Raptor Rubs - 5-Spice BBQ Pork Rub product reviews

Coming into BBQ season I was excited to try this 5 Spice BBQ Pork rub. As someone who is currently following a gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, low salt and all that jazz diet, the ingredients and no preservatives or artificial additives was really appealing. Normally I would have used this on some pork chops (as the title might have alluded to) but as I had bought chicken drumsticks decided to use on these instead. Plus the back of the packet did say it paired well with chicken as well so here we are.

The whole packet coated around 12-14 drums nicely and I managed to cook them in the oven without all the seasoning coming off or burning them which is a pretty big bonus for me. Taste-wise I found them pretty delicious and could taste the 5 spice which surprisingly did go well with the chicken. I could definitely feel a little heat too but thought it was on the right level that accompanied the spice mixture.

I took these around to a friends house and they all approved as well so it's a thumbs up from me. So overall I would say if you are looking for a flavourful rub (I'm still tasting it in my mouth hours later) then would recommend giving it a try.

My household are huge meat eaters and enjoy trying a variety of meals. So when the Raptor Rubs meal rubs arrived I was excited to try them. One of my favourite meals is pork chops, so I was excited to experiment with the 5-Spice BBQ Pork Rub on my chops.

The packaging is simple and bright pink - I loved that it was in a soft packet that is recyclable. When opening the packet the aroma fills your kitchen. The spices are so very pleasant and I was excited from the very first moment. I was slightly concerned the rub would be too spicy for my family, but once cooked the meat had a spicy hint but nothing too overwhelming - even for the children. The cooking of the meat was easy, and I was glad to see the rub did not get easily burnt like some rubs I have tried. The flavour was delicious, and the smell was so very aromatic.

Noticing the Raptor Rubs have no artificial flavours, colour or preservatives is also a great selling point for me. I always try to eat natural foods as much as possible, so not having to worry about this made cooking easy and enjoyable.

Our household loves to eat meals that have delicious flavours, but we find that finding a spice mix that suits each member of the family can be tricky. I had seen some reviews and articles about the Raptor Naturals range of Herb & Spice rubs, all were positive so while browsing KIWIreviews I jumped at the chance to put my request in. Pork is one of our favourite meats so decided I would request this 5 Spice BBQ Pork rub, I was thrilled to see a packet included in my review box.

The packet appearance is pretty simplistic, but still very eye-catching with its vibrant pink background and bold text. The Raptor Naturals logo is clear and positioned at the top, while there is no mistaking this product is a Herb & Spice Rub. This product is Gluten Free, has no MSG, and is made right here in NZ. According to the front of the packet this should serve 4, I decided to experiment with the rub on our pork chops. I followed the directions by drizzling some oil over each chop, sprinkled 2 teaspoons of rub on each, then rubbed all over the meat. After letting the rub rest on the meat for a while, it was time to cook. The smell of the rub mix is delicious, my mouth was salivating but I couldn't quite work out which scent was the strongest, I thought possibly the smoked paprika or the Szechuan pepper.

When it came time to try the pork chop my children commented on the yummy smell of the meat, as usual I cut the meat off the bone for them, but it practically fell off the bone it was that tender. The pork was devoured quicker than usual, and there were requests for more - so I guess it was a winner with the kids. I decided to see if I felt the same way about the flavour, the pork chop was delicious and there was a definite BBQ flavour, all the herbs and spices worked well together and there was no flavour that overpowered the others.

I look forward to buying more of this product and using it in different ways, next we will try doing pulled pork wraps. This flavour rub is certainly a winner in our household, eager to try the other flavours available in the range.

I have never tried any of the Raptor Natural range before but had heard so many great stories about their rubs so was very excited to try them. This bbq pork rub appealed the most to me as I love the sweetness and spice of a traditional bbq pork especially sticky pork ribs done on the bbq and it would truly be my husband and sons favourite too! Making your own sticky rub can be quite finicky and time consuming so we dont' have it often so this excited me if it was something I could just have in the cupboard to coat the pork in quickly with no messing around.

