Berbere — the Ethiopian Spice Blend for BBQ | The Rub Kitchen
Berbere is one of the world's most complex and distinctive spice blends — the backbone of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It combines the heat of dried chilies with the warmth of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, the earthiness of cumin and coriander, and the slight bitterness of fenugreek. There is no standard recipe: every Ethiopian family has its own proportions, kept as a family secret. But the building blocks are always the same.
What is berbere?
Berbere (pronounced: BER-be-reh) is an Ethiopian dry spice mix — similar in function to ras el hanout (Morocco), baharat (Middle East), or garam masala (India), but with its own unmistakable profile. It is used as a dry rub, as a base for sauces (awaze), as a stew spice, and as a marinade ingredient.
On the BBQ, berbere works excellently as a dry rub on lamb, beef, and chicken — the combination of heat and warm spices caramelizes beautifully at high heat and gives a complex, aromatic crust.
Ingredients of berbere
Typical ingredients — proportions vary per recipe:
- Dried red chilies — the base and the heat. Traditionally Ethiopian chilies; replaceable with cayenne pepper + guajillo or ancho.
- Fenugreek — slightly bitter, characteristic of berbere. Adds depth.
- Coriander — ground coriander seeds
- Black cardamom — smoky and camphor-like — different from green cardamom
- Allspice
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Ginger — dried
- Black pepper
- Cumin
- Sometimes: rose petals, ajwain, nigella
Making your own berbere — basic recipe
For approximately 50g of berbere:
- 4 tsp dried red pepper (or 2 tsp cayenne + 2 tsp paprika powder)
- 1 tsp fenugreek (ground)
- 1 tsp coriander (ground)
- 1 tsp cumin (ground)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ginger (dried)
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp black cardamom
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Method: dry roast the whole spices in a pan until fragrant. Let cool and grind finely. Mix all ground spices. Store in an airtight jar, cool and dark — lasts 3 months.
Berbere as a BBQ rub
- Lamb — the best combination. Rub lamb chops or lamb shoulder with berbere + salt, let rest for 1 hour, and grill over direct heat.
- Chicken — berbere on chicken thighs, with a splash of lemon juice as a binder. Marinate for 2–4 hours, then cook indirectly and finish over high heat.
- Beef — berbere on bavette or flank steak — grill quickly and hot for a thin, flavored crust.
- Watch the heat — berbere can be intense. Start with a thin layer and taste. Add more to your liking.
Awaze — berbere as a paste
Awaze is berbere mixed with oil, vinegar, and sometimes wine or beer to form a thick paste. For the BBQ: mix 2 tbsp berbere with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and a dash of water — immediately usable as a marinade.
Where to buy berbere ingredients in the Netherlands?
The special spices in berbere are not found in every supermarket, but are readily available in the Netherlands via:
- Fenugreek — Turkish supermarket, Asian supermarket, Ekoplaza, or online. Available as whole seeds (grind yourself) or ground.
- Black cardamom — Indian toko, Surinamese supermarket (e.g., Ganeshwinkel), or online. Not to be confused with green cardamom — very different in taste.
- Allspice — regular supermarket (AH, Jumbo) — often listed as “piment” or “allspice” in the spice aisle.
- Dried guajillo or ancho peppers (as an alternative to Ethiopian peppers) — Mexican or Latin American toko, or online.
- Ready-made berbere — Amazing Oriental, online Ethiopian webshops, or specialty stores. Quality varies greatly — read the ingredient list.