices — typically garlic, oregano, black pepper, cumin,... Read more...
16 Mesh Black Pepper vs Regular Pepper — What Is the Difference?
If you have ever wondered why competition BBQ pitmasters swear by "16 mesh" black pepper, or what makes it different from the stuff in the grocery store grinder, you are about to find out. What Is 16 Mesh Black Pepper? Mesh size refers to the grind. Higher mesh numbers = finer particles. Lower mesh numbers = coarser chunks. 16 mesh means the pepper goes through a sieve with 16 openings per inch — resulting in uniform, coarse pepper granules roughly the size of sand grains. Regular grocery store black pepper... Read more...
Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning — 5 Quick Ways to Use It
Garlic and jalapeño is a combination that does not need introduction. It is on tacos, in salsas, mixed into mayo, rubbed on chicken thighs, and folded into cornbread. Garlic Jalapeño seasoning brings all of that into a single bottle. What Does Garlic Jalapeño Seasoning Do? It does one thing perfectly: adds savory heat with a garlic backbone. Unlike hot sauces or fresh jalapeños, a good garlic jalapeño seasoning gives you the flavor without the liquid, so you can use it anywhere — dry rubs, soups, rice dishes, eggs, or mixed... Read more...
Chimichurri Seasoning — Argentine Herb Dry Rub for Grilled Meat
Chimichurri is Argentina's answer to every question. Steak? Chimichurri. Grilled chicken? Chimichurri. Vegetables? Chimichurri. But most people only know the fresh herb sauce version. The dry seasoning is where the real magic lives. Fresh Chimichurri vs Chimichurri Seasoning Fresh chimichurri is a sauce — parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, oregano. It is bright, acidic, and designed to cut through fat. Chimichurri seasoning is a dry blend of the same flavor profile but in seasoning form. You can use it as a rub before cooking or finish meat... Read more...
Best Steak Seasoning — What Makes the Difference
When you are buying steak seasoning, you are really buying confidence. The confidence that your cut is going to taste incredible, that the flavors will develop a beautiful crust, and that you will not overcomplicate something that does not need complication. What Makes a Great Steak Seasoning? The best steak seasonings are simple: salt, black pepper, and garlic. That is it. Anything else is noise. But here is what separates good from great — the grind size, the ratios, and the quality of each ingredient. Salt: Kosher salt penetrates deeper... Read more...