To Rub or Not To Rub.........


 
B

Bill C. (Cappy)

TVWBB Member
Do you always use a rub? Do you not use a rub and use a sauce instead? And last but not least how much is to much rub?

I know alot of questions packed into a small post!
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I make my own rub and use it always. The rub usually compliments the flavor of the meat. In my opinion, sauce hides the flavor, but this is a personal preference. How much is too much? After a few smokes under your belt, you'll know.
 
Yeah, I always rub. Like Bruce, I think it complements the meat and I also think it helps build a better bark.

I will sometimes sauce, depends on my mood. If I do, I'll only add a light coat during the last half hour or so of cooking. That's ribs. For PP, I'll add a light finishing sauce after I've pulled.

Too much ... hmm. You don't want it caked on. I want a nice even, very light coat.
 
1) Backing up, what are you cooking?
2) As the guys above have noted, a rub usually enhances bark.
3) Some people forego rub on beef (brisket) for a simple salt & pepper. Matter of taste.
4) Most rub pork as it can be bland even after smoking.

My 1 cent.

James
 
I have been going lighter on the rubs and have had better results, not a sauce guy when eating fresh off the smoker. I like sauce on leftovers though.
 
To make an analogy, would you prefer a burger that has been salt and peppered, or one that has no seasoning at all? Even with ketchup on it, the salt/pepper-free burger just isn't going to taste that great.
Rubs/seasoning enhance the flavor of the meat and become an integral element of the flavor (and texture/bark) of your bbq. Sauce can further support/enhance the final product, should you so chose.
I prefer to make my own salt-free rubs, per Kevin Kruger's suggestion. Salt the meat first, then add the rub. This way you can make sure the meat isn't oversalted.
 
Once again I would say that I cater to my audience. The vast bulk of people think of ribs as slathered in sticky sauce and pulled pork as being essentially boiled in a sauce.

My general rule is that I rub ribs sparingly if I know I'm going to sauce. I tend to thin out the sauce with apple cider and cider vinegar and try to paint a few layers on it in the last hour of cooking.
For butts I rub generously but also save some to add while pulling. I serve my pulled pork with sauce on the side and with a good vinegar based coleslaw (that can be put on top). If you cover all the pork in sauce then your rub will just disappear.
 
I always rub. The last time I cooked two pork butts, at my wife's request I rubbed one, and only put salt and pepper on the other. She decided she liked the one with the rub better, so I'll continue to use a rub. I don't apply any sauce when I serve the meat, but I have 3 or 4 sauces available for people to add if they want (from NC vinegar-style sauce to the thick, sweet, store-bought stuff).
 
rubbing is racing... well smoking at least.I prefer a rub with minimal to no salt. then a bit of home made bbq sauce towards the end. And i toss my leftover ribs in a bowl with some sauce and you have the best leftovers ever with no too much sauce.
 
I generally rub less and later on smaller cuts. Ribs get rubbed just before setting up the WSM. Butt's and Brisket usually get 8+ hours (and sometimes a second rub before setting up depending on my mood) for a nice bark.

Kevin K gave me great advice on salt. I no longer add it to my rub, just salt the meat prior to applying the non salted rub and cooking. I've bought quite a few "Award Winning Rubs" in the past and have found them saltier than I would like after using a non salt rub.

Just my penny.

James
 
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