Dry Rubs - Homemade vs. Commercial

I do both. For the most part, I make my own, often using other people's recipes, and then adapting them.

I do like to buy an interesting sounding commercial rub, just to try something new. And, I have been known to make my own version of that commercial rub.

I have absolutely nothing against commercial rubs. I just enjoy making rubs.

CD

I usually make my own, and most of the time I never make them the same. However I try to write down what goes into them in case I really hit on something.

If I don't feel like making my own, I usually just hit it with some Tony Chachere's. But I cannot stress this enough. TONY CHACHERE'S IS NOT A RUB!!!!! It is a SEASONED SALT!!! Sprinkle it on as if it were straight up salt!

I make my own. I have tried a few commercial rubs but did not think they were any better (or not as good) as what I make at home.

Also, when I look at rubs in the store and then look at the prices ...

I know some say that making your own is not really any cheaper then buying a ready-made. Maybe it is perception, but it doesn't seem that way to me.

Besides, I always have what I need to make a rub at home.

Like others have said, I usually just throw things together ... don't measure most of the time. Even though it means that I don't get the exact same rub twice, that is the wonder of Q :thumb:

I used to use only homemade rubs, because at the time, I wasn't aware of any commercial rubs that were worth a hoot, and a couple of mine were really good. But I recently tried some of the high quality Brethren rubs, like Rub Company and Simply Marvelous, and they really are great. So now I use both, depending on what I'm cooking.

I make my own for use on large meats like butts. However, for ribs and chicken and such, I like to try different commercial rubs. I just find that with bigger cuts the minor differences in most rubs is lost where it can really stand out on the smaller meats.

I could mark all of those ! Like to try all kinds. Mostly like a commercial rub. Also like a popular cookbook version "by the book".

I will take a commercially prepared rub any day over trying to find the highest quality ingredients and affording them to make rubs when so many others have already done that and they have the hook up on the best of the best spices at the best prices out there. I cannot in any way compete with a Big Brother Smoke or KC Mike or Ryan Chester or Todd or Fred Bernardo or any of these other micro-manufacturers and I really don't want to. They offer so much at such fair prices, it is silly to try and do it myself.

I echo tamadrummer, support the little guy who has it mastered.

Once I started using rubs from steph at simply marvelous, I stopped making my own. I get my brethren discount, a great product and fast service. What else can I ask for?

I have never used a store bought rub.
I usually go as far as to grind my own spices as I am making the rub.

What I use will depend on the meat or veggie being cooked, but I have several "go to" spices that the rubs are built around.

sbramm said:

Once I started using rubs from steph at simply marvelous, I stopped making my own. I get my brethren discount, a great product and fast service. What else can I ask for?

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Exact same thing here. I just don't have the time to get all the spices together.

Got my sample pack of SM and haven't looked back. Great stuff!!

kennedyma said:

Exact same thing here. I just don't have the time to get all the spices together.

Got my sample pack of SM and haven't looked back. Great stuff!!

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Okay, if you were to find already cooked BBQ that you thought was awesome, would you sell your smokers and stop cooking?

Making rubs is part of the cooking process, IMO. Sure, I like trying commercial rubs, but I cannot see myself ever giving up on spending that 20 minutes tops to mix up a rub.

That's like buying a chili mix, or a jar of sauce, and saying, "that's good enough for me."

Again, I have nothing against commercial rubs, but there is something intrinsically fun about making something yourself. If not, we would all just eat out.

It is not an either-or thing, IMO. If you only make your own rubs, you are probably missing some good flavors. If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook. That may piss some people off, but IMO, good cooking is a journey -- no, it's an adventure -- it's certainly not a destination.

CD

caseydog said:

If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook. That may piss some people off, but IMO, good cooking is a journey -- no, it's an adventure -- it's certainly not a destination.
CD

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Okay, I'm going to bite on this one.

What about using "commercial meat?" Are you not a cook if you don't raise your own pigs? Heck go one step up and say are you not a cook because you don't butcher your own pigs? Why don't you do this, because you want to save time.

