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Looking for a more adventurous rub and sauce combo


 

PeterD

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi all,
I've tried a good variety of rubs this year and frankly none of them have really lit my fuse, so to speak, and invariably I find myself going back to BRITU. I've tried Jane's Butt Rub, Meathead's Magic Dust, Slap Yo Daddy and another one that had a bit too much cayenne in it for our tastes. Essentially the flavours are, I don't know, somewhat bland I guess is the best way to describe it.

For sauce, I've only been using KC Masterpiece mixed 4:1 with clover honey. I just bought some off-the-shelf SBR sauce but have yet to try it.

What I'm NOT looking for is heat, or at least not very much of it. Neither my wife nor I enjoy spicy-heat nor am I a huge fan of excessive garlic. I'm looking for a little bit of a pop (rather than a POW) when you bite into the ribs, and a flavour that stays with you (in a good way) long after the ribs have been devoured.

I tried one sauce (Sweet-and-hot from the Maverick 5-0 BBQ team) and found it quite good and will probably pick up a bottle soon, but I'd like to find some other options as well.

I've heard reference to Wolfe rub but I don't know where to find it; is it still available and does anybody else know of either a rub mixture or a commercial product that may bring my Q to life a little?

Thanks!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I've heard reference to Wolfe rub but I don't know where to find it; is it still available and does anybody else know of either a rub mixture or a commercial product that may bring my Q to life a little? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Larry no longer makes and sells rubs, but he will send you the recipes if you make a small donation to his charity.

I think if your looking for bold, you may want to gravitate away from sweet sauces. Sweet tends to obliterate other flavors. I make my own sauce with a more balanced sweet and sour.

there are some flavors that come through after a long cook, stick to those: peppercorns, dried oregano, onion, celery seed, cinnamon, clove, allspice, etc.

I've had good luck with a modified version of the many variation of the Rendezvous recipe that are all over the web. It can be bold if done right.
 
Also, make sure you are using quality ingredients. I can't think of a rub recipe that is any more shallow and one dimensional than BRITU, so I'm not really sure what you're looking for except that it's rather sweet and fairly flat. Ditto for KC which is already rather sweet - the honey makes it even sweeter - so perhaps start there, seeking sauces with substantial sweeteners (SBR's is one) and rubs with a hefty sugar base. Build with a little mild chile (skip the paprika), some pepper, granulated onion and a little garlic, an herb or two for vegetal notes, and one or more 'sweet' spices like allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove - in small quantities. A little white pepper for a little bite.
 
Peter,
You may find a good combo of rub and sauce by making your own with quality ingredients as Kevin suggests. There is quite a list of rubs in the recipe section. Look at the ones that interest you. Chart the ingredients. Add what you like, take out what you don't. There aren't many rules. I watched the restaurant chef cooking at home this morning. She didn't measure anything. My point is use common sense and you get there quickly then it is yours. Tweak as you like.
For sauce, if you like a tomato based one, N0.5 is so easy and it uses the rub you just made so it all works together. Have fun with it.

P.S. read the labels...the sauces are full of corn syrup....
 

 

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