TO RUB, OR NOT TO RUB, this is a question...

Dang it Bo, I have never given it a thought, I have just been doing it the same old way. Now you got me thinking that I have no reason for doing what I have always done other than that was the way I learned to do it.

I do add more rub and sauce when I am mixing the pulled pork after pulling.

Desert Dweller said:

I have followed almost every thread about PP or BBQ(Pulled) Beef with interest. When I first started smoking larger pieces of meat I used a rub and slather of mustard, then moved to EVOO and rub. Now, I don't use any rub at all on these cuts. I will rub a brisket so I get a healthy bark.

Here is my thinking; (trouble, I know), For a more uniform dispersment of flavor I add rub after I have pulled the meat. It's only my opinion, and I have no scientific data to back it up, but it seems to me that I would get bursts of flavor from the "barked" & rubbed pieces in the sammy, and that is NOT what I am looking for. I want a more uniform flavor, so mixing the rub into the cooked and pulled product seems a better way to go.

What do the rest of you do? What is the basis for your decision?

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Noun or Verb "Rub" here?

I think that there is a beneifit to all three, even when they are used in trinity. Rub on the raw meat for bark. Rub as a background flavor maybe to your injection for deep flavoring, and near then end, when you have the shredded meat (pork) ready to serve, an application of dust, then maybe sauce or drippings, both hopefully taking cues from your rub in them, applied to the platter of pulled pork.

Now in order to be different, my pork has no injection but a robust bark and THUS a robust set of drippings, which, once this is strained of fat, I like to ONLY have the dripping in the pan with my pork. They can sauce, which has elments of my rub. If the batch lack some flavor I will mix in some dust. But as yall know, I like huge ridiculous chunks of meat pulled more or less straight from the Butts to flavor my sandwiches.

Brisket, same intro, but I don't admit to inject and certainly not revealing what with since no one caught it my reference from that old post. Then after slicing maybe some jus like myron. Which is flavored by RUB that was put on before the smoke.

I have been known to dry inject seasonings in the fat layer between the point and flat after cooking for a long rest and wrap in plastic or butchers paper. That has great results!

Dang Bo! Your makin us think. I trust your judgement my friend. I know it's gonna be good.

Bo I've been doing both for a while now. A light coat before smoking and the same after it's pulled. I figured this out when I smoked pork and the center always just tasted like roast pork. It helps.

barbefunkoramaque said:

barbefunkoramaque

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I don't know what you wrote but your avatar is awesome! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

Bo - I like the crust so have always rubbed my meat.

Rich Parker said:

I don't know what you wrote but your avatar is awesome! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

Bo - I like the crust so have always rubbed my meat.

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I too like the edge, but since you mention it Bo, it does make sense to disperse the rub evenly after pulling too.

Desert Dweller said:

I have followed almost every thread about PP or BBQ(Pulled) Beef with interest. When I first started smoking larger pieces of meat I used a rub and slather of mustard, then moved to EVOO and rub. Now, I don't use any rub at all on these cuts. I will rub a brisket so I get a healthy bark.

Here is my thinking; (trouble, I know), For a more uniform dispersment of flavor I add rub after I have pulled the meat. It's only my opinion, and I have no scientific data to back it up, but it seems to me that I would get bursts of flavor from the "barked" & rubbed pieces in the sammy, and that is NOT what I am looking for. I want a more uniform flavor, so mixing the rub into the cooked and pulled product seems a better way to go.

What do the rest of you do? What is the basis for your decision?

Click to expand...

I do both.

Pork, noun or verb? I inject for the inside flavour and rub for outside crust/flavour.

I know we're talking BBQ here, but when making pizza I make sure the ingredients are scattered about so a different taste can be had in each bite. That's the way I prefer my pork. A nice spicy, crispy bark interspersed with some mild smokiness and even that wonderfully delectable and juicy "roasted" pork from the center. Ah variety, it's a wonderful thing. Of course, the vinegar sauce comes along on the second helping an messes everything up.

Rub...no slather...smoke...pull...apple juice...more rub...serve...

I always thought mixing rub into the pork after pulling was how everyone did!?! Just sayin'.

Jeff

I can't imagine PP without nice, dark, flavorful bark. NOt sure how you could achieve this without rub. That is my biggest disappointment when i eat mediocre BBQ from a restaurant, the bark pieces seem to be just dry pork that is almost like jerky, worst of all, NO flavor. I do mix in more rub after i pull and really like how is disperses the taste throughout the meat. I think it gets even better after it sits for a while and the flavors meld a little.

barbefunkoramaque said:

Brisket, same intro, but I don't admit to inject and certainly not revealing what with since no one caught it my reference from that old post. Then after slicing maybe some jus like myron. Which is flavored by RUB that was put on before the smoke.

I have been known to dry inject seasonings in the fat layer between the point and flat after cooking for a long rest and wrap in plastic or butchers paper. That has great results!

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I think you're using the Ron Popeil Solid Food Injector filled with the dry rub

Both here...

I usually just sauce it, and my sauce is made out of my rub plus other secret ingredients of course.

Just rub the outside and thats it.

Mike

eagle is on the money . rub before makes the candy .rub after makes the sweets.

Never done it for pulled pork, but now you got me thinking. I've always added rub to pulled pork before adding it to brunswick, but then again it gets a full cooking process after that.
If I was going to add it to pulled pork before serving, I'd probably have to adjust my rub recipe. I'd guess that a "strong" rub with celery seed, garlic powder/salt, etc., could kind of overpower the taste of the smoked pork. Or maybe just a touch of rub along with some sauce. I'm definitely going to play around with that one.
Edit: I should add that I will always add a good batch of rub before the smoke. Nothing beats a "barky" hunk-o-pork".

Desert Dweller said:

I have followed almost every thread about PP or BBQ(Pulled) Beef with interest. When I first started smoking larger pieces of meat I used a rub and slather of mustard, then moved to EVOO and rub. Now, I don't use any rub at all on these cuts. I will rub a brisket so I get a healthy bark.

Here is my thinking; (trouble, I know), For a more uniform dispersment of flavor I add rub after I have pulled the meat. It's only my opinion, and I have no scientific data to back it up, but it seems to me that I would get bursts of flavor from the "barked" & rubbed pieces in the sammy, and that is NOT what I am looking for. I want a more uniform flavor, so mixing the rub into the cooked and pulled product seems a better way to go.

What do the rest of you do? What is the basis for your decision?

Click to expand...

I came to this exact same conclusion last summer.