Rib rub or no rib rub thats the Question


 
Vinny G

Vinny G

TVWBB Fan
To all
Need alittle help. I would like to know if anybody made ribs with no rub on them during smooking
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then just add their favorite sauce on them at the last half an hour mark.
I am also thinking to do 3 2 1 with no rub and put my favorite sauce in for the 2 hour wraping then mop at the end. What do you all think?
Keep on Smoking
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Good morning. Vinny folks make ribs any and every way. Which ever way floats your boat. You may well change how you prefer your ribs over time...my tastes change.
A rub is an opportunity to add flavor. It's that simple. I prefer to use a dry rub.
Steven Raichlen has a recipe that calls for a precook soak in apple juice and lemon juice plus some aromatics. That is tasty too. Find what you like. Experiment.
 
I just did some spares over the weekend with nothing more than a light sprinkle of S&P, along with a dash of onion powder and oregano. Not a "rub", per se, but a little flavor. Then I sauced half the rack during cooking and left the other half on it's own. Both halves were delicious.

Like Steve said, whatever works for you is good. You may want to try cooking two racks - one with rub and one without - to see if you have a preference.
 
Thanks Guys
I will give it a try this weekend and give a feedback to tell you guys what I did. Thanks again Guys.
Keep On Smoking
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At the basics, a bit of salt on the meat. Meat tastes wrong with out salt. You GOT to have salt.

As long as you got salt, you need black pepper to go with the salt than red pepper to balance the black pepper. Now, you need sugar to balance the salt (unless your sauce is sweet than you can not add as much). The sugar balances the heat from the red pepper. Why not garlic which causes you to consider onion powder. Since it is pork a good bit of yellow mustard powder. Paprika for the color and mild flavor addition. Lots of paprika.

After any trip near Texas, you always add a pinch of cumin.
 
Yeah, my first time smoking ribs I didn't use any seasonings at all. I remember the meat came out bitter from the smoke wood (mesquite). I don't think I used a sauce though - that likely would have helped.
 
Munson is very close, if not there.
Curry can replace cumin.
Good meat needs nothing but smoke and heat.
However, a nice rub and light sauce at the end makes for good ribs.
Don't use the meat as a conduit for sauce.
 
Sorry to disagree with you Mike but meat has to have some seasoning. At least salt & pepper imho. But I do not like bland food, in fact I am known for over-seasoning just about everything. I'm getting better though.
 
Excellent thread.....

IIRC Kevin Kruger describes that paprika brings little to the party flavor-wise as it does not stand up to prolonged heat so use dried chilies instead. Similar problems with mustard powder as it must be dissolved (I think he said something about mustard sauces being always only gently heated).
I am a very big fan now of salting the meat, waiting, then applying the rub which contains no salt, that way you don’t over salt (thanks Kevin).
I love cumin in rubs....what else to add?? Cloves, cinnamon - what herbs? I’ve rubbed with cut lemons with some success. Now for even more complexity, what types of rubs go best with which types of sauces??
 
I always go with the basics, S&P, cumin, paprika and cayenne. ALWAYS with a very light hand. If you have good meat, keep it that way. I keep a batch on hand in a shaker so it is always ready to go. Now that I have a “real” smoker with the WSM, I’m experimenting with different basting solutions. So far, I find apple juice is good, but not too much or the sugar carbonizes to a crust. I’m doing a bone in pork loin roast this weekend, I think I’m going to try the OJ solutions.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Irish:
Excellent thread.....

IIRC Kevin Kruger describes that paprika brings little to the party flavor-wise as it does not stand up to prolonged heat so use dried chilies instead. Similar problems with mustard powder as it must be dissolved (I think he said something about mustard sauces being always only gently heated).
I am a very big fan now of salting the meat, waiting, then applying the rub which contains no salt, that way you don’t over salt (thanks Kevin).
I love cumin in rubs....what else to add?? Cloves, cinnamon - what herbs? I’ve rubbed with cut lemons with some success. Now for even more complexity, what types of rubs go best with which types of sauces?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I too think paprika brings little flavor, only color. I was given a bottle of "smoked paprika" that tases remarkably like chipotle; I haven't cooked with it yet.
 
