A couple of years ago I bought, read, and learned a bit about rubs, pastes, marinades, mops, etc., from Paul Kirk's book: Championship Barbecue Sauces. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about building their own rub, balancing the ingredients, etc.

Spent some time building a rub, which is still a bit of a work in progress. We love it on pork, beef, lamb, and chicken. We don't love it on fish.

Hope you like it, too...

Mike’s Dry Rub

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup onion salt
1/2 cup garlic salt
1/2 cup celery salt
1/2 cup season salt
1 cup paprika (imported sweet)
1/2 cup chili powder
1/2 cup coarse fresh black pepper
� tsp allspice
� tsp ground cloves
2 tbl dry mustard
(preferably Coleman’s)

Mix well and store in dry dark place for 24 hours before using.

Paint ribs, brisket, pork butts, etc., with yellow mustard or Extra Virgin olive oil and dust to taste with dry rub.

Put in fridge for a few hours (we like at least overnight).

Remove from fridge, re-rub if desired, and smoke the meat.

We feel that hickory, oak, pecan, and mesquite all work well with this rub.

It tends to be just a bit heavy for lighter flavored woods such as apple, cherry, grape vine, persimmon, peach, pear, and alder woods, although we did a nice pork loin with grape vine last month.

We also use this rub for grilling burgers, lamb chops, pork chops, and veggies. We don't prefer it for ribeye nor strip steaks.

Hey,Mike.It looks really good and thanks for sharing it with us.....It has a lot of that P. Kirk feel to it-which is never bad.I'll give it a try and maybe tweak a little with cayenne.

" I'll give it a try and maybe tweak a little with cayenne. "

Tom,

I like that idea. For the size of the recipe posted, how much cayenne?

Hi,Mike....Since you have about 5 cups of rub there,I'd probably start with a couple of tbsp.....You can always add more the next time around...That shouldn't heat it up too much,since red pepper stimulates different mouth areas than black pepper.....My personal taste would be for more still,but then most of my eaters like more spice.....Which reminds me,all my scotch bonnet plants are turning color and about ready to start picking......I can almost smell the jerk chicken and pork now!

Funny thing happened on the way to making up a batch of rub this morning...I posted my recipe with some incorrect ingredients. The 4 salts should be 1/2 cup each and not 1/4 cup each. Very sorry! Regards, Mike

Corrected Version

• 2 cups white sugar
  
  
• 1/2 cup onion salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup garlic salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup celery salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup season salt
  
  
• 1 cup paprika (imported sweet)
  
  
• 1/2 cup chili powder
  
  
• 1/2 cup coarse fresh black pepper
  
  
• 1/2 tsp allspice
  
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  
  
• 2 tbl dry mustard (preferably Coleman�s)
  
  

I made up a batch of Mike's rub. It's working its magic as we speak. I did 1 cup brown sugar + 1 white, instead of 2 white. I am one who thinks that brown sugar/molasses flavor was made for BBQ smoke. But then I'm a Cracker (=Floridian = Redneck-Already-Trained). I also jazzed things up with cayenne.
Trouble is, Mike, it's too good! I started eating it with a spoon. It's true. My wife found me eating the Rochman Dry Rub with a kitchen spoon. Came after me again with that salty turkey leg.
(Not really. We finished off the salty turkey. Made up a batch of Rangoon Salt Turkey Salad Supreme. Ever heard of that? Not bad.)
Thanks. ACARRIII

ACARRIII,

I'm flattered. And, I do agree with you about brown sugar. Going to make up a batch as you did..half brown sugar, half white sugar. Added a bit of cayenne as Tom suggested, and do like it better that way.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards, Mike

Cacker + Redneck + Mike's Rub = Crack Neck? Rub Neck? Crack Head...oops.

Now that's not something I've done. I'll make a batch for a party on the 4th and try it. I've bought a bunch of Choice Packer Briskets at Wal-Mart (IBP stuff) looked good, folded well -- not stiff.

I too am a fan of brown over white for smoking!

I'll report back...and I'll TRY not to eat it direct and get addicted.

Smokin

" I too am a fan of brown over white for smoking! "

Smokin',

Have never tried brown in a rub. Probably because I was heavily (read: incorrectly) influenced by web-based Qers who abhor the use of sugar in their rubs.

Why? They say it's because it burns. They are correct. If the smoke chamber isn't ridgedly controlled, that sugar is going to carmelize and/or burn.

Have cooked 4 times with my rub in CS. Absolutely no burned sugar yet. Guess what? I didn't get it burned often in an offset either, because I used turbinado sugar.

I love sugar in a rub, and so do most all folks to which I serve the Q. Am anxious to try it with brown sugar.

Regards, Mike

Hey, MIke....That Turbinado is still a good and tasty idea in the CS....Especially if you get hung up in some of those 18 hr. cooks.

I swear by turbinado sugar. It ain't a rub without it!!!

" I swear by turbinado sugar. It ain't a rub without it!!! "

Tom & NJ,

Have used it twice. Both times (brown box) the granuals were too large and wouldn't mix well with my rubs. Both times, I put them in a coffee bean grinder and made them into too fine of a dust.

Would switch to turbinado because of it's heat resistance were I able to find a brand with the consistancy of white cane sugar.

Any suggestions?

Regards, Mike

I use my mortar and pestle to crush things to uniform size.

Not sure how hard turbinado sugar is, but I use on Kosher salt and it works fine.

It is also a great way to "release" the flavor of spices when they are a bit old.

I got mine for $9.00 at a kitchen store.

Hey,Mike...I don't worry about the size granules ,as I've not seen it affect the finished product.....If I am using regular brown sugar,that clumps quickly down here in FL,in my rubs -I just run the rub through the food processor and you can even shake through a wire strainer for very even results....Like Stogie,I get lazy and use some of the Montreal coarse seasonings and add Turbidnado to taste.[and cayenne]

Hey Michael,

Size doesn't matter I've used Turbinado for years and Kosher. One of the reasons is that the larger granules won't melt under the heat as quick (especially in grilling). I just mix 'em up and shake 'em out. I used to use an old coffee grinder, but Ms. Smokin' got me a nice mini Cuisinart blend that is perfect for spices. I haven't had any of the sweet spices "burn" in the CS because of the heat levels, but brown sugar will burn on a grill.

I've seen your recipe in two forums with the incorrect sizes. You know you CAN go back an edit them and make them correct (or does the edit function not work as it should?) that why all the lurkers copying them will have the right stuff (they probably didn't catch the corrections in the words, a lot of people will use just the recipe -- really)

To play nice, your moderator has correct the one just above this post. Hope you don't mind.

Smokin

Tom, Stogie, Smokin', etc.,

"....Like Stogie,I get lazy and use some of the Montreal coarse seasonings and add Turbidnado to taste.[and cayenne] "

That doesn't sound lazy. That sounds like the making of a very interesting rub. Gotta try it soon.

" I've seen your recipe in two forums with the incorrect sizes. You know you CAN go back an edit them and make them correct (or does the edit function not work as it should?) "

It works fine. Just didn't realize you can edit them after they're posted a day or so. Will correct the recipe right now. Thanx.

" To play nice, your moderator has correct the one just above this post. Hope you don't mind. "

Thank you. Appreciate that.

Regards, Mike