By The Bearded Canadian 

Okay, why are we here? Answer: to have a whale of time creating beautiful, succulent meat dishes that will eventually pass into legend. One of the important steps towards creating said legendary dish is of course, seasoning your chosen protein. But there is seasoning and then… there is seasoning. I hope you’ll come to recognise mine as the latter. 

And the reason I create and experiment with spices is that making your own spice allows for better control of taste, texture and quality, not to mention saving you some serious dosh!  [Ed. The bearded one is really embracing Australian vernacular and we love it!] 

So without further ado, here’s my take on the classic Montreal Steak Spice – here’s what you’ll need: 

• 4 Tbs mixed whole peppers  
• 4 Tbs Coriander seeds 
• 2 Tbs Whole All Spice 
• 4 Tbs Dill seed 
• 2 Tbs Granulated Garlic 
• 2 Tbs Mustard Seed 
• 4 Tsp Sweet Paprika 
• ½ tsp Korean chili 
• ½ tsp red chili flakes 
• 1 tsp Aleppo Chili flakes 
• 3 Tbs kosher salt 

Now one of the best things about rubs is that you can change them up. It's entirely up to your tastes, add more or less salt, up the heat with different types of chilli or even consider adding some rosemary for even more depth of flavour. It’s up to you. 

Pro Tip: toast the whole seeds by placing them on a dry pan at medium low heat. (No need for oil). When they start smelling fragrant remove from the pan (don’t leave them on for longer than 5 mins) let cool, then grind them to your desired coarseness. In my humble (Ed. Funny, I like it) opinion, toasting spices give an entirely different and more sophisticated flavour profile. 

I've added this spice mix to a cheap and cheerful scotch fillet to boost the flavour! Don't be afraid to apply generous amounts of rub to give thicker cuts like this. Remember to coat all sides and pat down for best results. 

N.B. Spices start losing their flavour as soon as they are ground but by grinding your own whole spice and keeping them in an airtight jar you will keep them fresh for weeks. You can opt out on grinding your own, but why would you? Just takes a few pulses on a blender or spice grinder or… get those forearms a workout with the ol’ pestle and mortar. Come now. You can do it… it’ll help you grow a mighty beard.

Huzzah! Enjoy, and let me know how you go at feaston@feastonbeasts.com

Wow!!