I am a self-proclaimed foodie. I love to cook, and I especially enjoy experimenting with different techniques and flavor profiles. This is great when I have hours and hours of free time to play around in the kitchen. In reality, this is seldom the case. With a household to maintain, 3 kids to care for, a marriage to be present in, and the blog, I don't have a ton of free time at all. This generally leaves me scrambling to find some quick and easy mealtime solutions for busy weeknights.

That's why I was so excited when I got the opportunity to review Char Crust seasoning rubs. These rubs are different than most prepackaged rubs for a few reasons. First of all, they were created in Chicago. Very good things come out of Chicago...Things like deep dish pizza, my husband, and Da Bears. Okay, the Bears are usually good...Unless you consider Cutler getting sacked 19 times in one game last season. Also, Char Crust uses only the finest, freshest herbs and spices are used in Char Crust seasonings. These are not cheapy dollar store, stale tasting spices. Char Crust delivers a burst of fresh, intense flavor. For those with a Kosher diet, Char Crust is a must, too. Oh, I should also mention that Char Crust is a proud, family owned business. Gotta love that!

The awesome folks at Char Crust sent me a variety of flavors to try with my family. I was super excited to put them all to the test. If these flavors taste half as good as they sound, I knew I would be in love. Sure, cooking for hours on end can be relaxing, but sometimes you want less prep-work. Char Crust offers just that.

Here is a description of the flavors I received from Char Crust:

-Roasted Garlic Peppercorn features the robust flavor of roasted garlic and onions with the zing of peppercorns and a hint of Worcestershire and lavender. Its versatility has made it a best seller. It complements steaks, lamb, seafood, pork, poultry, and potatoes.

- Ginger Teriyaki is a balance of sweet teriyaki, fragrant ginger, plus a tingly touch of wasabi that lends a new dimension and creates a modern teriyaki interpretation. It complements chicken, fish, and steak.

- Amazin’ Cajun is a spicy-sweet blend of piquant cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and a mélange of other Mardi Gras flavors. It brings the sublime heat of New Orleans to catfish, chicken, shrimp, and even “dirty” rice.

- All American Barbecue takes the best flavors of American barbecue and blends them into a tangy-sweet, slightly spicy rub. It has rich molasses from Memphis, tangy tomato from Kansas City, mustard, pepper and vinegar from the Carolinas, plus a wisp of smoke from Texas.

I have been enjoying Char Crust on pretty much everything lately. I have used it on chicken, on beef, on potatoes and other veggies, and even on ribs! The flavors are so deliciously versatile, it almost doesn't matter which one you choose for a particular dish. You basically cannot go wrong here!

Char Crust not only makes a crisp, tasty crust on meats, it also locks in the juices. Using Char Crust on steak brings restaurant quality steaks to the table every time.

Here is a quick and easy recipe using Char Crust:

Amazing Char Crust Ribs

I love some yummy, fall-off-the bone, so tender you want to scream ribs. They're one of my favorite foods ever. When I grill during the summertime, ribs are always on the menu. In fact, they're the star of the show! Sometimes I make  wet ribs and sometimes I just use a dry rub, Texas Style.  It truly depends on the mood.

One of the things I love about Char Crust is that I can use these seasonings indoors on a cold or rainy day when grilling isn't an option. I have made ribs a couple of times using different Char Crust seasonings, and I have had fabulous, barbecue-worthy results every time. Here's a quick, simple recipe using Char Crust All American Barbecue Rub. Now you can have that BBQ flavor all year long!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Char Crust All American Barbecue Rub
 4 pounds pork spareribs


   
Directions:
1.Preheat an oven to 275 degrees F
2. Add Char Crust All American Barbecue Rub to a small bowl.
3.Rub mixture onto the spareribs. Arrange ribs on a large baking sheet.
 4.Bake in the preheated oven until very tender, about 3.5 hours.


See, easy peasy! Overall, I am loving my Char Crust seasonings. They have several mouth-watering varieties sure to please every taste. They are also incredibly versatile, complementing poultry, pork, beef, seafood, and even vegetables! I turn to Char Crust when I want a low-effort meal that tastes like it took all day effort and mad culinary skills. My next dish? I plan on using the Ginger Teriyaki on some chicken for a stir-fried sensation. Yum!

HOW TO CONNECT:

You can check out Char Crust on their website.

You can also follow them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of all their latest products and promotions!

WIN IT!

I am thrilled to announce that one very lucky reader will receive a 4 Pack of Char Crust Seasoning Rubs of their own!

Please use this easy Rafflecopter form to enter.


This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ until 11:59PM on May 1, 2012. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

***Disclosure: I received complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***