Name: Basic Rub Spice Mix
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons paprika; 1 ½ tablespoons cayenne; 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons garlic powder; 3 tablespoons onion powder; 3 tablespoons salt or salt substitute; 1 ½ tablespoons oregano; 1 ½ tablespoons thyme

Why it works: Oregano and thyme match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 791 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓

Basic Rub Spice Mix

Ingredients

4 tablespoons paprika
1 ½ tablespoons cayenne
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons salt or salt substitute
1 ½ tablespoons oregano
1 ½ tablespoons thyme

Directions

Rub this blend on meats before grilling.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

69Calories

2 gProtein

1 gFat

15 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 7 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Cayenne	1 tsp (1.8g)	6
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Oregano	1 tsp dried (1.8g)	5
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Thyme	1 tsp dried (1.4g)	4
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Oregano + thymetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together791 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together3,756 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Pepper + thymetop 4% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together11,585 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Garlic + thymetop 4% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,608 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Paprika: Gives the rub its red colour and mild, sweet, smoky flavour.
Cayenne: Adds direct heat that gives the rub its spicy kick.
Freshly ground black pepper: Contributes a sharp, pungent aroma and flavour to the blend.
Garlic powder: Adds a savoury, aromatic depth that carries through the blend.
Onion powder: Adds savoury sweetness and a rounded aroma to the blend.
Oregano: Adds herbal, earthy aroma that complements the other spices.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, garlic, oregano, thyme):

Eggplantfits better
Tomatofits better
Spinachfits better
Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, garlic, oregano, thyme. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Basic Rub Spice Mix