BUTCHERS AXE: Ranger Red Rub – 180g

Lead with the big red

Ranger is the sweet red rub the Butchers Axe crew reach for when they want colour and crowd-pleasing flavour in one shake. Built on layered sugars, paprika and honey powder, it lacquers up glossy and red on ribs and chicken and keeps the whole table coming back. When you're cooking for the troops, this one leads the way.

The flavour

Sweet and rounded up front — caster, raw and brown sugars with honey powder — then paprika brings warmth and that deep red colour. A savoury backbone of hydrolysed veg and spice stops it turning candy, so it finishes sweet-savoury with a gentle glow rather than real heat.

How to cook with it

• Rub pork ribs generously and cook low until the sugars set into a sticky, red-tinged crust.
• Dust chicken pieces and grill so the skin caramelises and colours up.
• Season a pork belly and roast slow for glossy, mahogany edges.
• Shake it over grilled corn or wedges for a sweet, smoky-red hit.

In the shaker

A rich brick-red blend with a fine-to-medium grind. High in sugar, so it melts and caramelises fast — keep it back from the fiercest direct heat and it rewards you with colour and shine.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: Salt, Caster Sugar, Spices, Raw Sugar, Brown Sugar, Flavour Enhancer 621, Dehydrated Vegetables, Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Honey Powder, Spice Extract Paprika 160c, Anti-caking Agents 551.

Dietary: No gluten-free claim is made; may contain traces of gluten, soy, milk, sesame, peanuts and tree nuts — always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Some call it a spice run. I call it Tuesday. Sugary rubs like this one scorch fast, so keep the ribs back off direct flame and let the colour build slow and glossy. Glaze them late with Taipan BBQ Competition Glaze for extra shine, then a few drops of Fancy Hanks Jalapeno & Peach Hot Sauce for the fruity finish.

FAQ

How hot is it? Mild — Ranger is sweet-led with only a gentle background warmth from paprika, not a chilli hit.

What's it best on? Pork ribs and belly, chicken, and beef where you want sweetness and red colour.

Is it gluten free? No gluten-free claim is made, and it may contain traces of gluten, soy, milk, sesame, peanuts and tree nuts — always check the physical label.

Where is it made? Made in Australia, in Melbourne.