Knox who?

Bryan Knox

Tim Knox

Bryan and Tim Knox were raised around central Kentucky and Virginia. BBQ and pig roasts are a right of passage for the Knox's and yes they use both tomato based and vinegar based sauces, depending on the mood. The Knox family is no stranger to making dry rubs, seasonings and spice blends and using them on just about everything. Tim and Bryan would pass recipes back and forth but when the availability of high quality and unique ingredients became possible over the internet, their passion turned into rivalry. A peaceful rivalry and one that included lots of food from bbq to just about any regional or ethnic flavor profile. Some good, some bad, some pretty, some not so pretty but all a real good time. They both had a passion and both enjoyed the art of flavor and both thought they were better at it than the other.

Eventually it was decided to put their heads together. Instead of competing, they would make one excellent recipe, and in 2005 this is how Knox's Spice Company began. At launch Bryan & Tim Knox had 3 recipes, a rib and bbq rub, a steak rub and a tropical jerk. All 3 of these core seasonings are still available as Chipotle BBQ, Cracked Pepper and Jamaican Jerk.

They then produced what they had been eating the most of for over a year, Yummy Chicken. Next came salt free seasonings Barabicu (Caribe style) and Sabroso (Mexican style).

Sadly in January of 2010 Tim Knox passed away at age 39 from pulmonary fibrosis. His drive and incredible ability to make people think and be happy about it is greatly missed.

We switched from our paper based packaging to glass in order to keep our seasonings fresh longer and to maintain our responsibility to recyclable and reusable containers. Our Yummy Chicken seasoning is still packed in a plastic shaker bottle but is scheduled to be packed in a 6oz jar in the future.

Knox Spice Company Mission Statement:

To provide the highest quality seasonings and sauces. To create spice blends and capture regional flavors of the world and preserve the recipes to the best standards, with the finest ingredients, as they should be.

Currently producing 6 excellent dry BBQ rubs; Chipotle BBQ, Cracked Pepper, Jamaican Jerk, Yummy Chicken and our new salt free seasonings Sabroso and Barabicu with plans to expand the line as you read this. We also make a great pepper sauce, Ambrosia, which is made from fruit and hot peppers.

Balancing all the aroma and flavor that make a great BBQ dry rub seasoning is our highest priority. Other priorities include;

• Make an All-Natural dry rub spice blend (as they should be)
• Use the highest quality ingredients available
• Use less salt and let the dry rub actually flavor
• Make a quality product for a fair price
• Have a good time

Knox's Chipotle BBQ seasoning is rich with intense flavor. Smoky, spicy and slightly sweet. We use Chipotle and Guajillo peppers from Mexico and smoked Paprika from Spain.

The Jamaican Jerk seasoning is created with fragrant Jamaican Allspice, Thyme, Ginger and other Island flavors. The aroma and flavor will send your taste buds on an Island adventure.

Quality black pepper from Indonesia is blended with aromatic herbs and gourmet sea salt to make Knox's Cracked Pepper dry rub seasoning. Created from a traditional Brazilian BBQ recipe (Churrasco). Balanced to enhance the naturally succulent flavor of beef. This superior blend can also be used as a condiment for cooking vegetables or as a seasoning for sauces, soups or salads.

"We love and use our dry rubs ourselves. We do not make a novelty product and wanted to make sure it says gourmet quality from the label right to the center of our products. We make our dry rub spice blends without fillers or additives, just like real dry rub should be."
- Bryan Knox

The why and how of dry rub:

Dry rubs are spice blends used to season food, especially BBQ. As the name implies they are rubbed, usually into meat. This infuses rich flavor directly so you do not need to worry about re-applying. It does not burn off like a sauce. Dry rubbing is the best way to directly infuse flavor into meat. Our blends compliment the naturally succulent flavor of pork, chicken, beef, fish, shrimp and game. Aromatic and flavorful, they will bring out the best of your grilling experience.

