Rub Science

[CharlieBeasley]

Does anyone have a reference book, article, or other reference to the science of developing a good smoking rub. I did a started recipe over the weekend and the flavor was ok but I gat different results in the texture of the crust (like I do not think there should be a texture it should be absorbed or drop off) and the color was a bit off as well.

[smokincracker]

1 cup salt
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup brown sug
¼ cup garlic powder
4 tbs onion powder
4 tbs paprika +or- This will give you more color
4 tbs chili powder +or-
4 tbs pepper black +or-
cayenne to taste
2 tbs ground cumin +or-

Next add and take away to your taste.
Take this basic rub and make it special by adding your own flair.

I think I smoked about 25 lbs of meat and drank 20 cases of beer getting my rub right. I thought I might start over and do it again!

[VitaminQ]

Alton Brown had a formula for rub a while back that was kind of interesting. IIRC, ti was an 8-3-3 formula. 8 parts brown sugar, 3 parts salt, and 3 parts combination of other various spices. I'm pretty sure that was it. I found a basic rub on the internet somewhere and just started tweaking. Be sure you write down what you do, so you can remember it when you get it just the way you want it.

[kcpellethead]

Paul Kirk's book Championship Barbeque Sauces discusses rub formulas. In it,the basic starting point is equal parts salt and sugar.

[rookiedad]

i think alton browns last 3 was chili powder. i use a rub that is like smokincracker's but i dont like cumin. in it's place i use a tiny bit of cinnimon, nutmeg or allspice. nowhere near two tablespoons though.
phil

[rbsnwngs]

Alton Browns
8pt sugar
3pt salt
1pt chilli
1pt everything else
I used this as a starting point and then made it my own by adding or taking away I use only 2pt salt and to to the everything else part

[The_Kapn]

Moderator's Note.

Excellent thread moved to Q-talk to get better exposure.

We have several good rub threads, may need to "RoadMap" someday.

TIM

[chad]

While you're experimenting - try turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw is available all over) in place of regular brown sugar. The flavor is a bit different and the bark development is real good.

[VitaminQ]

Alton Browns
8pt sugar
3pt salt
1pt chilli
1pt everything else
I used this as a starting point and then made it my own by adding or taking away I use only 2pt salt and to to the everything else part

That's the ticket! I remember watching that and thinking "I need to be sure to remember that" CRS mod

[chad]

Seems I remember that the "1 pt everything else" is just that - eveything else is in that 1 partt - example: if you use black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. it should all together equal "1 part".

[qman]

Ditto what Chad said about turbinado sugar. Good stuff.

Also, Smokey Hale has a 4 part article called Building a Better Recipe on their web site barbecuen.com. On their home page, clik on the link that says favorite methods and scroll down till you find the articles. The best I remember he walks you throu the whole process of building and testing rubs and sauces.

He [Smokey Hale] also gets into this subject in his book "The Great American Barbecue and Grilling Manual", but not as in-depth as the web site.