Dark chocolate/ cocoa powder rub???

[mccunbra]

I am wondering if anyone has ever experimented with a dark chocolate or cocoa powder rub?

My sister works at a small batch dark chocolate factory and she has given me several pounds of Tanzanian cocoa powder, cane sugar, coconut sugar, nibs, maldon sea salt, and sucanat; which has a brown sugar molasses taste too it.

So, my question is, does anybody have any recipes using these ingredients? If so, what meat would you use it on?

Any input would be appreciated, even if you haven't done anything like this.

 

[hardwoodalchemy]

Yes, I used some cocoa powder in the rub I used on the brisket I smoked on Tuesday. (QView in the Beef forum...)

While there is no obvious chocolate flavor (not sure I'd like it if there was), the flavor is still really good. I think that the cocoa contributed some overall earthiness and richness to the flavor profile.

The rub "recipe" I used was actually a hybrid of three or four different rub recipes, subtracting and adding ingredients, and changing some of the quantities / ratios.

¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup very finely ground coffee
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup fine sea salt
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground Thai white pepper
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 generous tbsp chipotle powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder

Notes:

• I will be cutting down the amount of coffee next time. Not because of the flavor, but because we've found that we have trouble sleeping after eating the brisket. The effect is very similar to eating a couple generous handfuls of chocolate-covered espresso beans. Nothing immediately noticeable, but before long you realize that you're not tired at all. The effect - for us - is quite pronounced and has a duration of a few hours.
• I would encourage anyone who decides to try this recipe to not follow it blindly. Be creative, take a risk, make it your own. Discovery is one of the great the joys of cooking, IMO.