You can add citrus juice such as orange and lime to make excellent wet rubs and marinades or as a condiment for vegetables, soups and sauces.

On a lighter note:

Knox's have been known throughout history to be a bit adventurous. Originating in Scotland circa 1240. Traced back to one Adam son of Uchtred who was granted the lands of Knock by Walter the Steward during the reign of King Alexander the II (1214 - 1249). Adam was of the same stock as the Earl of Lennox and bearers of the surname Knox are considered a branch of the Clan MacFarlane of Loch Lamond.

John Knox (1513 - 1572), pictured at left, is accredited with being the creator of Protestant Scotland. Originally ordained Catholic in the 1536, John converted to Protestantism after meeting two Catholic bible thumpers in Scotland where he was born. Their names where Wisehart and Beacon. Wisehart was burned at the stake in 1547. Being burned at the stake did not sit well with John so he took refuge in St. Andrews castle with a group of Protestants and eventually converted to Protestantism. Eventually the French raided St. Andrews and arrested John. He spent 19 months as a galley slave while in the company of the French and evidently did not shave. Upon re-gaining his freedom John felt the need to labor as a preacher and reformer. He was very much involved in the reform of the National Church of England.

William and Mary Cambell Knox hit American soil sometime in the 1740's and gave birth to General Henry Knox (right) in 1750. Henry served with General Washington, advising the crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night and attacking Trenton (maybe you saw the painting). Henry became lifetime friends with Washington as well as the first Secretary of War. In 1806, while visiting a friend in Union, Maine, he swallowed a chicken bone which punctured his intestine. He died of an infection (peritonitis) three days later on October 25, 1806 and was buried in Thomaston, Maine. Go figure. We have no record of any rub recipes he created although it seems he enjoyed the culinary arts.

See what Bryan Knox does in his spare time: http://www.youtube.com/user/KnoxSpiceCo

More...

BBQ rub is the second most important part of the BBQ process, the smoking technique being the first. Knox's Chipotle BBQ dry rub has a bit of the smokey built in as Chipotle peppers are smoked. We also use the finest smoked Spanish paprika available. We use a flake gourmet sea salt but not as a filler. The amount of salt is enough to constrict the capillaries in the meat, making it succulent, but not enough to make it salty.

Apply 3 hours before grilling or smoking, to maximize the flavor. Remember to refrigerate as to not let your meat spoil.

Sprinkle over the entire surface of the meat and with your hands rub or massage in to surface. Use a generous amount at first and then, as it starts to get moist and adhere, add more. Wrap the meat loosely in butcher paper and leave in the fridge until a couple of hours before smoking or begin directly after.

How to make a simple marinade

Like any marinade you would make, there is liquid, usually something bitter like vinegar or citrus and oil, preferably olive oil. To this you can add herbs and spices. Below is a basic marinade.

• 1/2 cup lemon or orange juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons Knox's BBQ rub

Quality all natural dry rub for grilling

Knox's quality gourmet rubs have been created to fill the void of novelty rubs and spice blends. BBQ rub historically was used to flavor and preserve meat. With refrigeration widely available, all the salt traditionally used is not as necessary. We use salt but not as a main ingredient. Most commercial rubs still use a lot of salt mainly because it is cheap and they can use it as a filler.

We use salt to tenderize and enhance flavor, but our blend is made mainly from the rich traditional herbs and spices to create a rich flavor that has made dry rubs famous with people who love to grill and cook meat. Ours, especially Chipotle BBQ is a spice blend that can be used to spice up many other foods such as mashed potatoes or popcorn.

Dry rubs are the most efficient method of imparting seasonings onto a meat. As the name implies, rubbed into the surface of the meat. When using on poultry make sure that you also season the cavity of the bird. It can also be added under the skin. Dry rub used under the skin of the bird will impart flavor directly to the meat, not only the skin. We have three flavors of BBQ dry rubs for different tastes.