Tatonka Dust Barbecue Beef Rub - Now You Can Get Some Too

Tatonka Dust Rubbed Rib Eye Grilled Steaks

I tried out Tatonka Dust barbecue rub a couple of weeks back. I used the rub on sausages that first time, but the rub is designed for beef and especially for steaks.

My son was headed off to Bolivia for a month, so his Dad bought steaks. I usually go with a marinade, but the Tatonka Dust had been so yummy on the sausages that I went dry on this run. You know I had to be pretty sure on the rub, or I would not have chanced it on a "going off to another country" party.

With a marinade, you can go lower and slower - kind of a steam with the lid down to finish off. With dry rub on steaks, you want hot and fast and finish off to the sides. You can't really see here, but I offset the coals, so I could hit medium and medium rare.

Tatonka Dust

First, I rubbed on Tatonka Dust. If you're not a big time griller, that means that I just literally sprinkled it on an rubbed it in the meat by hand. I rubbed on a little olive oil first though, so it would stick on well.

I let the steaks sit out for around 20 minutes. That gives the rub time to kind of season up on the steaks and also lets the meat warm up a bit. A cold steak on a grill is likely to stick, although the olive oil helps a bit. It's always best to let the meat rest and come closer to room temperature when grilling.

Tatonka Dust does not look like any other rubs I use. It's much darker. It literally looks kind of like rich potting soil. Don't let this scare you. Beef grills up darker, so the dark color of the rub just gives it a rich color.

Don't let the darker cooler fool you on done-ness though. If you like medium, press the tongs lightly on the meat. It should feel like the webbed part between your thumb and pointer finger. I found it a little harder to eyeball with the darker rub, but I could "feel" it with my tongs.

When we sat down to eat, we kind of had an idea as to what Tatonka Dust would taste like due to the test run on the sausages. It was even better on the steaks which is what the rub was designed to enhance.

These were some of our favorite steaks. The Tatonka Dust has a rich flavor that goes just right with the steak. I can't really give you a comparison to something else, because this is really a unique grilling rub that does not taste like any of the run-of-the-mill rubs. It's robust but not overpowering and not hot.

I always hesitate to use a new product or in a new way for a special occasion, but Tatonka Dust met the challenge. It drew thumbs up around the table. I always check with my crew (although I give my own thoughts as well). I consider better than half decent, but a full round of thumbs up is an excellent product.

When I first posted about Tatonka Dust, it was not on the market - but very close. Folks are in luck now. Tatonka Dust has rolled out, and you can get it online. If you are looking to jazz up your beef on the grill or in the smoker, then this is a rub that stands out. It does not taste like any of the other rubs I've tried out, and I've tried a ton I think. The flavor is unique and really nice.