We are real people that took a single product and grew it into a small family business. We love making our dry rub products for our devoted customers, and we love that our little business has grown to the point that not only does it support us, but our employees as well.
While we have tough days at work like everyone else, we are truly grateful for all of our blessings. As it says on every one of our packages, we hope that every time you use Char Crust® dry rub seasonings, you too will "enjoy and eat well!"
Susan & Bernie
"Want succulent lamb chops? Sprinkle them with Char Crust. If it's delicious steak your after, sprinkle with C.C., and they turn out perfect every time... no need to charcoal any more... Perfect meat every time!"
- Jas G., Niceville, FL
Time and time again, customers tell us that Char Crust® dry rub seasoning instantly makes them look like a fabulous chef. Check out our recipes for some great ideas... more »
My dad's legendary Chicago steakhouse, Al Farber's, is where it all started in 1957. Thick prime steaks with sizzling charred crusts, bursting with juicy flavor, were the signature of our restaurant. When diners would literally beg to take our seasonings home, we knew we had a winner! That time and those flavors are captured in our two original dry rubs: Original Hickory Grilled and Roto Roast.
After Dad retired and closed the restaurant in 1977, we continued to make Char Crust® and Roto Roast dry rub seasoning, selling them to many restaurants in Chicago. Soon, as chefs took jobs in other cities, they took our dry rubs with them, and next thing you know, they were being used in restaurants all over the country.
My father passed away in 1991, right around the time I met my future wife, Susan. On one of our first dates, I cooked chicken breast with Char Crust® dry rub for her, and she was won over. Who knew that the way to a woman's heart was through her stomach! Within a year, we began working in earnest to build the brand of Char Crust®.
Have you ever brought a plastic bag or Tupperware® to a restaurant, asking to take home a special spice or sauce? No? I didn't think so. Well an incredible number of our restaurant customers told us that their customers were doing exactly that. This inspired us to add three new flavors and introduce our retail line in 1998. It was an immediate hit! Today, our Char Crust dry rubs can be bought in every state of the country and in Canada.
Over the years we've added delicious new flavors to be used on all meats, fish, and even vegetables. But we still make our dry rubs like my father Nathan did... in small batches with only the best herbs and spices. And of course, only Char Crust® "Seals in the Juices!®"
Enjoy and eat well!
Bernard Silver & Susan Eriksen
(Mr. & Mrs. Char Crust)
A Char Crust demonstation at the venerable Marshall Field's department store. Chicago, Illinois, 1960.
This is Lauren Pesca, our fabulous office manager. And no, that's not her dog, just a friendly pooch she met while traveling in Ireland. Lauren's dog is even cuter. Of course.