To Much Rub?

[ddog27]

I remember watching an episode of "Good Eats" on the food network and Alton Brown said the most important thing about the rub is that it has as much contact with the meat as possible. That made sense to me. But since then I have also heard some experienced BBQ people say the opposite and say to go easy on the rub. So I thought I would ask you guys! Which is it? Getting as much rub as possible in contact with the meat or just a little bit of rub? Please share your thoughts!
:star:

 

[Captain Morgan]

This is one of those things no one will agree on...everyone has their own tastes....keep in mind when you rub something like a butt, the actual surface area affected is very small when compared to the total weight.

Butts are chopped and pulled, and that helps mix in the flavor of the rub.

But if you were doing something that was sliced, the rub will be practically less than 1 percent of the meat! I learned this doing buckboard bacon.....I coated it with brown sugar and maple syrup, and after I sliced it real thin on my slicer, you couldn't even tell it was there!

Depends of the meat/process, and again...on your own taste.

Do what tastes good to you.

 

[Jack W.]

IMHO it depends on the rub and the size of your cut. Rub should compliment the meat and be part of the overall profile you want to accomplish. If all you want to taste is rub, choose a strong bold rub and hit it hard and vice versa. On the large cuts most of the rub will mop off or come loose from the fat rendering or from handeling during rotation, so it really dosen't matter. Ribs is a different story.

Good Q!

Jack

 

[K Kruger]

If you're talking about bark formation (as opposed to rub quantity v. meat) then getting as much contact as possible gets my vote. You want an interaction with the proteins in the meat, the moisture that exudes due to the salt, and the heat. There's a limit to how much is possible though, i.e. a half-inch or rub is not going to give you a half-inch of bark. Use too much and it will work against you bark-wise.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Great answers so far...keep em coming!

 

[ddog27]

This is great info! I think from what I am hearing I am putting to much rub on my ribs! Sounds like a great excuse to cook some more ribs!!

 

[Kloset BBQR]

On one of my BBQ video's (I think it's BBQ Secrets from Potter Productions),
the Super Smokers BBQ team out of St. Louis mention the importance of not rubbing the rub into ribs. Just a light sprinkling of the rib to cover but do not rub the rub. Opposite for brisket and pork butts, heavy coating and rub vigorously deep into the meat.

 

[LarryWolfe]

This is great info! I think from what I am hearing I am putting to much rub on my ribs! Sounds like a great excuse to cook some more ribs!!

Dog, use different folks opinions as a "guide" and use the amount of rub that you prefer. I will try to dust everything I cook the night before and let sit in the fridge overnight. Then right before putting the meat on the grill, I'll dust again.

When you chop the pork as Cappy mentioned the bark will mix in with the meat, but I always sprinkle a little more rub into my pulled pork cause that's what I like.

 

[txpgapro]

I'm with Wolfe. Don't think you can use too much rub, it just melts in and the bark gets better. :grin:

 

[Finney]

chiming in
You have to find the balance that you like... and the balance that the people you cook for like. You can go by suggestions in cookbooks and from other members here, but it always comes back to how you like it.

 

[Captain Morgan]

That search is a fabulous never ending journey. Enjoy.

 

[Shawn White]

DDog, I think another factor is the rub itself and the process you are using for your cook. It goes hand in hand with your personal preference.

I did some side ribs this past weekend with a certain rub. They were fantastic according to all the guests. They were well coated with rub, 3.5 hrs smoked, 1 hr foiled then grilled but not glazed before serving. All my sauces were on the table for dipping but most ate their ribs without sauce and raved about them.

As for me, I did some S&P side ribs previously and I absolutely loved them. While I was eating the rubbed ribs this weekend I was wishing I had the S&P ribs instead. What it taught me, for my preference, is to go light on the rub.

As for the 'rub' stage, I tried something new this time. I used the back of a normal (table cutlery) teaspoon to gently rub the rub in (after it had sat on the meat for perhaps 20 minutes) and it worked awesome. When I have tried to rub the rub in with my hand the rub has always clumped on my fingers, but it did not do so on the spoon.