Why msg?

[drbbq]

Makes Stuff Gooder!
In 20 years of comp cooking I've seen a lot of cooks using MSG. But I've never seen a judge get sick, and I've never seen a judge remove himself from judging because he couldn't do MSG.

 

[cgwaite]

I'm in a bit late on this one, but I don't think MSG is necessary. In fact it's a bit of a cheat because it's a chemical and not a spice, just a chemical. You can get tons of flavor without it with the right blend of seasonings and BBQ techniques.

Salt and Sugar, two of the most basic ingredients in any rub are both chemical compounds (NaCl [Sodium Chloride] and C12-H22-O11 [sucrose], respectively). Any spice can be broken down to a chemical level of ingredients, so I don't understand the difference between spices and chemicals. Chemical compounds are the building blocks of the spices you refer to. Also, why is anything that you do to improve the taste of your cooking considered cheating? Isn't that what we are all trying to do?

I am pretty sure I just had 2 of those products delivered to the house. Both contain MSG. I put those top two sellers in a blind taste test against my own rub, with no msg and some salt, so a few of my team mates could taste, and the MSG in the rubs lost it for them. Sorry I am not a smoker (cigs) and do not need to over season my meat! MSG and propain are meat killers!!! just my $.02

As has already been stated here, almost all commercial rubs contain some form of MSG, either directly or indirectly. If you don't want MSG in your rub, fine. Don't purchase commercial rubs; make your own. Then there is only one person who you can complain to when you don't like the results. Remember, taste is subjective. What one person likes, another dislikes. To each his own.

 

[markpmc]

As usual, it's had to keep _all_ the judges happy _all_ of the time.
I agree w/ the previous poster, a person w/ food allergies shouldn't be a bbq judge.

 

[Wampus]

Salt and Sugar, two of the most basic ingredients in any rub are both chemical compounds (NaCl [Sodium Chloride] and C12-H22-O11 [sucrose], respectively). Any spice can be broken down to a chemical level of ingredients, so I don't understand the difference between spices and chemicals. Chemical compounds are the building blocks of the spices you refer to. Also, why is anything that you do to improve the taste of your cooking considered cheating? Isn't that what we are all trying to do?

As has already been stated here, almost all commercial rubs contain some form of MSG, either directly or indirectly. If you don't want MSG in your rub, fine. Don't purchase commercial rubs; make your own. Then there is only one person who you can complain to when you don't like the results. Remember, taste is subjective. What one person likes, another dislikes. To each his own.

:thumb::thumb::thumb: What ^HE^ said.

As has been explained in this thread many times: CHEMICALLY, MSG enhances the flavor of the food, or at least makes your MOUTH think it tastes better. So here's a question: Why NOT use MSG? I mean.....personally.....I LIKE it when my food tastes better. In fact, most everyone (OK, EVERYONE) that I've cooked for liked it when the food tastes better.

Now, I'm not one to worry much about aspartame in diet sodas, or non-organically grown foods, and I don't see that free-range/organically raised chicken/beef justifies the increased cost, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. So I'm sure not gonna worry about the whole MSG "thing". Personally, if it makes the food taste better, I'll keep on putting Accent in my rubs.

Then again.....I may die at an early age too....?:doh:

 

[Plowboy]

If the MSG doesn't kill you... the smoke will.

From Harvard Health...
When meat is cooked at high temperatures, amino acids react with creatine to form heterocyclic amines, which are thought to cause cancer. That’s why cooking meat by grilling, frying, or broiling is the problem. Grilling is double trouble because it also exposes meat to cancer-causing chemicals contained in the smoke that rises from burning coals and any drips of fat that cause flare-ups. How long the meat is cooked is also a factor in heterocyclic amine formation; longer cooking time means more heterocyclic amines. Depending on the temperature at which it’s cooked, meat roasted or baked in the oven may contain some heterocyclic amines, but it’s likely to be considerably less than in grilled, fried, or broiled meat.

 

[Alexa RnQ]

Anything with hydrolyzed protein, yeast extracts, hydrolyzed yeast, soy extracts, etc. can have glutamic acid in it, even if the label says NO MSG. "NO MSG" just means that they didn't add more of it, not that it's not in there in the first place naturally as part of other ingredients. It's a lot harder to avoid than people think in commercial food.

^^ This. I tend to discard anecdotal recitations of MSG allergies if the sufferer has ever eaten any processed food.

However, for that tiny percentage of people who do not eat any form of processed food whatsoever, a cheap supplement called phosphatidylserine blocks the action of glutamates in the brain.

 

[chambersuac]

If any of you guys that bought the rubs and were disappointed that they have MSG, feel free to box them up and send them to me for proper disposal

 

[WineMaster]

Damn, Cant say what I want. Jorge is looking at the thread!!!!

