When do you rub ribs??


 
A

Al Silverman

TVWBB Pro
Hi All,

I am doing a bunch of BB ribs this weekend and was trying to decide when to put on the rub. I have done it overnight and I have done it just before going on the smoker. I usually do mustard or W sauce then the rub. So,I was wondering, other than the possibility of getting a "hammy" flavor if done way in advance, are there any real advantages or disadvantages to pre-rubbibg???

Thanks

Al
 
Hi Al
Just a few weeks ago I bought a rack o' ribs (and a butt and a brisket) on a Thursday, as I had Friday off work and would be home, alone, undisturbed and not required for duties for hours in a row. So I rubbed 'em with my usual rub and worcestershire sauce on Thursday night.
As it turned out Friday was bucketing with rain, monsoon like. Saturday was for childrens party. And on the 7th day ... there was BBQ, and it was good. And they did rejoice in slowly cooking the animals of the land, slowly, and with indirect heat.

Results:
Tastiest ribs EVER
Brisket was tasty but a bit dry
Butt was perfect, moist, good bark, very tasty

It could be subjective as there was a huge amount of anticipation involved. I think you would need to do a side by side test to determine whether there was a noticeable difference.

morgan
 
I get the ribs out and put the rub on, then go get the WSM ready and up to temp. Figure an hour of sitting around. Pork Shoulder and the whole tip roast I do, I leave them sit in the fridge with the rub on for a day.
I'm doing a shoulder and an oven stuffer chicken this w/e for the family get together on Sunday.
 
I use to rub mine the night before a cook and wrap in plastic wrap and back into the refrigerator. Then I tried rubbing about an hour or so before starting the cook and really detected no difference in quality.

So now I just do it an hour or so before the cook.

Regarding the "hammy" taste. Only once in just over two years has that happened to me. It occurred on leftover ribs (this hasn't happened since) that were reheated in foil in a small toaster oven the next day, maybe too long. I did detect a slight hammy taste to them.
 
Well I rubbed two racks Fri. night and the other two on Sat morn about an hour before they went on the fire.

After 4 hours on the smoker, (235°) 1 hour foiled with pineapple juice and 30 mins sauced and back on the fire....no one could tell any difference at all.

They came out perfect. Very tender but not falling off the bone. I served them with baked beans that were cooked in a pot placed on the lower rack under the ribs. I gotta tell ya, if you haven't tried this your really missing out on some good eats!!!

And I think I finally have my rub recipe where I can stop changing it. Only took 14 tries.

These ribs were a thank you for a couple of very good friends that showed up at my house, (after I called one to tell him that my water heater had just sprung a leak) at 7:00 last wed. night and left at midnight after installing a new 75 gallon water heater!!

Al
 
Well, now we know. And yes, I've done bbq beans under a butt that had already been on for about five hours. A whole 'nother dimension to pork and beans. The beans cooked another five.

morgan
 
When to rub...Cooks Illustrated:
Beef ribs one hour
Pork one hour to one day
That's what they say.
I usually rub before starting the coals.
 
Only my finishing rubs contain any salt, so, for me, it's only a matter of convenience as to when to pre-rub.
 
I too rub an hour or so before I put them on. I like salt in the rub, so if it's put on too soon, I can detect a hammy taste. ... like others have said.
 
Typically I rub mine before they go on the WSM...I haven't tried doing it overnight yet!

I have heard from others there is a big difference and yet others say no difference. I suppose it all in the mind more or less!
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When I'm trying to add hardware to the collection. I sparingly slather with a brown mustard and a heavy sprinkle of rub one to two hours before smoking. For eating, I just rub and smoke
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