OK
Did the smoke
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1 slab with S&P, and the other with this Mc sweet rub (store bought). On both not over kill. Smoked for 3 hours then foiled with sweet spicy hot sauce(home made)
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for 2 hours. Then unfoiled for an hour and the last 10 min or so add the sweet sauce again. The winner is the sweet rub. So far by far the best ribs in my house. So to answer my question rub or not to rub, You need a little something more than nothing and S&P just don't cut it! This was a great test for me since for the 4 of July we are having a party and I wasn't to confident yet with my ribs! My butts on the other hand,Well that will be another topic. PLEASE KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING!!!
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Keep on Smoking
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You need a little something more than nothing and S&P just don't cut it! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Agreed. S&P-only -- well, too much of a missed opportunity. Glad your cook came out well and that you learned something valuable to you.

'Curry' -- most often a term used when referring to Indian curry (also Thai, but that's not germane here) -- is a masala, a blend of a few or many spices which are added to a dish (for curries, usually fried in fat first, sometimes added at the end) to add flavor. Cumin is a very common addition to most blends used for meat dishes, along with fenugreek, coriander, cardamom, fennel, and often cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Ratios vary according to the whim of the cook.
 
When I first started out I was totally sold on BRITU. Then I found Larry's WRO and fell in love with it. Although they both are still favorites in the house, I'm starting to strike out on my own with experimenting. Nothing that blows my socks off just yet but I'm still tweeking.

I have found that light to medium dustings are enough. Heavy coatings tend to overpower.

Russ
 
There is one "golden" rule I fall back on when in doubt on flavoring.

The 2 S's. Sweet and Savory. In other words, a fatty, savory piece of meat (especially pork) ALWAYS goes hand in hand with some sweet application like a rub or sauce.

This is the magic combo that McDonalds hit upon with the successful McGriddle breakfast sandwich. (Buns made up of maple syrup flavored french toast with a patty of sausage inside). Another example we all have heard of is "pork chops and apple sauce". Carolina style PP sammie with sweet slaw on top, etc...

This being said, I do love the taste and simpicity of a lean grilled pork chop seasoned only with S&P. I guess it all boils down to personal preference and taste. Do what YOU like.

Ken
 
One way I really enjoy baby back ribs that really accentuates the flavor of the pork is over the rotisserie but you could just as easily do it in the wsm as a high temprature cook.

take 1/4 cup of olive oil and squee 1 or two lemon wedges into it

generously season with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle herbs de provence on the ribs. Roast on the rotisserie over indirect heat (or the wsm) for 40 minutes to an hour basting a few times in a mix of olive oil.

These ribs really show off the wonderful flavor of pork and need no sauce.

So there are endless ways to approach it and thats part of the fun. Pork is a versatile meat that responds well to a variety of different cooking styles. In parts of North Carolina salt and pepperis ALL they use on their butts to season them before putting them on the pit.

Also memphis dry ribs are usually seasoned after cooking with a dry rub after cooking and can be quite delicious as well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russ Sylvester:
When I first started out I was totally sold on BRITU. Then I found Larry's WRO and fell in love with it. Although they both are still favorites in the house, I'm starting to strike out on my own with experimenting. Nothing that blows my socks off just yet but I'm still tweeking.


I have found that light to medium dustings are enough. Heavy coatings tend to overpower.

Russ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Russ,
I have to agree with you on light to medium dusting. That is what I did on these rib and enjoyed them
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. I know that we like sweet with a little kick. Also we like wet rib compared to dry. What's you preference.

Keep on Smoking
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Because everybody around here has different preferences (wet/dry) I usually go dry in the smoker with a dusting of rub. I go till they tear easily, I don't really follow the clock. After pulling them out and letting them rest a bit I will slice them up. We serve them with an array of sauces that folks can go light or heavy and even mix up their own.

Russ
 
I come from the "dry rib" school. I tend to think sauce covers up the wood smoke flavor. I put on a light paprika rub containing salt, paprika, garlic powder and a few others. The great thing about dry rubs is they don't conceal the smokey flavor.
 
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