Ribs: Mustard or Oil before apply rub?

[andrew j murphy]

I have always taken my Butt rub technique and applied the same philosophy when rubbing down pork ribs... and this always begins with a good coat of yellow mustard. I have recently read on this site that a small amount of oil should be used pre rub on ribs (instead of Mustard). It mentioned that the rub ingredients are oil soluble and therefore the oil helps the rub penetrate the meat.

So long question short: Pork Ribs pre-rub... Mustard or Oil?

Pros:?

Cons: ?

 

[Pat Smith]

I've done mustard, oil and nothing before applying the rub. I really think I like the nothing better. The only one of these three techniques I didn't like was the oil. I just didn't like the texture of the crust. Of course that could have been due to factors other than the oil such as temps or the meat itself.

Pat

 

[Branon S.]

The rub sticks to the meat just fine on it's own. By using oil you're slow frying the outside of the meat. Mustard is just an extra messy step. Add your rub and use the back of a metal spoon to rub the seasoning into the meat. It's quick and simple and prevents the rub from caking on your hands.

 

[j biesinger]

The claim that mustard helps the rub bind to the meat is lost on me. I find that handling the rubbed and uncooked meat is tough to do with out smearing some of the mustard/rub concoction.

I sprinkle rub on, wait a few minutes for the salt to draw out some moisture and reapply.

oil does nothing for me either. I think it changes the dynamics of cooking and alters the bark and rub characteristics.

simple seems better in this case.

 

[Dave Hutson]

This same topic was being addressed on the Texas BBQ Rub forum, where alot of guys like worcestershire as a pre rub douse. I agree strongly with the consensus here that using anything other than straight rub is a waste of time,money, and effort! Rub the meat , let it sit, and the salt in the rub will draw out moisture forming a paste, as our esteemed colleague from Buffalo has noted. You can play with stuff if you want, but it creates a HUGE mess in my opinion, with no appreciable taste return.