Give Your BBQ Meats A Restaurant-Worthy Crust With This Popular Charcoal Seasoning

If you want to achieve smoky, barbecue flavor quickly, then a dry rub is your best bet. But not all are created equal. One that stands out above the rest for it's bold smoky flavors is Hardcore Carnivore's Black Beef Seasoning. There's an entire magic show going on in this bottle if you ask us, but it's the edible, activated charcoal that makes it possible to create a blackened crust much like the flavorful bark you'd find on a slowly smoked beef brisket. That makes it perfect for giving kabobs and steaks a flavorful, blackened crust, like the thin and petite Prime New York Strip we seared in under eight minutes. 

Still, some critics argue that activated charcoal is merely a visual gimmick.  And while that may be true, it works. There are some tasty nuances here, though. This rub is full of chili powder and a good dose of cumin to provide that yummy and familiar punch of earthiness that we all know and love. The activated charcoal heightens this earthiness, lending an extra note of minerality and making it all sing in a unique and tasty way that's not overpowering. It's also garlicky and oniony in the best ways, which means just enough and not too much of either. 

Hardcore Carnivore makes a whole lineup of rubs, but the Black Beef Seasoning seems to be a fan favorite for these reasons — and because it's not overly salty. While MSG can be used deliciously in many applications, you won't miss it in this one. This makes it a must-have if you're looking for a lower-sodium barbecue beef seasoning. A bit of sugar balances out this boisterous crew of flavors, and that's nice. But the underdog quality here is the way this stuff sticks. 

If you've ever made a coffee-rubbed steak recipe, you know that things can get messy, even though it's an utterly delicious and rich way to enjoy a steak. Dry rubs can get messy, too, especially if you don't use a binder (like mustard) to make it all stick during the smoking process. The mustard also seals in moisture for meats that are smoking for hours and hours. With this rub, forget about a binder. Hardcore Carnivore's Black Beef Seasoning clings to meat like nobody's business. 

That's because activated charcoal is porous with a large surface area, making it super adsorbent (that is, great at gathering other materials onto its surface). If you're new to smoking beef, try this rub on a slab of plate ribs (aka dino ribs). They're a forgiving cut that loves a dry rub and a short go on the grill. Try it on flank steak, too, another beef cut that you can grill quickly while giving it that slow-smoked look and taste. And, yes, there is some controversial information surrounding this ingredient. 

It acts like grapefruit juice when it comes to certain medications, messing with the body's absorption process. It's also used medically to adsorb some poisons, and it's touted to do all sorts of wellness things like lower your cholesterol and whiten your teeth, though these claims are not conclusively proven. Some say it's dangerous to eat, but that's only in large quantities. So, as long as medication interference isn't a concern, sprinkle away to give your red meat lots flavor and loads of color in no time.