Truth in Rubs, Inquiring minds have questions

What an interesting question...

time for my soap box!

Sometimes (and this isn't at your Acariii) people take Q too serious.

What is Q?
It's not Art it's Zen! (to quote a friend).

so, let's start. What is Truth?

Truth is people love to boil ribs and call that "Q". To them it's True

Truth is once something is in print (in a book or on the Internet) it's Truth.

Truth is Dry Ribs in Memphis and Wet Ribs in KC. Pulled Pork in the S.E. and Tri-tip in the West.

Alot of people want a simple recipe, full of every single shred of knowledge so they can produce Q without any mistakes -- won't happen that easy! It True!

My mom can make the BEST pies, but I can watch her and can't duplicate them...he answer -- it takes time and experience and practice. Love you Mom (she reads the forum)

I could probably go on and on, but for me, there is a lot of advice out there, I would take everything you read as "advice".

Yes Salt will draw moisture out. But cover a fish in 5 lbs of salt, creating a salt dome, and cook the fish and it will be moist and fall apart. Why didn't the salt dry it out? Salt will dry anything out depending on conditions. Salt in a brine works by pulling the moisture inside the meat out and replacing it with the external liquid/ flavorings via osmosis. Hey for me, my overnight rubs don't dry it out and it's because there's not enough salt in the rub to "dry".

Smoky Hale is good, but a lot of people disagree with his opinions. They disagree with Mine. They don't like Willingham's Ribs. Hey it's America and Freedom of Speech is alive and well and that's the Truth! Don't even get me started (this isn't me EVEN started) about lots of Q books out there and lots of mis-information on the Net about Q. We wont' go into the "what is Q, barbecue, smoking, grillin'" definitions.

Who cares. Come by my house, we'll have some beer and Q and discuss.

My advice, and it's just my advice. I'm a moderator on this forum, I can produce Q that will be better than most and not 1/2 as good a many. My opinions are just that, opinions. But I will say....LOL

Go Cook! Just Cook! Start a batch of ribs, keep good notes and try something you read.

Have you tried a rub overnight and compared it to one that you rubbed that morning. I can make both work for me.

Dry ribs
Web ribs
Brines
Marinades
Injections
Mops
Sops
Finishing Sauces
and on and on

Too much knowledge to learn in a lifetime.

Here's another suggestion for many on the forum!

Pick one and become an expert!

Don't try to do brisket/ribs/pulled pork/ chicken/ turkey/ jerky/ cheese if you haven't mastered one.

And this might surpirse you...I haven't mastered anything yet. I'm always learning.

Just Smokin' Okies opinion! I love the group at this forum and I learn as much from you as I hope you get from me.



Just Smokin' Okie
"Q" Beginner


Come by Smokin's House on July 4th for the First Annual..."I'm celebrating the Freedom to Q" party...

Wow Smokin' how tall is that soapbox....

Just kidding, I agree that bbq can be done hundreds of ways and each way you can find someone who likes it.

Personally I don't think all that highly of Smokey Hale. However he has some good stuff. I am wondering when he says that he puts the rub on right before putting it on the grill if he is talking about high temperature grilling instead of smoking.

I have found that on a high temperature grill that if you put the rub on the top of the meat when grilling that that the high heat opens up the pores of the meat and draws the seasoning through the meat. So when grilling you don't need to apply the rub ahead of time.

Also, when grilling you are going to be drying out the meat due to the high temperature. So, you need every bit of moisture you can get.

My view when it comes to slow smoking is to rub the meat the night before. I have found that even rubs with quite a bit of salt don't cause any problems unless it is a really lean piece of meat. Also, the salt helps to draw the seasoning through the meat. So, I always use some salt in my rubs.

Hope this helps. Maybe I had better put up my soapbox...

Stuart

Acaraiii,

Try it both ways...add the rub just before cooking and try it the night before. Try it without salt. Try it with and without sugar, etc., etc., etc.

Compare your results. What you and your family like best, ~is~ the best.

Good luck and have fun with it!

Gents, I agree with both of you with respect to tolerance. I am a good presby-que-rian in that regard: I believe in the Wholly Catholic Taste. I also admire Smokin's "big tent" approach to the Cookshack Nation. Learn more that way. It's just that I was startled by the aforementioned author's adamant statement: "Don't rub, you'll ruin the meat!" Made me toss and turn all night. Then it came to me. Just how much salt does he think I would use in a rub? How much salt would it take to de-water an 8 lb butt? That much salt would "corn" the pork and gag the eater. ACARRIII

Hey,Smokin'.....You get extra points for "don't take it too serious"....Many approach this like it is their final cook and it has to be perfect......Plan on cooking a lot more,enjoy the process,and don't worry--be happy.....The worst Q that any of us will do in a CS will still be pretty darn good!.....My wife is a baker and pastry maker.....Now that's something to worry and be exact about......I understand that their are things that are specialty items that could go wrong when we push the envelope,but 98% of our cooks is what the CS was designed to make foolproof. Well,there is my $0.02 worth.

" ...The worst Q that any of us will do in a CS will still be pretty darn good! "

Hey Tom,

So true!

I feel that an educated 12-13 year old can turn out some close to world class stuff in a CS, with just a small amount of instruction. I'm still stunned by it's ease of use and it's final product(s).

Regards, Mike

more truth, Tom, more Truth!

I'm in this for the fun of it, SOME take it too serious. My offer stands, come by the Smokin Okie Shack and we'll drink a few and talk some tales...and have fun doing it.

I'd add another:

I can still eat my disasters made in a CS, but can't eat the disasters cooked in others...

Things that make you go hmmmmmm.....


Smokin'

Gentlemen (and Ladies);

It's summertime (offically). Sit back, relax and have a homebrew and, of course, some Q.

This works in the other 3 seasons too!!!

My view ... if you like it the way it turns out, what do you care what anyone else says.

So True AAHH, So True.

I think the issue was trying to know everything in advance.

Just try it, if you like it, be happy, if you don't ask this gang at the forum and we'll ALL help you out.

Smokin'