Rubs are too damn high!

[Swine Spectator]

I think we all watch meat prices pretty carefully. However, I have been less concerned about rub prices. I used to be adamant about making my own rubs. I recent years, I have taken to trying store-bought varieties. However, it seems to me that the prices have gone way up in the past year or so.

Plowboys Yardbird is one of my favorites. I used to pay $7.99 for the 14oz at Bass Pro, but lately its either $9.99 or $10.99.

I was at Ace Hardware today and they had all of the Dizzy Pig varieties for $10.99 for 8oz.

Even crazier than that, Williams-Sonoma had a series of rubs this summer $12.99 for 3oz tins!

I guess I'm going back to making my own.

 

[sudsandswine]

Buy in bulk, you're paying $$$ for the packaging. I buy 5lbs at a time for some rubs, 1-2lb's at a time for others. Paying for the 8oz plastic shaker bottles is pricey. When you consider the amount of rub on each piece of meat, it's still comparatively way cheaper than the meat itself, so I don't skimp.

 

[Joshw]

They are high, but so are spices. I use to make a lot of rubs, and it is cheaper, but there is an up front cost of buying quality spices in bulk. You can easily spend several hundred dollars buying all the spices needed to make good rubs. I recently started buying some rubs, and find if you buy them at the right place, at the right time, there isn't much savings on making your own. Having recently switched to a Keto diet, I am going to have to go back to making my own though. There are very few commercial rubs, that are keto friendly.

 

[Mike in Roseville]

Find the ones you like and buy in bulk.

 

[LYU370]

Yep, I've noticed that. I think some brands are trying to justify their high prices by using fancy packaging. Once I find a rub I like, I buy it in whatever bulk packages they have.

 

[bschoen]

My problem with buying bulk is that ground spices lose their mojo pretty quickly, a couple of months. The only spices I buy in bulk are whole spices which keep their potency for a long time. Unless you use up that 5 lb tub of rub in a few months I think it is a false economy.

 

[dadsr4]

My problem with buying bulk is that ground spices lose their mojo pretty quickly, a couple of months. The only spices I buy in bulk are whole spices which keep their potency for a long time. Unless you use up that 5 lb tub of rub in a few months I think it is a false economy.

I mix my own, but bulk spices and rubs last a long time in ziplock bags in the freezer, so long as you expel as much air as possible.
The rubs I make use stuff we keep around anyways, so ingredients don't have a chance to get too old. It's a rare week that replacement spices and herbs aren't on the shopping list.

 

[dgaddis1]

The typical shakers last me so long I don't worry about the cost. The cost per meal is pennies. If I were to make my own I'd spend way more money in total, and end up with way more rub than I need.

 

[PatAttack]

Packaging certainly comes into play but shipping is a MAJOR factor as to why pricing is going sky high!

They have to pay more to have the ingredients shipped to them and in turn have to raise prices on the product to make up for that.

 

[16Adams]

I’ve a friend near Ft Worth who cooks more often , and bigger amounts than me. When he fires up his smokers his neighbors bring meat to add to the cook. He’s told me he uses the rotisserie blend a lot, specially when cooking for neighbors. He says any adjustments needed for individual taste can be done with salt and pepper at the table. He keeps two others around for private stock. Coopers and Janak’s Halletsville. Sometimes he will blend. He gave me some a couple years ago and it’s really good. $20 for 5#

http://www.jimmieschuckwagon.com/products.htm

 

[PnkPanther]

I used to be very anti premade rubs and consistently made my own


while there were standards: paprika, chili power, garlic powder, mustard powder, etc I ended up buying a lot of $10 jars of spice i'd use only few tsp's of and spices do expire


I don't mind buying good rubs fors 10.00/Jar.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I shop for deals on bulk. Spices do NOT go bad. They lose their flavor over time but won't make you sick. I use fresh for competition because its important to have the best flavor possible. At home? Its not a big enough difference to toss it.

Clumping though is a bit different. That can ruin rubs. If it turns darker then I toss it. Moisture is the enemy.
Competition I prefer to open new bottles.

My opinion is use your best judgement.

 

[jdtTX]

They do seem to be creeping up. It's definitely better to buy the big bags when you like something, but I have an entire shelf of stuff I don't like because id buy a bottle to try it. that gets expensive.

 

[qnbiker]

I make my own. I already have the spices and it takes about 2 minutes. Most commercial rubs are too salty for me.

 

[dadsr4]

I make my own. I already have the spices and it takes about 2 minutes. Most commercial rubs are too salty for me.

The salt is a big factor in my mixing my own. Also, I usually only mix what I'm going to use right away, except for SPOG.

 

[IamMadMan]

As a person who used to make his own rubs, but now only buys commercial rubs:


Prices should be in line with consumer market value. If you feel the price of the rub you are using is too expensive, then you are probably buying the wrong rub. Especially if you can compare the quality of the purchased rub to your homemade rub.



The value of the rub you are using should be in-line with the quality and flavor imparted by the product. There should be an obvious perceived value that should far exceed the retail value of the rub.


As a consumer, one should not buy something if the value does not match the price of the product.

 

[SmokyDick]

Rubs are fine its the non-prime shipped rubs that burn your wallet. $7 for a bottle then another $7 to ship.

 

[FashionBiff]

I was a gotta make my own rubs kinda guy. I'm over it now, received 5#s of rub from Big Poppa a month or so ago.

 

[kyleb76]

They are high, but so are spices. I use to make a lot of rubs, and it is cheaper, but there is an up front cost of buying quality spices in bulk. You can easily spend several hundred dollars buying all the spices needed to make good rubs.

Years ago I tried following a rub recipe a friend recommended, by the time I bought all the spices I had probably spent at least $50. After I made that batch of rub, most of the leftovers of all the spices I bought just sat in the cabinet until they expired. For a casual smoker like me (I probably fire my smoker up about once a month on average) its more cost effective to buy the pre-packaged rubs.

I went in to the local bbq store a couple weeks ago to pick up some rub and as I walked in the guy asked me if he could help me find something. The shelf where they keep the rub I use was right behind him and I didn't see any bottles so I said no thanks, it looks like you are out. He asked me what I was looking for and when I told him, he said "we're not out, we have it in the 2 lb bags for $14, if you bought that much in the shakers it would cost you almost $40". I went ahead and bought a bag, but it will probably go bad before I ever use it all. But if I use 3/4 of it before it goes bad it will still be cheaper than buying 2 12oz shakers at $9.99 each.

 

[dadsr4]

Years ago I tried following a rub recipe a friend recommended, by the time I bought all the spices I had probably spent at least $50. After I made that batch of rub, most of the leftovers of all the spices I bought just sat in the cabinet until they expired. For a casual smoker like me (I probably fire my smoker up about once a month on average) its more cost effective to buy the pre-packaged rubs.

I went in to the local bbq store a couple weeks ago to pick up some rub and as I walked in the guy asked me if he could help me find something. The shelf where they keep the rub I use was right behind him and I didn't see any bottles so I said no thanks, it looks like you are out. He asked me what I was looking for and when I told him, he said "we're not out, we have it in the 2 lb bags for $14, if you bought that much in the shakers it would cost you almost $40". I went ahead and bought a bag, but it will probably go bad before I ever use it all. But if I use 3/4 of it before it goes bad it will still be cheaper than buying 2 12oz shakers at $9.99 each.

Put what you won't use quickly in a ziplock bag in the freezer. It will keep.