Our Smoked Tea Rub is a richly-flavored, MSG-free blend. Its signature ingredient is Lapsang Souchong, a brash, aromatic, strong black tea that gets its character from being smoked over a wood fire. It is also called tea rub.

While most teas go through a more gentle drying process and are laid out over mesh or gauze to air-dry, Lapsang Souchong is aggressively dried over a wood fire. During this complex drying process the leaves are placed in a bamboo basket and allowed to partially wither before rolling, which allows the tea to open and absorb more flavors, and fired over wood. The tea leaves are then expertly stored to allow them to ferment. After fermentation, they are rolled and roasted again over a wood fire, which then stops their internal processing.

Smoked Tea Rub is popular with independent spice shops; olive oil shops; seasoning companies; barbecue restaurants; and bed and breakfasts.

Flavor Profile 

Smoked Tea Rub tastes sweet, salty, and smoky, and finishes with a slight crunch of sesame seeds.

How to Use

Smoked Tea Rub is great for hearty meats; use it in Stuffed Pork Loin Roast, or on oven-baked ribs. Toss with sirloin and sear for a beef-and-broccoli stir fry. Rub on duck or dark-meat game birds, like quail or pheasant. Smoked Tea Rub can be swapped in when making Mushroom Risotto, or to flavor udon noodle soup. Add it to ground beef to make Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers. It is excellent in Chinese wontons, like these Smoky Pork Wontons in Sichuan Red Chile Oil. 

Use Smoked Tea Rub on omelets, popcorn, chicken, eggs, bacon, quiche, smoked salmon, savory jellies and jams, gazpacho, vegan carrot “hot dogs”, on baked winter squash, or in compound butter.