But since we are talking about rubs here. Are you not a cook if you don't grow your own spices? What about onion and garlic powder? They are very easy to make at home, but just take time. I know I've done it. Do are you not a cook if you don't make your own spices?

What about BBQ sauce or vinegar or heck all the other commercial products we all use when we cook.

So right now your scope of the journey is very narrow. I bet if you asked somebody 100 years ago what the journey was for cooking a pig it would be a much, much longer journey. So does that mean we aren't cooks, because we don't spend as long on our journey?

Your statement was pretty bold and I do take offense to it. Sorry but I do.

BTW, I know that wasn't directed at me but at everybody who uses rubs. So please take the post above from everyone who uses commercial products.

I also agree with your last statement, cooking is a journey and we all chose our own path to follow. Just because we choose a different route doen't mean we aren't hikers.

100% grind my own spices and make my own rubs and make my own sauces from scratch.

Maybe one of these days I will try a commercial rub but I doubt it.

It's not that I haven't tried any commercial rubs. I have, but I much prefer to grind my own. So quick and simple, why wouldn't you?

I use a $15 Mr. Coffee - coffee bean grinder, and I buy whole spices. When it's time to make a rub, I grind what I need at the consistency I want.

Like so many other posts here I do both. I have slowly over a few years come up with a pork rub my family and I really like. I have tried several commercial pork rubs but to be honest I like my pork rub. My beef rub is not as developed yet, and I have found that I really like a particular commercial rub for brisket. Which is probably why my beef rub is not very developed.

In regards to sauce I make my own. Although I have tried the Blues Hog line, and that is a good sauce. It's just I don't know of a local supplier of Blues Hog thus if I want it I have to order it.


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caseydog said:

Okay, if you were to find already cooked BBQ that you thought was awesome, would you sell your smokers and stop cooking?

Making rubs is part of the cooking process, IMO. Sure, I like trying commercial rubs, but I cannot see myself ever giving up on spending that 20 minutes tops to mix up a rub.

That's like buying a chili mix, or a jar of sauce, and saying, "that's good enough for me."

Again, I have nothing against commercial rubs, but there is something intrinsically fun about making something yourself. If not, we would all just eat out.

It is not an either-or thing, IMO. If you only make your own rubs, you are probably missing some good flavors. If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook. That may piss some people off, but IMO, good cooking is a journey -- no, it's an adventure -- it's certainly not a destination.

CD

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My sentiments exactly

If what I am cooking requires something pretty simple, I will make up a quick rub with fresh ground ingredients. If I am doing a cook that requires very specialized flavor profiles, I also make up my own blends. But, there are many cooks where I just want to have a good proven flavor profile, I will use commercial rubs, I have many rubs, but, especially those which offer a sweet/spicy or Santa Maria profile that I can choose from.

kennedyma said:

Okay, I'm going to bite on this one.

What about using "commercial meat?" Are you not a cook if you don't raise your own pigs? Heck go one step up and say are you not a cook because you don't butcher your own pigs? Why don't you do this, because you want to save time. etc....

Your statement was pretty bold and I do take offense to it. Sorry but I do. etc

I also agree with your last statement, cooking is a journey and we all chose our own path to follow. Just because we choose a different route doen't mean we aren't hikers.

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Sorry Mate, you're drawing a very long bow on that one. In this day and age, we can't all have a farm and a market garden in our backyards... that is if we all even have a backyard. You don't see BBQ restaurants with their own dedicated Hog farm out the back although they may buy from a selected farm or supplier.

It is possible though, to buy bulk spices at good prices without having to grow them yourself amongst your pansies, and without having to move the car out of the shed to move in the processing equipment.

Casey's on the Money. Making your own rubs is fun, and it does make you a better cook though trial and error. When you're in a pinch, or after a specific flavour profile, you can't beat a commercial rub like Simply Marvelous, even though it's not a commercial rub... more like a boutique rub. A commercial rub, I'd say is more like a McCormacks, Lawries, Zatarians, Tony Catcheres' etc.

Cheers!

Bill