There are literally thousands of them. Dry rubs, chili powders, and spice blends are everywhere, and they have become a standard in the scripts and writing of virtually every cooking show, magazine and article out there. But with so many to choose from, how do you know what is good and what isn't? Also, what makes one better than another? The answer to this question is simple - read the ingredients.

Most store bought or off the shelf rubs are tasty enough, but when you take a look at the ingredients you will soon see what you have been missing.

The vast majority of spice blends from major manufacturers use various additivies, such as anti-clumping agents and preservatives. My rule of thumb here is this - if you can't pronounce it or have never used it yourself, than it is probably a chemical food additive. While most are safe for consumption, additives can affect the overall quality of the rub and the flavor of the final product, especially if you are sensitive to them. For example, some people will find that rubs that have higher levels of additives will often add a metallic tinge to the flavor of their food.

Reading what spice ingredients are on the label will tell you alot about the final product as well. Salt is a necessary ingredient in the seasoning of food, and in the osmotic process of marinating and rubbing. It serves to create a crust and flavor the meat item, but when you look at the rub, and I mean really look at the rub, you should see other ingredients equally distributed throughout the blend, not just salt crystals. There is no need for copious amounts of salt when the rub is fully flavored by the right mix of herbs and spices.

The quality of the spices used in the product are the best indicator of how good it will taste. Higher quality ingredients will have higher levels of their natural oils, which means more flavor to you. For example, there is nothing wrong with off the shelf paprika. However, anyone who has ever had Paella using real, smoked or spicy Hungarian paprika can tell you - there is a world of difference. The off the shelf paprikas tend to do little more than add color, whereas high quality paprikas direct from the experts in Hungary add color, flavor and vibrancy to your dish. Just like paprika, any other spice or herb will have different levels of quality from which to choose as well, and peppercorns are an excellent example of this. The black pepper and peppercorns we buy at the stores tends to be of a lower quality, less expensive type of pepper. A truly gourmet or quality rub will contain Tellicherry peppercorns, the best in the world. These have a higher oil content, which gives a richer, and far more flavorful pepper when ground.

Chil i powder is another product that really varies in the quality of ingredients and level of flavor between products too. Mass produced powders tend to be made from one type of pepper, usually New Mexico Reds. A chili powder or seasoning of true quality will be made from a variety of peppers and will tend to be more brown in color than red. Not all peppers taste the same, so if you use chili powders that are composed from a variety of peppers, you will have a more rounded and complete chili flavor, which of course translates to a better meal. Again, the level of salt is also an excellent indicator of the quality of the chili powder. If salt is first on the ingredient list, that powder should be the last thing in your spice rack.

So the next time you are trying to figure out which dry rub, spice blend or chili powder to choose from, take 5 seconds and look at the ingredients. Think about which flavors you want to dominate, and choose a blend that is made from high quality ingredients without excess salt or additives. Doing this will make all the difference in the world in the flavor of your dishes.

At Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations, all of our products are created using only the highest quality ingredients available. We specifically use Hungarian paprika, tellicherry peppercorns, and exotic regional peppers to create our dry rubs and Texa s chili seasoning. Additionally, we only use enough salt to promote the osmotic process.

About the author:

Joe Johnson is a founding partner with Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice Creations, makers of gourmet dry rubs, smoked salt and Texa s chili seasoning. Joe is in charge of product promoti