Skip to main content

Alton Brown said in the "Good Eats" episode "Pork Fiction-A Rib for All Seasons" that a rub should follow a ratio of 8-3-1-1, meaning eight parts sweetener, three parts salt, one part chili powder (or paparika I suppose-something red colored and with some depth of flavor), and one part made up of as many other spices as you want as long as it totals one part.

Now I know this is one opinion among millions, but I made the following rub using those proportions and the result was the best rub I have used to date; I used it on spare ribs and the taste was complimentary, and not over-powering:

8 T Brown Sugar
3 T Kosher salt
1 T chili powder
1/2t black pepper
1/2t cayene pepper
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t celery salt
1/2t Bell's Seasoning
1/2t onion powder

What ratio do you use in your homemade rubs?

SmokinMAINEiac
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

quote:
Originally posted by cal:
One would want to be careful on pork not to rub overnight with a rub thats has salt in it. Some say it can cause a hammy taste to pork and this would qualify as a salty rub.


Knowing that this is a salty rub, I let the rub sit on the ribs for only one hour before smoking.

SmokinMAINEiac
Last edited by Former Member
Bell's Seasoning is a poultry "dressing/stuffing" spice concocted with a liberal amount of Sage.

I seem to recall Paul Kirk using a 1-1-1-1 (salt, sugar, pepper, paprika) as a starting point for rubs. Ray Lampe suggests 3 parts sugar to 1 part salt, with onion, garlic and chili powder and herbs blended in to taste.

One thing to keep in mind is what you're using the rub on. My personal preferences are:

Brisket: more salt and pepper, less sugar and a bit of heat (ancho/chipotle/cayenne) powder.

Pork ribs/butts: More sugar...a blend of brown/Brownulated or Turbinado.

Chicken: more spice...smoked paprika,celery salt, coriander, oregano and chili powder and 1/64th tsp marjoram Razzer

I find myself getting lazier with age and have searched out commercial rubs that fit my flavor profiles. A few that I really like:
TxBBQ Brisket Rub, Butcher BBQ Honey Rub, Plowboys Bovine Bold.
quote:
I find myself getting lazier with age and have searched out commercial rubs that fit my flavor profiles. A few that I really like:
TxBBQ Brisket Rub, Butcher BBQ Honey Rub, Plowboys Bovine Bold.


Being a frugal Yankee, I have never tried a commercial rub. Maybe I'll have to try a couple and see what I've been missing Smiler Now where was that discussion about commercial rubs I saw a while ago??

SmokinMAINEiac

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×