 

[Attrill]

Well, technically, dashi refers to any soup base, dashi-no-moto has loads of MSG added to it. Most dashi is a mix of algae and fish extractions, most commonly kombu and katsuoboshi which serve to create a base of flavor. It is the food item that triggered the efforts in Japan to create a artificial and convenient version of a staple food item. I learned to make mushroom dashi and pork dashi as well, these do not necessarily have kombu or katsuoboshi.

True - unless otherwise specified I always assume that Dashi means Kombu and Katsuoboshi. I always have some packs of Dashi mix (w/o MSG added, not the instant stuff) and try to keep Bonito flakes and Kombu around as well. It's great stuff.

 

[Jorge]

Damn, Cant say what I want. Jorge is looking at the thread!!!!

you can say whatever you want, if you can live with the consequences:becky:

This topic comes up a couple of times a year, and it's always the same. That IS NOT a slam aimed at the original poster.

Lots of products contain MSG, and that's just a fact. I don't know if most BBQ rubs contain it, but I DO know that many do. With that in mind I'd be making a call to the retailer to find out whether a product I was interested in buying had it, or not if the information wasn't available. If I have a personal aversion, or medical issue with the substance it should be MY responsibility to make sure it isn't present in the product.

 

[JohnJ]

I did a poll back in April here on the forum just wanting some stats on its use in competition.

There are a lot of feelings both pro and con on MSG use. Here is the link as some of you guys might find it of interest. It went far beyond a simple poll!

MSG is quite a topic!

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82505

John

 

[BBQ Grail]

In fact it's a bit of a cheat because it's a chemical and not a spice, just a chemical.

cheating(a): violating accepted standards or rules

I love the "I don't think you should do it and if you do it's cheating" argument. When in fact the use of MSG is legal and accepted in most cooking circles.

In the BBQ competition world it violates no rules. You may not like it's use, but that doesn't make it cheating.

And I think you do a lot of the rub makers, especially those on this forum, a huge disservice by saying this.

The use of MSG in my opinion is no different that the overuse of bacon as a flavoring. You can make almost anything taste better with bacon. Is it a shortcut, yes. Is it cheating...no.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

cheating(a): violating accepted standards or rules

I love the "I don't think you should do it and if you do it's cheating" argument. When in fact the use of MSG is legal and accepted in most cooking circles.

In the BBQ competition world it violates no rules. You may not like it's use, but that doesn't make it cheating.

And I think you do a lot of the rub makers, especially those on this forum, a huge disservice by saying this.

The use of MSG in my opinion is no different that the overuse of bacon as a flavoring. You can make almost anything taste better with bacon. Is it a shortcut, yes. Is it cheating...no.

But pellet cookers is still cheating, right?

.

 

[landarc]

...When meat is cooked at high temperatures, amino acids react with creatine to form heterocyclic amines, which are thought to cause cancer. That’s why cooking meat by grilling, frying, or broiling is the problem. Grilling is double trouble because it also exposes meat to cancer-causing chemicals contained in the smoke that rises from burning coals and any drips of fat that cause flare-ups. How long the meat is cooked is also a factor in heterocyclic amine formation; longer cooking time means more heterocyclic amines. Depending on the temperature at which it’s cooked, meat roasted or baked in the oven may contain some heterocyclic amines, but it’s likely to be considerably less than in grilled, fried, or broiled meat.

Well, that pretty much does it for me. No more BBQ or grilling here. I guess all I will be doing now is boiling small amounts of vegetables for nutrition. I will miss BBQ, but, that nasty cholesterol, fat, free radicals and heterocyclic amines won't get me.

 

[HB-BBQ]

I like MSG though I removed it from my rub in the event that I run across someone who is allergic to it. I see no sense in making anyone sick especially when my name is behind the product that I am turning out.

Now if I am cooking for myself then it's game on...

 

[smokehunter]

I have seen MSG battles on here in the past, the only reason I posted this was b/c I was really looking forward to using this particular brand of rub, and as I stated, it is realllllly good, but my Dad, whom I grill/smoke with alot, cannot eat MSG due to severe migraines. It's the darndest thing, I used to think it was in his head:crazy: until one afternoon I said screw it and used something with MSG. Sure as the sun, later on the evening he started having problems... So basically, I have to tell him how great this new rub his without him partaking. Life could be much worse.... If this particular manufacturer started making some MSG free versions I would be a candidate... I understand that you can hide MSG or rename or whatever, but you get my drift...

 

[heiny]

I say mmmmmmsg

 

[heiny]

If it makes certain foods taste better... I am for it. If I know someone has a problem with it I wouldn't use it... just like I would omit any ingredient (except meat) for anyone who eats at my home.

 

[Contracted Cookers]

sorry from now only salt and pepper on everything. whups just pepper.

 

[chaddie]

I smoke in a galinized trash can with teflon racks to cook my tv dinner. My doc says my bp is way to high. I need some advise