So I tried Central Barbecue while I was up in Memphis a few weeks ago and it was good, but I still think Germantown Commissary is the reigning champion.

I could taste more smoke in the Commissary's barbecue than I could in Central's. Actually, I couldn't really taste that much smoke in Central's. Maybe it was just the batch I got though. Nevertheless, it was still some great barbecue.

Thank you very much for your suggestions CullenJ!

Glad you liked 'em, Marty. That's the coolest thing about barbecue - different strokes for different folks. The couple of times I've been to Germantown Commissary the ribs were too overdone for my taste.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Irish:
Got to remember that the vast majority of folks out there have no idea how to make good Q, nor are interested in doing it themselves, hence mediocre places do thriving business.

Way back when I saw their rub recipe I kinda just shook my head. Leave out all that paprika, all of the sugar and might as well just use salt, pepper and garlic powder if you want something simple. The paprika won't add anything to the flavor once it's spent all that time in the cooker and that's just to much sugar for me. And I like garlic powder more than onion powder.

Myself - I like a more complex rub than that. Paprika doesn't really do much for me in a rub.

I've come to assume that the reason paprika is added is as a filler (helps dilute the other seasonings) and for color. Overdone, I agree with others I've "heard" from that it gives the rub (after cooking) a mealy mouth-feel. But I've come to find that I like some paprika in my rubs. Not huge amounts but some. Don't have a good reason, probably color, but it works for me.