New to Q - Can I save money and make my own rub?

depends on what ingredients you use, their cost and brand used as well.
I have a basic rub that I use. It's great on everything and makes beef just explode in flavor. Plus the onion base smells great comin out the vent holes"

1 package of Mrs. Grass onion soup mix
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. cajun seasoning

Alter the last 2 to your preference of heat/sweetness

You'll definitely save money.. How much? You do the math..

For example here's Ray Lampe's (Dr. BBQ) Big Time BBQ Rub


- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Yields 1 1/2 cups

i think when i figured the rub i make for catering was about $5 a pound. yea its cheaper but not much unless you buy bulk from the spice barn or something

Yeah it of course depends on the price of ingredients, but you could probably make something a little cheaper. I now both buy and make my own. I don't think you would save a ton of cash depending upon how much you go through, but you could save some

The more you make the more you save.

I make about 90 percent of the rubs I use. It is way cheaper, IMO.

I love the rub from the Salt Lick, and they sell it. But, the owner of the Salt Lick gladly tells people what's in it. I bought a jar of it for 9 bucks, and now I refill that jar with my own stuff for about a buck's worth of ingredients.

I do like trying bought rubs I read about just for the heck of it, and there are a lot of good ones for sale. But, there are also a lot of good rub recipes available for free -- including many on this forum.

Making your own rubs is part of the BBQ experience, IMO. Taking rub recipes and modifying them is a lot of fun for me. After a while, you gain a knowledge of what each ingredient brings to the party, and you can go off in another direction with that knowledge.

So, yes you can save money making your own rubs -- and experience the joy of tasting something good that you made. But, it is still fun to try commercial rubs from time to time.

Play with your food!

CD

Blackened said:

You'll definitely save money.. How much? You do the math..

For example here's Ray Lampe's (Dr. BBQ) Big Time BBQ Rub


- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Yields 1 1/2 cups

Click to expand...

I love that rub. It is my absolute favorite pork rib rub. His Bigtime BBQ Cookbook is a MUST HAVE book for any aspiring que cooker, IMO.

CD

Blackened said:

You'll definitely save money.. How much? You do the math..

For example here's Ray Lampe's (Dr. BBQ) Big Time BBQ Rub


- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Yields 1 1/2 cups

Click to expand...

It's true, you should be able to make a good rub for about 2 bucks per pound, thing is you have to shell out well over $100 to buy the initial "quality" ingredients.

If you making rub using that chit on the grocery store shelves, your missing out on real flavor.

caseydog said:

I love that rub. It is my absolute favorite pork rib rub. His Bigtime BBQ Cookbook is a MUST HAVE book for any aspiring que cooker, IMO.

CD

Click to expand...

It is a good book, read it cover to cover.. I haven't tried that rub though, but I hear it's good..

also as someone mentioned, it helps if you have somewhere local to buy spices in bulk. I get mine at Winco, which I think is only out west.

There is a local store around here that runs sales on their splices. $0.75 for 4oz bottles. That's when I stock up. They may not be the best brand but, the way I see it, it's just garlic & onion power, pepper, etc...

Yes, get a mortar and pestle and make your own.

Here's a good resource: http://www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/rubs/indexall.html

Yes you can save money but it depends on how much rub you use. If you are not using a lot it's not worth the cost when you throw out the spices that have gone flat or sour. If you have a rub you love stick with it.

caseydog said:

I love that rub. It is my absolute favorite pork rib rub. His Bigtime BBQ Cookbook is a MUST HAVE book for any aspiring que cooker, IMO.

CD

Click to expand...

What would be the best way to store this rub and how long can it be stored? Thanks.

My g/f and I try to make our own rubs and mix sauces. I think it's a lot cheaper to make your own, and if you don't like it. You can just make something different next time. Instead of having a nearly full bottle of something you didn't like.

Oldpro1946 said:

What would be the best way to store this rub and how long can it be stored? Thanks.

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I put my extra in a food saver and that has kept it for up to a year as long as you are not opening it a lot. Main issue in spices going flat is exposure to air.

May get lambasted for this:roll: cause it is almost too simple, but if you want to REALLY save some money you could do what I did on the butt I did last weekend.

It's REALLY complicated too:rockon:

Here it is...

1. rinse the butt
2. pat it dry with a paper towel just get some of excess water off
3. LIBERALLY coat it with as much Zatarains or T. Cachere cajun seasoning as you can get to stick on it all over.
4. Open a bottle of A1 Steak Sauce and slather over it. I mean just completely coat it to the point of it dripping off all the way around.
5. Cook it on smoker.
6. Wrap it in foil and throw it in a small ice chest and then just forget about it for at least an hour to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Pull it and EAT.

Can't get much cheaper than that AND it was UNBELIEVABLY PURE GOODNESS. That is about the simplest I've ever done as far as a seasoning rub goes. I've tried more complicated style rubs and I can honestly say that you don't have to have a food chemistry degree to make great Q. I only tried it this way because I was in a hurry and didn't have time to work out details of making my own rub and a friend that likes pulled pork as much as I do suggested trying that cause he does it that way and it is fine. So, I reluctently might I add, gave it a try thinking in the back of my head that it would be just "ok" and not great. Boy, was I surprised. It far surpassed my expectations.

that is all.

Just my two cents but you said you are "new to Q." If that is the case, you can save money by making your own simple rubs and sauces, but with all the other things you must get a handle on, I wouldn't.

Until you've got some more practice under your belt, my advice is to save your time and energy and find a good store bought rub/sauce. Use your time and energy perfecting the multitude of other details/techniques necessary to make good BBQ.

I have been experimenting quite a bit this summer with process, and stuff. What I did was I went to a local comp, because there were vendors there selling various rubs, etc. they had samples, and if I liked the taste, I bought it, then tried it on my ribs, and chicken. I wanted to focus more on a successful and repeatable cooking process, and once I got that, then focus on a spice profile. I have found a couple of rubs I really like, and quite honestly, I am not sure I will switch right now, since I have had such good results with what I have.

Pappy said:

There is a local store around here that runs sales on their splices. $0.75 for 4oz bottles. That's when I stock up. They may not be the best brand but, the way I see it, it's just garlic & onion power, pepper, etc...

Click to expand...

I was told 6 months is the shelf life for spices and seasonings.