Want an assurance that the dinner you prepare tonight will be packed with bold flavor in every bite? Need to cook a quick and instant meal? Want to save as many $1 as you can? Dry rubs and sauces are a perfect solution. Spice up your life with these 40 different sauces and rubs to save yourself time and money.
Whether you want to make burgers, juicy steak, chicken, or brats, the secret of having a very lovely grilled meat is as easy as a medley of spices from a vibrant sauce or the pantry to match the smoky char. From Southwestern dry rub to classic barbecue sauce, below are essential dry rubs and sauces for grilling season.
Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri has a deep green color and tastes as bold and bright as it appears, thanks to the collection of fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, and red wine vinegar. This sauce originates from Argentina, where it is usually served with steak. It is also delicious when spread over pork tenderloins and chicken thighs.
Béchamel
Béchamel is the mother sauce that every home cook needs to know how to cook. It is a traditional sauce that has white color and begins with a roux i.e., a mixture of flour and fat cooked together. Milk is then added to the roux, and signature seasoning is done using nutmeg. It can be used to prepare a creamy sauce or can be poured into vegetables to make what we call a gratin.
Marinara sauce
To prepare a thick marinara sauce, you only need to have tomatoes, garlic, and onions. When tomatoes are in season, ensure that you use the fresh ones, but when out of season you can always use canned tomatoes. If you like, you can flavor the sauce with fresh or dried herbs (oregano, basil, red pepper flakes), a little wine, and Parmesan rind. Use it to make meatballs, pizza, or pasta Pomodoro.
Barbecue
Barbecue is extremely easy to make at your home. You only need to dump all the ingredients you are using into a saucepan then allow simmering to take place until the flavor meld. Key components that you must use include sugar, alcohol, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and spices.

Mornay
Mornay is the French name used for the cheese sauce. It is usually viewed as béchamel daughter sauce. To make Mornay, you begin with béchamel; then to the mixture, you add grated cheese in large quantity. This is the required base for cheese and macaroni. It is also great when served as a dip together with broccoli, pretzels, or cubes of bread.
Southwestern Spice Rub
Mixed with cumin, paprika, chili powder, and cinnamon, this is a classic spice blend that will really add taste to your little-flavored meats like chicken and pork. Making this rub is not only quick, but it will also help you save many $1.
Chili rub
This smokey, spiced dry rub has crushed cacao nibs to ensure a deep and rich flavor. It is an excellent choice for pork tenderloin and a perfect natural match for any cut of steak.
Hollandaise
This is the only mother sauce that uses emulsification for thickening instead of a roux. Traditionally, a heatproof bowl is set over a pan of slowly simmering water. While in the pot, egg yolks are whisked with an acidic thing like lemon juice which is then streamed slowly in melted butter. The water that is gently simmering cooks the egg yolks while the butter makes you get a thick, velvety texture.
Pomodoro Sauce
Pomodoro is one of the easiest tomato sauces to make. Use simmers and crushed tomatoes until it becomes thick and deep red. Seasoned with a little garlic, olive oil, and salt, the sauce can be used on chicken parmigiana or for simple pasta. You can as well add anchovies and chopped capers, or crushed red pepper and basil to improve on taste. A wide saucepan is ideal for making Pomodoro in that it enables moisture to evaporate, thus allowing the Pomodoro to thicken.
Romesco
Pungent with vinegar and fried garlic, textured with pulverized bread and toasted nuts, and reddened from dried chiles, romesco is a great treasure in its sauce form. It’s exact composition, temperatures, and consistency are all regulated depending on the sauce is to be used: whether to potato stew and flavor a monkfish, or to flavoring a fried dish of a rabbit. But generally, romesco tastes nice with anything, from grilled seafood to boiled potatoes or even on its own.
Magic summer sauce
This should be the first sauce to come to your mind whenever you want to make a sauce in the shortest time possible. It has a tangy and spicy flavor that matches well with anything you pull of the grill.
The bottom line
Making sauce at home is not only easy but also fun. Little skills are needed, and you can perfect the art within a short time. Need to cook a quick and instant meal? Want to save many $1. You can always spice your life with the sauces mentioned above and rubs, and you will save yourself a substantial amount of time and money.