It turned out that this was exactly true, I had some boneless pork belly slices and all I needed to do was put a little bit of oil over them shake the spice rub over rub it into the meat and leave it to sit for a while before cooking them on the bbq. The aroma coming from the meat both while it was marinating and cooking was very much what I would expect from bbq pork with the sweetness from the maple and spices like fennel and paprika filling the air as it cooked away.

Eating the pork when it was cooked I can confirm the flavour was spot on definitely a bbq pork, though I think I may add a little of my own maple syrup or honey in future so they get that beautiful sticky glaze you expect from bbq pork ribs. The packet was the perfect size for us to coat our pork slices and I will definitely get this spice rub again in the future, the individual packet size is great for us and very convenient. A meal the whole family enjoyed and are looking forward to having again in the future.

I love exploring new flavours and easy to use is a big plus in my book. I had heard about these Raptor Rubs, but all of them sounded really nice so I hadn't decided which to purchase, so when I saw these come up for review, I jumped at the chance and was really lucky to receive not one, but two different rubs to try. This was the second of the two that I received.

What first appealed to me about the rubs was that they are trying to be natural and flavoursome and also that these are blended and made here in New Zealand. The creator of them (Rachael) had a simple idea of creating easy to use, full of flavour but no unnecessary additives..

The 5 spice flavour states is it good with pork, but also states it could work well with chicken, fish, tofu and pumpkin. I decided to try it with something completely different - jackfruit - a non meat alternative that has a texture not unlike pulled pork. Typically jackfruit is a bit sweeter when eaten, so I thought the maple powder and coconut sugar might go nicely alongside the paprika and kick of (hopefully) chipotle.

I cooked up the jackfruit like a would normally, and add the spices rub liberally into the mix, allowing it to soak in. There was no need for oil as there is enough liquid in the jackfruit to mix nicely. You could smell the garlic and ginger as well as the paprika, so I was a bit worried that the kids wouldn't like it, but I didn't need to be. They commented that it was a flavour they hadn't tried before, but being that it is on the sweeter side with only a hint of chipotle they all approved. I personally would like a bit stronger paprika and chipotle flavour - but, as a family flavouring it is great!

I would buy this again, as it has a lovely flavour, and all 3 of the kids enjoyed it - so definitely a win here. I am enthusiastic to try the other flavours as well, as these are a great, easy, tasty, good for you addition to a lot of different options to make interesting meals.

My husband is a huge fan of rubs and sauces that add flavour to food. Hes always trying new flavours and spicier the better for him. As the kids are not a fan of this spice I left this tasting up to hubby.

He looked at the packet and after a few mmm's he wanted to try it for dinner. He asked what we were having and when I responded steak he was a little disappointed then responded still could work, give it a go. I took the packet and started reading. On reading further information on what meats it would be suitable, on there was no beef. I questioned his decision but he assured me he wanted to try it.

Following the easy to follow instructions laid out clearly on the back of the packet I soon had a portion of steak sitting soaking in the flavours. It was very easy to rub in and spread evenly. Hubby commented on the smell - "cinnamon, nutmeg, mmm" he said then proceeded to add more rub to the steak. I cooked the steak on the skillet. The rub stayed on the steak well and didn't tend to burn as some do.

Next, the test, I served up dinner and hubby dug in. After a couple of bites, he stopped and looked at the packet. "It's not very hot, it says medium but I don't think it is," he responded. I took a bite, and agreed that it wasn't very spicy. After finishing off dinner I asked him what he thought. "It was ok, could have been spicier but we can do it again, maybe with pork sliders." That is an option but at $9.99 a shaker or $19.99 for the large catering pouch and the amount he would use each time I'm not sure if it will be a product that finds it's way into our pantry.

