Smokes Seasoning Cherry Chipotle is a sweet, smoky and savoury BBQ rub with a clear cherry note, a slightly tart edge and a noticeable chipotle kick. It is built around sugar, salt and spices, with chipotle, garlic, onion, smoke flavour and citric acid adding smoky heat, savoury depth and enough acidity to keep the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. The cherry character is quite pronounced, and the finished rub develops a deep red colour and dark bark particularly well on ribs and chicken.
The formulation is a little different from a standard sweet BBQ rub. The cherry character comes from the flavouring system rather than dried cherry fruit, while beetroot powder contributes to the rich red colour. Chipotle is made from smoke-dried jalapeños, so its heat arrives with an earthy, smoky character rather than tasting like straight chilli powder. Citric acid adds the slight sour edge that helps balance the sugar and fruit flavour.
This is particularly well suited to pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork belly and chicken. Richer pork cuts can carry the sweetness while the chipotle and acidity stop the flavour becoming overly sugary; on chicken thighs, wings and drumsticks, the cherry and smoke come through strongly without needing an all-day cook. It can also be used on beef ribs when you deliberately want a sweeter, fruit-led BBQ profile rather than a traditional pepper-heavy beef rub.
Flavour Profile
Sweet and cherry-forward: Sugar is the first ingredient, giving the rub a definite sweet BBQ base with a distinctive cherry flavour rather than just a background fruit note.
Smoky chipotle heat: Chipotle and added smoke flavour give it a deeper smoke character with a 3/5 heat rating on the pack. The chilli is noticeable, but there is plenty of sweetness around it.
Savoury underneath: Salt, garlic, onion, spices and parsley give the blend enough savoury seasoning to work as more than a sweet glaze-style rub.
Slightly tart: Citric acid provides a small acidic edge that brightens the cherry flavour and balances the sugar.
Best Used On
| Food or cut | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Pork ribs | Probably the strongest match. The sugar and cherry suit pork naturally, while chipotle and smoke add contrast to the richness and help produce a dark, red-toned bark. |
| Pork shoulder / pulled pork | A long cook gives the seasoning time to build a pronounced outer bark while the sweet-smoky flavour stands up to rich pulled pork. |
| Pork belly and burnt ends | The fruit, sugar and chilli work particularly well against fatty pork. Keep an eye on heat when finishing or glazing. |
| Chicken thighs and drumsticks | Dark chicken meat handles the sweetness and chipotle well, especially smoked, roasted or cooked indirectly over charcoal. |
| Chicken wings | Good when you want sweet heat rather than a purely savoury wing rub. Manage direct heat carefully because of the sugar content. |
| Beef ribs | A useful secondary choice when you want cherry, smoke and chilli rather than a classic salt-and-pepper beef profile. |
For an everyday use, a lighter coating can also work on roast potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato or corn. Because this is a sugar-forward seasoning, moderate oven or indirect BBQ heat is more forgiving than prolonged exposure to very high direct heat.
How to Use
Shake the bottle well first to loosen any seasoning that has settled or formed clumps.
Apply the Cherry Chipotle generously using a side-to-side fanning motion so you get an even coating. Allow it to sit on the meat for 5–7 minutes, then turn the meat over and repeat on the other side. Season the edges and sides as well rather than concentrating only on the top surface.
No separate binder is required for this method. The short resting period allows surface moisture from the meat to begin hydrating the rub and helps it stay in place before cooking.
Cooking Tips
Low and Slow
Ribs, pork shoulder, pork belly and other longer cooks are where this rub makes the most sense. The sugar-rich coating contributes sweetness, browning and bark as the surface dries and cooks, while the chipotle, smoke flavour and cherry remain noticeable against richer meat.
Smoke or cook indirectly as you normally would and give the rub time to set before handling, wrapping or saucing.
Hot and Fast
You can use Cherry Chipotle on chops, wings and smaller chicken pieces, but avoid leaving the seasoned surface directly over fierce heat for extended periods. Sugar-heavy rubs can darken and burn quickly over sear burners or very hot charcoal. A two-zone setup works well: cook predominantly over indirect or moderate heat, then finish carefully if you want extra colour.
Adding BBQ Sauce
Let the rub set and develop colour before adding sauce. If you are using a sweet BBQ sauce or glaze, apply it towards the end of the cook rather than from the beginning; high-sugar sauces can burn when exposed to barbecue heat for too long. Around the final 10–15 minutes is a useful general guide for a sugary finishing sauce.
A tangier or less-sweet sauce is a good match if you want the cherry and chipotle in the rub to remain the main flavour.
Ingredients & Allergens
Ingredients: Sugar, spices, salt, chipotle, beetroot powder, garlic, onion, artificial flavour, citric acid, canola oil, silicon dioxide, smoke flavour, parsley, ethoxyquin.
Allergen statement: May contain traces of gluten (wheat), soy, milk and peanuts.
Nutrition Information
Servings per pack: 20
Serving size: 11.5 g
| Per serve | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 134 kJ | 1163 kJ |
| Protein | Less than 1 g | 4.6 g |
| Fat, total | 1.4 g | 12 g |
| Saturated fat | Less than 1 g | Less than 1 g |
| Carbohydrate, total | 7 g | 61.4 g |
| Sodium | 1014 mg | 8815 mg |
Storage
Keep the shaker tightly closed in a cool, dry cupboard away from direct sunlight, heat and steam. Avoid shaking it directly over steaming food, as moisture getting into a sugar-based rub encourages clumping and can reduce quality. Refrigeration is not required for a dry seasoning blend.
If the seasoning has settled or clumped in the bottle, shake it thoroughly before use.
Product Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Brand | Smokes Seasoning + Rubs |
| Product | Cherry Chipotle BBQ Rub & Everyday Seasoning |
| Net weight | 230 g |
| Heat index | 3/5 |
| Servings | 20 |
| Serving size | 11.5 g |
| Best on | Pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork belly, chicken thighs, wings and drumsticks |
| Style | Sweet, smoky, savoury, cherry-forward and slightly tart |
| Packaging | Shaker bottle |
| Origin | Crafted in Alberta, Canada; packaged in Australia from imported ingredients |
FAQs
Is Smokes Cherry Chipotle very hot?
It carries a 3/5 heat rating, so expect a definite chilli presence rather than a mild seasoning. The sweetness, cherry flavour and smoke sit alongside the chipotle, rather than the rub being built purely around heat.
Why does the meat turn such a deep red colour?
Beetroot powder naturally contains red pigments, while the seasoning itself is already strongly coloured. As the rub cooks, the sugars and meat surface also darken, giving ribs and chicken a deeper red-to-mahogany finish rather than a pale seasoning crust.
Do I need mustard or another binder?
No. Apply the rub directly to the meat, leave it for 5–7 minutes, then turn and season the remaining surfaces. A binder is optional rather than necessary.
Why has the rub formed small clumps?
Dry spice blends containing sugar can pick up moisture from humid air or steam. Shake the bottle firmly to break up loose clumps and keep it tightly closed in a dry cupboard between uses.
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