help with first smoke

I bought one the first time I did a pork butt. Tonight I'm doing a combination of brown sugar, salt, pepper, and chili powder on a couple butts. Kind of a personal preference. If you can make a good one, use it.

I usually make one...don't really measure, but here's generally what I put in:
brown sugar (or raw sugar if you have)
sea salt
paprika
dehydrated onion (ground up in a mortar & pestle)
mustard powder
black pepper
cayenne

Flavor profiles are personal preference so it's hard to tell other people what to do. I like my pork rubs sweet but with some heat but not a lot of heat, but you have to do what is right for you. Personally I make my pork rub and take full advantage of the spice rack I have in the pantry. Regular sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powders, paprika, maybe cayenne powder. Play with the amounts of each to your likening.

My vote: Make your own. Take notes on what you put in it. Add notes on what you liked about it and what you would do differently next time.

Repeat as necessary. :thumb:

I've done shoulders with rub and shoulders without rub. I don't see much of a difference and I've never had anybody notice a difference that has eaten my Q. Either way I cook them, the hungry folks that eat them sure like the results. I do too.

Salt & Pepper!

You can buy one if you wish, or you can make one..

Here are a couple basic rubs

Basic Barbecue Rub Recipe

4 parts Paprika
3 parts Chli Powder
3 parts Brown Sugar
2 parts Kosher Salt
1 part each Black Pepper,Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
Part can be any measurement – cup, tablespoon, teaspoon

=============================================


Classic Barbecue Spice Rub

3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure chili powder
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Combine ingredients. Store in airtight containers away from light and heat.

Here is a general rub I use on pork and brisket. It tends to give lot's of bark on PP if applied heavily:

3 tbsp Kosher Salt
2 tbsp Turbinado Sugar (can use white as a sub)
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Mild Chili Powder
2 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Ground Cumin
1 tbsp Granulated Garlic
1 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tsp White pepper
1/2 TSP Cayenne Pepper (use sparingly or not at all)

bigiron2 said:

Kansas City Rub
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne

heres what i went with made a lot i hope i like it had all of the ingredients in my kitchen

Click to expand...

that should work out well for you

bigiron2 said:

Kansas City Rub
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne

heres what i went with made a lot i hope i like it had all of the ingredients in my kitchen

Click to expand...

Sounds good.


I dabbled with making my own rubs in the past.....now I just buy 'em ready made.

For butts I use Bad Byron's Butt Rub 95% of the time.

Puts a great bark on it that seals in moisture. Once I take it off the pit at 195 degrees, I wrap it in foil and let it rest. The Bad Byron's really tastes great as you break it up into the Q.