I wanted the Jalapeno Rub to have some heat, and knew it would need some added heat, as the seeds were not present in the chopped/dried product. I also added a few ingredients which should aid in balancing out some of the bitterness of the Cayenne and Jalapeño by offering a subtle sweetness to the blend…that’s where the Onion powder and ground Cinnamon came into the equation. The minced Garlic offers a bit of somewhat milder and smoother heat as well, along with it’s well-known aromatics.



Jalapeño Rub

4 Tbsp (pre-grind measure) dried chopped Jalapeño, powdered

1-½ Tbsp crushed Red Pepper

1 Tbsp Chili powder

½ Tbsp Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp (pre-grind measure) Black Peppercorn, medium/fine grind

2 Tbsp Dried minced Garlic

4 Tbsp (pre-grind measure) chopped dried Onion, fine to powdered grind

½ tsp ground Cinnamon

4 Tbsp Kosher Salt


The above blend yielded enough to rub approx 10-12lbs on all surfaces. I coated the top/bottom only, with one heavy coat, and had 2/3 of the mix left after hitting a 4+ pound chuck. The powders in the blend give very good coverage and there are a few coarser particles to add to the texture. The salt draws a bit of moisture out of the meat to adhere the rub, so no oil/mustard is needed. Just sprinkle it on and rest a few minutes until the rub is damp, then turn over and repeat. I like a bit of salt with a fairly high fat content as with a chuck anyway, so this should do fine.


Here’s the spices before I ground anything in order of listing above (left to right, 1st, 2nd & 3rd rows):



After the grind:



Mixed and ready for my beef:



Jalapeño Rub, 2 hours into the Smoke Vault 24, @ ~235-250* with a wet pan & mesquite:


Out @ 160*:



After a short rest: