I used to use so much rub on my briskets and butts that the meat literally would not hold any more rub. It would just fall right off the meat. Personally, I really enjoy the bold flavor of a lot of rub but many others that I cook for do not. My last several cooks I have been experimenting. I have done a few briskets and butts with just a dusting of rub (which I did not care for). I have done a few other briskets and butts with a moderate application of rub all with decent results but nothing exceptional good. I can’t seem to find the perfect ration of rub to meat. Is there some sort of ratio people use to find the amount of rub per pound of meat? Do you just eyeball it? Have I just desensitized my pallette and come to expect my BBQ to have alot of bold falvors? Or should I just keep on experimenting which is the best part!
How much rub is too much rub?
- Thread starter shawn244
- Start date
For butts I put as much rub on as I can get to stick to it. Use Mustard to help get more on. Once you pull it and mix it with the rest of the meat it helps add flavor.
With ribs, I'm generous, but its by no means caked on. I also use a low salt rub. Most rubs have too much salt for ribs, so you have to be careful that you don't end up with a salt lick.
With ribs, I'm generous, but its by no means caked on. I also use a low salt rub. Most rubs have too much salt for ribs, so you have to be careful that you don't end up with a salt lick.
After about the 10-12 hour mark on butts, I spritz with applejuice, and sprinkle on some more rub. I like a lot on butts also.
Kind of a hard question to answer, I don't have a set amount per pound. Just eye it up, and the amounts are even different pending what rub I am using that day.
Kind of a hard question to answer, I don't have a set amount per pound. Just eye it up, and the amounts are even different pending what rub I am using that day.
Off the top of my head its garlic & onion powder, worchestershire sc, olive oil and some rub if you want.
Use your imagination. Anything that you can think of that would compliment the meat. Compliment is the key. The injection is to add to the rub & smoke not over-take it.
Use your imagination. Anything that you can think of that would compliment the meat. Compliment is the key. The injection is to add to the rub & smoke not over-take it.
Chris Finney
TVWBB All-Star
I'm with Brian... a lot on butt and brisket (or any large cut), back way off for ribs.
David Payne
TVWBB Member
Personally, I don't ever add salt to rubs. You can do that at the table.
My Wifey will say the same thing, and I agree that you can do that, but I think it helps more to do it while cooking. I think it gets absorbed into the foods better while cooking.
Maybe one of our Chefs on the board can explain it better than I can. I know there are a few that can help!
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Quality ingredients can really make a difference. A rub made with all quality ingredients will have a better, fuller flavor than a rub made will less-than-stellar stuff. You can use less of a high quality mix and still get lots of flavor. For best (and most) flavor you can make your rub using whole spices toasting and grinding them just before use.
Paprika is a good example of a spice (in this case a chile pepper) where quality is particularly important--there are many sources for nearly tasteless paprika. Even the best are fairly subtle though. If that is what you're looking for fine, but get a good one. If you want a full chile flavor for your rubs there are better chilies than paprika. Cayenne has heat but not a lot of flavor. If it is only heat you seek, fine, but if you want heat and flavor there are better chilies to use. A good quality peppercorn will give you much better flavor ground fresh than pre-ground pepper of an inferior grade.
Originally posted by Bob T.: Maybe one of our Chefs on the board can explain it better than I can. I know there are a few that can help!
i'm not a chef but i did sleep at a holiday inn express last night. lol...
i think i read somewhere that salt and sugar act as agents opening the pores in the meat and drawing the rest of the spices in. can anyone confirm this?
Rick Soliman
TVWBB Pro
Shawn/Kevin
First Kevin is there is source for high quality spices that wont break the bank? I have been using Cuputo Spices from wisconsin corp. they are packed in half pound plastic bags and save me about 50% over spices from say Penzys. When making 3lbs of rub for competitions I can afford to use $100.00 worth of spices everytime. Dont get me wrong though I do understand your point. I do grow fresh herbs and chilis during the summer months and do appreciate a roasted ground fresh chilis.
Shawn.
I would continue to use everything you have learned from your expericences and do what you enjoy most. I relize we are on the same Q team however we practice in different parts of the state so we need this foum to explore and learn. I have had great luck reciently using mustard and packing about a 1/4 inch of rub on the pork shoulders I even add more rub after shreading. As for the ribs I only put a dusting on them. I feel that the bark created from a lot of rub grabs on to the meat and when you take a bite too much tears off. Also for your Brisket try using a Schmear instead of just rub I can give you my recipe if you email me. Good luck all
Rick
First Kevin is there is source for high quality spices that wont break the bank? I have been using Cuputo Spices from wisconsin corp. they are packed in half pound plastic bags and save me about 50% over spices from say Penzys. When making 3lbs of rub for competitions I can afford to use $100.00 worth of spices everytime. Dont get me wrong though I do understand your point. I do grow fresh herbs and chilis during the summer months and do appreciate a roasted ground fresh chilis.
Shawn.
I would continue to use everything you have learned from your expericences and do what you enjoy most. I relize we are on the same Q team however we practice in different parts of the state so we need this foum to explore and learn. I have had great luck reciently using mustard and packing about a 1/4 inch of rub on the pork shoulders I even add more rub after shreading. As for the ribs I only put a dusting on them. I feel that the bark created from a lot of rub grabs on to the meat and when you take a bite too much tears off. Also for your Brisket try using a Schmear instead of just rub I can give you my recipe if you email me. Good luck all
Rick
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Brian/Bob--
Salt will draw moisture to the surface of the meat. I make rubs without salt, salt the meat, allow it to get good and moist, and then apply the rub. The moisture allows the rub to stick. If I want more rub applied I just wait a little while for the first application to moisten and apply more rub over it. Salting the meat separately allows me to apply as much or as little rub as I want without worrying about the resulting salt level (which would be a concern if salt was included in the rub).
Technically, because of the moisture issue, salt can impede caramelization and one sees admonitions to avoid its use when caramelization is intended. Nonsense. Most of the time browning is achieved over high heat (pan-fried chicken breast or grilled-sirect steak, e.g.) that whatever delay might be caused by the salt is irrelevant or, in the case of low/slow cooking, with sufficient time so that caramelization will occur regardless.
Rick--
I'm not familiar with your source so I can't say. I use Penzey's because I like their quality so much and because I can get origin-specific herbs and spices (Turkish oregano, Sri Lankan or Vietnamese cinnamons, Sarawak white peppercorns, e.g., which is important to me as source differences can mean significant flavor differences) rather than just 'oregano', 'cinnamon' and 'white peppercorns'. It might be worth comparing a couple key ingredients from them with Caputo side by side and seeing if the difference(s)--if any--are enough to justify purchase of more expensive products. (If so, you might contact Penzey's directly--either their main facility or the store nearest you) to see if you can't negotiate a price break. (I'd try a store first, in person.)
The other thing to try, as noted above, is a substitution of more flavorful ingredients for those with less. Though I use paprika in some rubs it is more as a carrier than as a key flavor. For rubs where I want a significant chile component I use a blend of dried peppers which might include ancho, guajillo, cascabel, chiles de arbol, Aleppo, a few varieties of New Mexican, dundicuts, habs, jals, et. al. Some of these add heat too so I skip the cayenne.
My point is that, while playing with rub ingredients--in terms of quality or substitutions or both--you might very well develop recipes that have more of the flavor profile you seek that actually cost less because less quantities are used. This is very much what I've found in developing scores of rubs (for Q and not) over the years.
Salt will draw moisture to the surface of the meat. I make rubs without salt, salt the meat, allow it to get good and moist, and then apply the rub. The moisture allows the rub to stick. If I want more rub applied I just wait a little while for the first application to moisten and apply more rub over it. Salting the meat separately allows me to apply as much or as little rub as I want without worrying about the resulting salt level (which would be a concern if salt was included in the rub).
Technically, because of the moisture issue, salt can impede caramelization and one sees admonitions to avoid its use when caramelization is intended. Nonsense. Most of the time browning is achieved over high heat (pan-fried chicken breast or grilled-sirect steak, e.g.) that whatever delay might be caused by the salt is irrelevant or, in the case of low/slow cooking, with sufficient time so that caramelization will occur regardless.
Rick--
I'm not familiar with your source so I can't say. I use Penzey's because I like their quality so much and because I can get origin-specific herbs and spices (Turkish oregano, Sri Lankan or Vietnamese cinnamons, Sarawak white peppercorns, e.g., which is important to me as source differences can mean significant flavor differences) rather than just 'oregano', 'cinnamon' and 'white peppercorns'. It might be worth comparing a couple key ingredients from them with Caputo side by side and seeing if the difference(s)--if any--are enough to justify purchase of more expensive products. (If so, you might contact Penzey's directly--either their main facility or the store nearest you) to see if you can't negotiate a price break. (I'd try a store first, in person.)
The other thing to try, as noted above, is a substitution of more flavorful ingredients for those with less. Though I use paprika in some rubs it is more as a carrier than as a key flavor. For rubs where I want a significant chile component I use a blend of dried peppers which might include ancho, guajillo, cascabel, chiles de arbol, Aleppo, a few varieties of New Mexican, dundicuts, habs, jals, et. al. Some of these add heat too so I skip the cayenne.
My point is that, while playing with rub ingredients--in terms of quality or substitutions or both--you might very well develop recipes that have more of the flavor profile you seek that actually cost less because less quantities are used. This is very much what I've found in developing scores of rubs (for Q and not) over the years.
M D Baldwin
TVWBB Super Fan
When I do a Butt or Brisket the first thing I do is coat the meat w/ Worchestershire Sauce (Lea and Perrins the only one to use). Then I put my homemade rub all over the meat. I do this about 24 hours before hitting the smoker, turning it every 8 hours or so.