<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Webb Collings:
[qb]The use of "Accent" or MSG is generally scorned in cooking circles. It is best known for its use by bad Chinese restaurants.
Similar amino acids are found in naturally occuring food products like soy sauce. Scientists are not completely sure why it works as a flavor enhancer, but the suspicion is that the chemical stimulates nerve receptors in the tongue in some fashion.
I doubt that it would do any lasting harm nor effect the taste of ribs in any meaningful way, but some people are mildly allergic to it (headaches, etc) depending on the dosage and many people like to avoid it. For example, it is not uncommon for better Chinese restaurants to print "NO MSG" on their menus these days.
The FDA has done numerous studies and concluded that MSG presents no particular health risk to most people in the kind of levels contained in typical foods, but they do require MSG labeling on prepared foods.
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/msg.html
Better, I think, to achieve flavor through good ingredients, effective seasoning, and appropriate cooking techniques. I don't think anyone will complain about your ribs if you leave out the MSG.
BTW, just as a side note: don't feel like you have to be a slave to every detail of a recipe for a rub or a sauce. There are as many variations on rub mixtures as there are cooks in the world. For example, if you have plain old iodized table salt, don't feel like you have to make a special trip to the store. Big deal.
That particular rub is primarily ancho chile based (good chili powder mostly ancho chile and cumin, although the grocery store stuff probably has a high percentage of less expensive chiles like paprika). I happen to think ancho/cumin is a very nice flavor for bar-b-q as well as being THE dominant seasoning flavor in "Southwestern" cuisine. I make my own chili powder and my own rub using freshly ground ancho chiles as the base.
My standard rub (which I stole from some bar-b-q book or another) has a good deal less sugar and salt, but some additional spices like thyme, allspice, cayenne, cinammon, sage, and mace. There are probably a gazillion other variations in between that will surely produce outstanding ribs.
Experiment. Rubs are very forgiving. So are bar-b-q sauces. My favorite is a fairly simple thin, puckery middle-Georgia style table sauce that is mostly cider vinegar, ketchup, and black pepper. I recently started adding a canned chipotle pepper to the sauce while it simmers and it definitely "kicked it up a notch" in depth of smoky flavor and interesting heat. My point is that my version has changed from the original recipe (less black pepper, more sugar, chipotle chile, a litle bit of my rub to tie the seasonings together, etc.). The experimenting is half the fun.
Heck, I went to make it the other day and we were out of ketchup, so I used mustard instead and ended up with the best South Carolina style sauce I've ever made (in many, many attempts).
[ 10-13-2001: Message edited by: Webb Collings ][/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks Webb,
I figured as much about the experimenting side of things, nice of you to confirm. I had to start somewhere as a benchmark, and this is the recipe that I chose. My Dad always taught me to learn from other people's mistakes; I'm also trying to learn from other people's successes. This is a relatively costly hobby both in time, and ingredients, hence all the rookie questions.
I'm leaving out the MSG and I will let you know how it goes.
For the record, I think this web site is fantastic and I'm very glad I bought the Bullet and can enjoy interfacing and learning from you fine people.
I hope to be qualified enough one day to contribute...
Cheers !
Marc