I adore Mad Mex's Naked Burrito's - so, as soon I saw this product I already had a plan formulating as to what I planned on doing. Buying some Pork Loin Steaks I cut the fat off for grilling into the yummiest crackle you have ever had and sprinkled salt on it. Once the steaks were fat free I put into an tray and covered it with the Raptor Seasoning giving it a good covering and sprinkling it everywhere and put aside while I prepared the rest of the meal. I diced up tomatoes and onion and placed to one side while I chopped up some lettuce and grated some cheese. The Avocado unfortunately was not ripe enough as my daughter can confirm so we missed out on that element but put some rice on to cook and seasoned it.

After everything was chopped and ready to go, which was only about 20 minutes - I fried up the pork steaks. I didn't think their was too much aroma personally as I didn't detect it but when the girls and husband came up for dinner they all commented about the yummy smell coming from the kitchen. I gave the steaks a sniff and I could faintly detect the cinnamon and nutmeg and it smelt rather smokey - later I realised it was Chinese Five Spice. The steaks browned up nicely and you could see the coating on them. I took a small bite and I noticed the difference right away.

Dishing the meal up I put all the salads under the meat and added the rice to the sides. This worked perfectly while eating as you just mixed everything up and it tasted so fresh and yummy. My husband did comment that I should of added apple as he think it would of put it into the next level. Personally I think it was great just the way it was although next time I would add some sour cream to the mixture.

The rub itself is so simple to use and does help add a new taste to the meal as I find sometimes pork can be rather bland without the right seasoning to it. It was a winner with everyone and as my girls have not experienced the naked burrito before I was shocked when my eldest said this would be great as a wrap it has all the ingredients - but admitted she liked this version just as much.

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Ethically, my mother's side comes from the Caribbean. As such, you would expect me to be a huge fan of and expert in the use of meat rubs (Jamaican Jerk Chicken anyone?). In reality, the opposite is true. While I'm picky in the foods I will eat, I can generally eat them in any form, and my laziness will often mean it ends up as the most basic form possible. A quick fry of meat with a sprinkling of salt is all I require to be content (I don't even need sides.

So rubs have never been an item that I've frequently used. I've had pre-marinated food, and I was impressed by those flavours, but the prep time to do it myself is something that would prevent me from doing it. That is, however, the upside in a rub. It depends on the variety of course, but one can typically apply a rub to a lump of meat in less time than it takes for the skillet to heat up. That is the case here.

Barely bigger than a sachet of brown sugar, the single servings of Raptor Rubs are very easy to store and require no thinking when it comes to how much you may need for a meal. I had a chunk of roast lamb waiting to be cooked, and as the skillet heated up, I added a couple of teaspoons of oil to the meat, gave a liberal sprinkling of this sachet of 5 Spice Pork Rub, and...well I massaged the rub into the meat. The sachet is made of paper, which made it incredibly easy to open (no need for scissors). and when you open the pack the rub itself is quite fragrant.

With a treasure trove of ingredients including Natural Coconut Sugar, Ginger, Garlic, Fennel, Organic NZ Kosher Sea Salt, Chipotle, Spanish Smoked Paprika, Cumin Seeds, Tomato Flakes, Onion, Cracked Black Pepper, Spices and Maple Powder, there seem like far more than 5 spices, and I had no idea what flavour this accumulation of ingredients would converge to create. Very strong in colour, my hands were a dark orange colour after rubbing it into the meat, but it cleaned off of the hands with ease, without staining.

Easy to apply and spread, I was impressed to see that when the meat was put into a hot skillet and left for an extended length of time, the rub didn't burn at all. Eventually, it did begin to char, but it never burnt which is something my poor cooking skills have found to happen frequently with other rubs. Having fully seared the large chunk of meat, I popped it uncovered in the oven to cook through, and still, nothing burned.

