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    You Are Here Home » Spice and Seasoning Recipes

    Published: Aug 20, 2018 Updated: Jan 8, 2021 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 6 Comments

    Santa Maria Seasoning

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Santa Maria dry rub

    This Santa Maria Seasoning can take your ordinary steak and chicken and transform them into delectable pieces of meat. The secret is in the seasoning blend which adds a flavorful coating that seals in the meat's delicious juices. This rub is especially good on Tri-Tip and Ribs!

    Santa Maria seasoning on a plate

    Why This Recipe Works

    This Santa Maria Rub really enhances the flavor of various meats. The combination of fresh minced rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, and cayenne pepper really does the trick!

    It's a favorite among my friends, so you'll want to make a few batches of this Santa Maria Seasoning to share with your friends! You can use any leftover tri-tip (if you're lucky enough to have some) to make Tri-Tip Sandwiches or sliders.

    What Goes Into This Recipe

    labeled Santa Maria dry rub ingredients

    Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Paprika: Regular paprika or smoked paprika can be used in this recipe, you get to decide!
    • Rosemary: My recipe calls for fresh rosemary, however, dried rosemary can be used in a pinch.
    • Cayenne Pepper: You may be tempted to leave the cayenne pepper out, however, it really adds the perfect amount of spice to this spice blend. If you have to, reduce the amount of cayenne from 1 teaspoon to half of a teaspoon.
    • Salt: What type of salt you use is a matter of preference, however, I like to use sea salt.

    How to Make This Recipe

    Step 1: Measure out the following spices: salt, black pepper, paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.

    spices on a white plate

    Step 2: Add all the spices into a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

    Santa Maria spices mixed on a plate

    Step 3: Rub all over a tri-tip roast, pork ribs, or seafood, and smoke or grill.

    tri tip seasoned roast on a white plate

    Step 4. If not using the Santa Maria Seasoning right away, store in an airtight jar for later use.

    Santa Maria seasoning

    Using Dry Rub Seasoning on Smoked Meats

    We recently purchased a new electric smoker to replace the smoker we wore out after years of use. Here are just some of the meats we've been smoking: fish, lamb, octopus, pork ribs, tri-tip, and brisket. 

    Each of the meats mentioned requires its own method of cooking. For example, using marinades, dry rubs, or wet rubs.

    Some of the meats require only a few hours to smoke, while others are smoked for 24 to 48 hours. However, when it comes to tri-tip or beef brisket, this Santa Maria Dry Rub is an absolute must.

    The Origin of Santa Maria Dry Rub

    Before we look at what Santa Maria dry rub is, let's look at where Santa Maria is.

    The Santa Maria Valley is situated midway along California's Central Coast, in Santa Barbara County. This beautiful city is located approximately 3.5 hours north of Los Angeles.

    Santa Maria is known for its wineries, breweries, recreation, and Santa Maria-style barbecue.

    Santa Maria-style barbecue dates back to the mid-1800s when local ranchers cooked Spanish-style feasts over open fires for their Mexican ranch hands.

    Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

    What is Dry Rub?

    A dry rub is a mixture of spices and herbs, used to flavor meat. These spices are "rubbed" into the meat to impart their rich flavor before you sear or grill the meat.

    Dry rubs usually contain some of the following spices: Paprika, sea salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and chili powder.

    Additionally, herbs used in dry rubs include sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. You can purchase dry rubs at your local grocery stores, or you can make your own mixture. However, you may not want to recreate the wheel, in which case, simply follow this easy, and versatile Santa Maria Seasoning recipe!

    labeled spice jars

    What is the Difference Between Dry Rub and Wet Rub? 

    The answer to this question might seem pretty obvious to some, but there are those who might need further explanation. Adding any liquid to the dry rub instantly transforms it into a wet rub.

    This includes adding a small amount of liquid to the rub which makes a thick paste. The paste is then smeared all over the meat to flavor it. The paste may also be thinned out by adding more liquid.

    Some possible wet rub liquids include wine, beer, whiskey, vinegar, oil, and fruit juice.

    You can easily add any of these liquids to this Santa Maria Seasoning recipe to make a wet rub. How you use this recipe is totally up to you and your imagination!

    • If storing the Santa Maria Seasoning for later use, leave out the fresh rosemary and add it just prior to using it.
    • If you own a mortar and pestle (affiliate link), you can use it to grind the rosemary into the other seasonings.
    • I don't recommend storing this seasoning longer than 3 months. As a matter of fact, I prefer making a fresh batch each time I make my Santa Maria Tri-tip recipe.

    Related Recipes

    • Flavor Packed Coffee Rub Recipe
    • Baharat Recipe (Middle Eastern Spice Mix)
    • Easy Biryani Spice Blend Recipe
    • Za'atar Substitute Spice Blend

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    Santa Maria seasoning on a plate

    Santa Maria Seasoning

    Authentic Santa Maria-style dry rub seasoning.
    4.48 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiments
    Cuisine: American, Spanish
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 10kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon paprika
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (minced)
    • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

    Instructions

    • Measure out the following spices: salt, black pepper, paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
    • Add all the spices into a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
    • Rub all over a tri-tip roast, pork ribs, or seafood, and smoke or grill.
    • If not using the Santa Maria Seasoning right away, store it in an airtight jar for later use.

    Notes

    • If storing the Santa Maria Seasoning for later use, leave out the fresh rosemary and add it just prior to using it.
    • If you own a mortar and pestle (affiliate link), you can use it to grind the rosemary into the other seasonings.
    • I don't recommend storing this seasoning longer than 3 months. As a matter of fact, I prefer making a fresh batch each time I make my Santa Maria Tri-tip recipe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8g | Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Sodium: 874mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    « Candied Figs | Preserved Figs
    Smoked Brisket Seasoned with Santa Maria Rub »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hungry4Hucks says

      October 29, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      We rubbed a tri-tip with this recipe and smoked it on our Traeger. Simply put... Best tri-tip I've ever had!!! A little secret though, we doubled the cayenne. This is one for the record books! Thanks Hilda.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        October 29, 2021 at 5:36 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it! I can handle the double cayenne but can everyone else?

        Reply
    2. Ruth says

      July 28, 2021 at 6:51 am

      Can the fresh Rosemary be substituted with dry?

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        July 28, 2021 at 10:02 am

        Hi Ruth, Yes, you can substitute with dry rosemary if you need to.

        Reply
    3. Kelly Methey says

      March 29, 2021 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is another great rub/seasoning combo mix that’s fantastic! Really all of your spice mixtures and rubs are. Plus most people would have these spices in the cupboard already.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        March 29, 2021 at 5:41 pm

        Thank you, definitely my go-to seasoning!

        Reply

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