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How do you store your rubs / seasonings?

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Tier1Terrier
Tier1Terrier Posts: 129
in EggHead Forum
I have seen some rubs/seasonings that say to store in freezer on label.  Do you do this with all your rubs?  Homemade or not?  I know I certainly never have stored spice/seasoning bottles before as we easily have 30 different bottles and some of them have been around for a while.  I'd also imagine that different spices have different shelf lives.  So what's the deal on storing rubs in freezer then?
XL BGE Owner Since September 2015 - So expect a lot of newbie questions and please go easy on me :-)
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    I store most of mine in the freezer. I buy bulk spices which are stored in vacuum bags in the garage freezer.  Mixed rubs for the egg are stored in the kitchen freezer. Smaller bottles of special rubs are kept in a cupboard near the kitchen stove (backup supply is in the freezer).

    Spices will fade over time. Freezing, especially in a vacuum will prolong the vibrancy.  The salt and sugar in a bbq rub do not fade like the spices in the rub. Over time, the rub will become more sweet and salty because of this.  

    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    I have to admit to being a serial rub abuser. I buy way more than I can use in a reasonable amount of time. And, unfortunately, I don't have enough freezer or fridge space available. The best I can do is keep the bottles and bags sealed in tins w. packets of dessicant, and keep the tins in a dark shelf nearer the floor where its a little cooler.

    With time, I've come up w. some work arounds. Primarily I am slowly learning to make my own blends. One reason I have so many things sitting around is because there are east Asian, Indian, and Mexican grocery stores in town. Recently I saw a mid-Eastern and even an African place open.  Way to many interesting blends around. And many of the better butcher places are now offering their own blends too.

    However, the up-side is that a lot of these places also carry whole spices in bulk. The shelf life of any whole spice is much longer than anything ground. I've read that whole nutmeg can still be good a century after harvest. And I have a tin of Durkee's whole cloves my mother bought in the 1950s. They are still too pungent for me to use more than one or two in any recipe. So now I buy whatever I can find whole, vacuum pack some of it, and seal those up in metal containers in the basement. The rest are at hand, some in dedicated grinders, ready for powdering when I need them.

    Herbs and ground vegetables are pretty much hopeless. Most of them are going to loose a lot of their flavor really quickly. Rosemary will last a couple of years. Thyme, maybe 18 months. Summer savory, oregano, marjoram, maybe 6 mos. Over the years, I've started a small herb garden, and will try growing some inside this winter, as well as a few in a cold frame.

    I rarely need huge amounts of rub. A couple of cups is about the most for any given meal. Most of the time, I don't even need more than a few tablespoons. I know it would add somewhat to the initial price, but it would be good if manufacturers sold quantities the size of sample packets, and~or just 1 oz containers. Also, it would be nice if they would sell larger quantities w/o and salt or sugar, and just add instructions on how much to add. Most rubs are at least 50% salt and sugar, both of which can be bought very cheaply, and have an indefinite shelf life.
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,627
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    Rosemary and mint are two herbs you should never have to buy, they're weeds that need little to no attention, plus, dried rosemary is awful.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Legume said:
    Rosemary and mint are two herbs you should never have to buy, they're weeds that need little to no attention, plus, dried rosemary is awful.
    LOL, I guess that depends on where you live. Neither survives the winter here. Mint comes back in the spring, rosemary does not. And yes, dried rosemary sucks. :)

    As for my storage, just jars in a cabinet.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    My school of thought is to have a few go to rub (blends) that are tried, tested and most importantly liked by the family. The trick to purchased rubs in my opinion is once opened, use them in the next 3 months. So to that point, I don't subscribe to having a large number of opened rubs and spices in your collection. This approach will ensure turnover and freshness. If you are on the adventurous side, when you are low say on a pork rub, order something new you would like to try. Don't purchase in such large quantities that you will be working through it over a long period of time. You can always reorder and move one up into your go to rub category. Many rubs and seasonings are used effectively on quite a few meats. If you get caught with out a rub, McCormick's Montreal Steak / Chicken seasonings are of good quality and easily accessible through your local grocery store. In this age of Internet access, there is virtually nothing that can't be acquired with some advanced planning. 

    Keep a journal (I don't) with your recipe books. Make notes about rubs and blends that you have tried, and what specific foods they worked well with for future reference.

    In the garden or a flower bed, grow Rosemary, Basil and Oregano. They are all fairly hearty if you give them a little water and love. Some years I plant some fennel and cilantro though with not as much success. I always have fresh garlic in the house along with several types of salt and of course, fresh ground pepper. These basics along with your favorite blends will bring you much joy in your cooking. Bon Appetit!

    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • midwestsmoker
    midwestsmoker Posts: 448
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    We call it the "Flavor Stadium". I have never stored anything in the freezer and the only thing I store in the fridge are open bottles of sauce
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    My herb comes in ounces...  =)
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited September 2015
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    Legume said:
    Rosemary and mint are two herbs you should never have to buy, they're weeds that need little to no attention, plus, dried rosemary is awful.

    I had some mint growing.  It died.  Nobody believes me that I can be that bad at growing thing.   Granted, on the "little to no" attention scale I was firmly on the "no" side. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    SmokeyPitt said:
    Legume said:
    Rosemary and mint are two herbs you should never have to buy, they're weeds that need little to no attention, plus, dried rosemary is awful.

    I had some mint growing.  It died.  Nobody believes me that I can be that bad at growing thing.   Granted, on the "little to no" attention scale I was firmly on the "no" side. 
    I would never plant mint again. It took over our last spice garden and then grew into the grass. It did smell good when I cut the grass though.
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,627
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    mint and bamboo need to be contained or they will creep and take over
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