The flavour of the 5 spice ended up being quite interesting. It ended up with a similar flavour to that of cajun seasoning (likely from the cumin, onion, chipotle, ginger, garlic, and paprika), but it lacked the spicy heat that is usually associated with cajun flavours. Instead of the heat, the flavour was much smoother, mellower, and a little sweeter (a product of the sweet woodsy flavour in the maple powder).

Easy to use, small and easy to store, the big determining factor on whether this would become a frequent ingredient would come down to its price-point.

In our household, we are all about food with flavour. Gone are the days where I would simply pop some meat to roast in the oven or grill meat plain, now we love to marinade, infuse and rub flavour into food to give it the extra flavour edge. Having been lucky enough to try some of Raptor Naturals' products before, I knew that there new range of spice rubs would be perfect for us, and I was really excited to see this 5 Spice BBQ flavour, as it is one which I haven't really experimented with too much before.

The pack is a single-use sachet which is great if you are looking for something to take camping or to the bach to not take up much room. Being a herb and spice rub, the one pack contains all that you need to flavour, meaning that you don't need to buy or take all of the individual ingredients separately, and it is already balanced for you, taking all of the guess-work out of flavouring your food. The packet comes with really simple cooking instructions on the back- simply oil, rub in and then cook. I decided that, given how simple it seemed I would really put it to the test, so I'd let my 4 year old help me with the preparation. Even she could use it exactly as instructed with a little supervision, meaning that this rub would be perfect for even the most novice chef.

We had some pork steaks and chops in the freezer, so I decided that this rub would be perfect for them. After rubbing in and leaving to marinate for a little longer than the pack suggested (approximately 3 hours) we popped the pork on the barbecue to really enhance the smoky flavour. The flavour was delicious. Slightly more tex-mex than I was expecting, but the Chinese five-spice still shone through for a delightful twist. I finished off the steaks with a glaze of honey for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, and this really helped to enhance the flavour from the mix. Whilst there was a little heat, it certainly wasn't enough to put off either of my two kids, creating the perfect family-friendly meal in a flash.

What a little packet, but what flavour it produces. Easy to use, perfectly balanced and easy to transport, the perfect solution for so many holiday dramas. Suitable for the whole family in terms of size and flavour, we will be adding these to our list this Summer.

I love a good five spice mix although every new brand is quite different from the last. Suffice to say that I like them all! We had been given a slab of wild pork which both of us thought would be ideal to cook in the slow cooker with the 5 Spice BBQ Pork rub, so we prepared it first thing in the morning and left it chugging away all day on a low setting. Although it was a hot day, and all the windows were open, the aroma of the cooking meat filled the kitchen and followed us out to the garden!

When the time came to serve it, the result was mouth-watering - fragrant and juicy, and so tender that the occasional bone just fell out when we lifted the cooked meat from the pan. We had not been quite sure about how much spice to use, so had ended up putting the entire packet in - but it turned out that these proportions were just right. Any more would have been overwhelming so I was delighted at the outcome. There was some left over; this was frozen for another dinner. A week later we defrosted and reheated the remaining meat; we were pleased to find that it had lost none of its potency - an important point as it is not always possible to prepare a meal in a slow cooker when away from home.

Because there were only two of us to evaluate the effectiveness of the spice, we served the meat with a different range of vegetables on each occasion. The first time round, we added mashed potatoes, tomatoes and spring onions; the second time, we served it with black rice and stir-fried vegetables. On balance, we preferred the second selection - possibly because it seemed to be more in the Oriental tradition, although I doubt that it mattered too much. The meat on both occasions was delicious!

There was a piquant aftertaste to the meat when we bit into it - no doubt due to the chipotle and various peppers included. However, the dominant tastes were those of fennel and star anise, both flavours that I am very partial to. It is amazing how different meat becomes when it is enhanced by carefully selected spices; a plain meal suddenly becomes a gourmet feast. Raptor's combination of spices is one of the nicest we have tried, and one which we will look forward to trying again with a different meat dish.