help

Mike, I have try making my own and I find it is better to use a rub someone else has made. If you have a favorite BBQ joint they will usually sell a rub. Go to a meat market and they might be able to help. Personally on ribs I like Rib Tickler. You can get it from The Kansas City BBQ store online. JT

JT,

Thank you so much!! Will take your advice and order this and try tomorrow.

Mike

Mike, I just checked and it is under Williams Rib Tickler if you search in the KCBBQ Store.

Good Luck,
JT

Thank you!!

Mike

Mike, I don't think Dreamland uses a rub on their ribs; at least the original didn't that I recall. Of course that was back in the day when the only place one could get Dreamland ribs was in their restaurant outside of Tuscaloosa, and the only thing they served was ribs. With the new franchises things may have changed a bit. I would think that if they used a rub it would be available on their web site, same as the sauce.

Hmm, that may well be true. There doesn't seem to be any thing on the ribs when you get them. But how in the world do they get that incredible flavor? Variation of different woods? My ribs at home come out tasting more like smoked ham, and I've tried hickory only, hickory+pecan, hickory+pecan+apple. Could the secret an open pit? Any suggestions? I sure do love their ribs and getting them mail order and warming them over is just not the same. Thank you!!

Mike

How do you prepare your ribs for the smoker? Do you put on a rub? How long do you leave it on before you start smoking them? Depending on what's in the rub and how long you leave it on, it could make your ribs taste like ham.

Andy, thank you. I have only been putting salt and pepper cause I love the hickory flavor and I didn't believe that Dreamland used a rub. I had ribs from a chain with rub so thick that I couldn't eat them!. But after doing the ribs several times without a rub, I wasn't getting that Dreamland flavor and after reading things on the internet, everyone said the secret was the rub. So I figured I must be missing the rub. I am new to this, and where I'm from (New Orleans) we cook just about everything but ribs! There is now only one rib place left in NO!!

If you put on a rub with salt in it more than a couple hours before you smoke the ribs, you can get a hammy taste, especially if left on for a long period like overnight. Salt and pepper if put on more than a couple hours before smoking would have the same effect.

Here's one of Dreamland's sites. It looks like they don't use a rub, but use a sauce which can be purchased.

Williams Rib Tickler rub is very good. I just ran out of it myself.

No, I am salt and "peppering" just before smoking. Thank you!

Mike

Store bought rubs I like for ribs:
Rib Tickler
Butcher BBQ Honey Rub
Trimm Tab's Pig Powder

My recipe for rib rub at the restaurant, scaled down:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Light Chili powder or New Mexican
1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic or powder
1 Tbsp Granulated onion or powder
1 Tbsp Dry mustard
1 Tbsp Black Pepper medium grind
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chipotle powder
1 tsp Cayenne

The same recipe is used for Butt rub but I increase the brown sugar to 1 cup

Did a Google on Dreamland ribs. The one recipe found mentions brushing the ribs with bacon fat and grilling them directly, followed by foiling them in a pan with water and liquid smoke and baking them for hours I'm guessing this recipe is someone's interpretation of DL ribs.

The Dreamland web site sells sauce but doesn't mention a rub.

You'll find that a lot of BBQ'ers, like you, will prefer their ribs without sauce once they've develop good technique. I think most restaurants use good sauce because it's cheaper than trying to cover 100's of racks with rub each day.

Around here? Rub only for the Smokin' Okies.

Key is technique and work on flavor profiles that work for you. If you don't have one, start with Max's as a test and adjust as needed.

Make two racks, go light on one rub, heavy on the other.

Over the last 10 years, when I've been near DL and tried them, the ribs just weren't very good.

Now sure what you have for a smoker, but you keep asking questions, we'll help and quickly you'll have ribs better than DL.

Point of mention -

I apply a medium light dusting on both sides about an hour before smoking. I spritz with apple juice once @ hr. Just after the 3rd spritz, I re-season with another med-light dusting, top only. The re-season adds a bit more bark.

Thanks for the recipe Max.

quote:

Originally posted by MaxQue:
...
Did a Google on Dreamland ribs. The one recipe found mentions brushing the ribs with bacon fat and grilling them directly, followed by foiling them in a pan with water and liquid smoke and baking them for hours I'm guessing this recipe is someone's interpretation of DL ribs...

Thanks for sharing your recipe Max. Agreed, that process is something someone 'dreamed' up in an attempt to assimilate Dreamland ribs. Haven't been to the original Dreamland in ages but have read a number of reviews on the various franchises, and it looks like 'Dreamland' is not consistently replicated. Much has changed since Big John's departure, as he had one thing that he focused on and that was ribs. I remember seeing him back in the corner of his original joint tending the ribs on the open flame pit where he did the cooking all by himself. Many may want to think of this a grilling but it isn't much different from other pits that I've seen. John's set up was like a big enclosed oven with the opening in the front, much like a pizza oven only with a grill instead of a solid bottom. He would sit by the opening and reach way in to work with the ribs.

I'm wondering why the trip all the way across the South for ribs,unless you had other business?

As Tn Q says,other locations can be different.The folks at Mobile were relatives,but I believe he passed away,a few years back.

I realize Charlotte isn't usually known for Ribs.

As you said,NOLA is one of the greatest of food towns,except Q.

If you are going to buy products local,there is a Barbecues Galore store in Charlotte,that will have at least ButtRubb and the ObieQue products.

If you happened to be in Mobile again,you can try Saucey Q or the Brickpit ,which most in the cooking business find to be far superior.

They may use more sauce than you desire,though.

Brick pit is run by an ex comp team,as well.

If time is your constraint,buying rubs on line could be beneficial.

Did CS send some Brisket Rub with your AQ?

To start,add some sugar to it,as Max suggested-no more than a couple hrs ahead of cooking.His rub is sorta typical of a dry rib rub.
The folks at DL do cook over more direct heat ,so the drippings/rendered fat are a source of flavor.

We don't mop much in traditional CS,but dry rib folks are often vinegar moppers and add a dusting of rub as they come off the pit.

You don't mention the type ribs,whether they are injected,or temps you cook at, but some of our fine AQ cooks may have some tips-specificlly.

Injected can also be "hammy".

As you suggested,Ribs don't require heavy rub for the smaller meat to bone ratio.

With a little more specific info,I'm sure our folks will have you on track,soon.

That's tonight's experiment!!