A somewhat scientific experiment. (Updated with Q View)

I see a problem already.

If you want to see the difference between rubs, everything should be the same, except for the rub.

Based on looks alone, I like this one:

StartedSmokin said:

Rack 3 - very simple, but delicious:

Clay-20120812-00652.jpg

• startedsmokin
• Aug 12, 2012

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Out of curiosity, did you taste much smoke flavor in the marinated ribs. I thought I read on here that marination prevents the smoke from being able to penetrate properly and rendered the smoking pointless (actually someone also told me that directly in a thread about smoking brats )too. Even if that wasn't the case, I'd think a 15 hour marinade would totally overpower the smoke flavor, but I've never tried it before.

It sounds as if all the ribs were good as they all disappeared!

If you are going compare different rubs for taste I would think all 3 would need to be rubbed and marinated for the same amount of time to get a fair comparison. That's just my opinion and everyone has one.

All three sets of ribs look good and must have been good as they all got ate. That's the real reason behind all this anyhow!

Nice job and no leftovers means they were all good! All three look good but if I had to choose from appearance, I'd take the middle photo (You have it labeled Rack 3-very simple but delicious). 

I agree with a couple others in the thinking that they should all be prepared identically, except the rub since that was the element you were changing.

I think the truth is that the real focus of the experiment was the age old question of "how much good BBQ can we get in our stomachs today", and it looks like it was successful.  I will never get tired of running that experiment.

manman said:

Out of curiosity, did you taste much smoke flavor in the marinated ribs. I thought I read on here that marination prevents the smoke from being able to penetrate properly and rendered the smoking pointless (actually someone also told me that directly in a thread about smoking brats )too. Even if that wasn't the case, I'd think a 15 hour marinade would totally overpower the smoke flavor, but I've never tried it before.

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 I have Marinated and smoked meats with no issue, great smoke penetration and flavor. Where there can be problems is repeated Mopping with Thick sauces. These do reduce to a gooey coating that seals out the smoke. Meats with Thin Acid based Marinades and Brines come out great...JJ

Sounds like a tasty experiment 

SmokinHusker said:

Nice job and no leftovers means they were all good! All three look good but if I had to choose from appearance, I'd take the middle photo (You have it labeled Rack 3-very simple but delicious). 

I agree with a couple others in the thinking that they should all be prepared identically, except the rub since that was the element you were changing.

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(...in order to prepare a viable test trial for the various rubs). Very true. Ideally, no marinade, brine or mustard should be used if you really want to make comparisons to find out what your different rubs are doing for your meat and determine the flavors you want to produce from the rubs, unless these elements are used on all samples, with the understanding that in absence of any on future trials will change the overall flavor profile achieved with that given rub. Marinades alone can impart a great deal of flavor, and when I have used them, I rarely use much, if any, additional/final seasonings prior to cooking. Brines can impart a lot of flavor as well, though not as much as a marinade, and I typically formulate and use low/no-salt dry rubs for specific brine recipes as a matched set (dry rub which further enhances the brine).

StartedSmokin said:

Great question, manman.  I was going to start a different thread related to that.  Ironically, the taste on all three was great.  But I didn't have great smoke penetration on any.  Using a propane smoker, I would have expected a decent pink ring, and really didn't have that on any (even the two without marinating).  But, I usually use hickory for my ribs.   I used apple this time, which is much milder.  I did this on purpose - wanted to see the difference among rubs and didn't want a strong smoke flavor.  In the end, I wasn't thrilled with the smoke flavor, and was glad I had good rubs to compensate.

So....short story long...the jury is still out your question.

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You can get great smoke reaction in propane smokers (those who have followed my threads on smokes in the past can vouch for that), regardless of smoke wood used. It's all about chamber temps and humidity. If temps are too high for prolonged periods, you will get less smoke reaction. If chamber humidity is too low, you will get less smoke reaction. If both conditions exist, you will get little to no smoke reaction. Smoke ring is formed in the presence of NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), which requires some sort of fuel to be burning (hence no smoke ring with electric smokers), and also requires lower cooking chamber or grill temperatures. You can get "smoke ring" with no smoke at all (I've even done it in propane grills without smoke), as long as you have met the other conditions required to produce NO2 and allow it to penetrate the meat. The times I have experienced reduced smoke ring in a propane or charcoal smoker, I also notice less smoke flavor (in relation to smoke wood species) due mainly to the lack of conditions which are conducive to penetration of not only NO2 (smoke ring), but smoke (flavor). It's all tied together and is usually attributed to one or both of the above conditions exceeding the threshold or just getting completely out of control. High heat grilling will not produce a smoke ring, even if you were using supplemental smoke...because conditions for it are absent.

Just sayin'

Eric