>tea rub vs. oil rub

Pioneering chef Daniel Patterson is currently in love with tea, and he puts it to good use in a number of appealing dishes. Ming Tsai is the original fan of tea rub.

A word of caution on tea rub:
While tea is an exciting flavoring agent for meat smoking and marinating, it makes less than ideal coating when subject to direct heat.

Tea leaves tend to burn quickly so it's only suitable for quick searing. Unless you are prepared for some post-grill scraping, try instead oil-rich ground sesame seed, pistachio, poppy seed or flaxseed when preparing a dry rub. The flavors of cracked spices you add to the rub dissolve in the oil and withstand the heat longer, and an appropriate amount of salt in the rub helps the meat surface to retain moisture.

A dry rub which stays on provides an insulation buffer for direct heat, and prevents the meat itself from drying out. In addition, the seeds mentioned above turn into crispy crust, adding a crunchy, edible, texture element to accompany the tender meat inside.