Yellow Mustard Coating?

[gjd53]

Twenty years ago (more or less) I attended "BBQ University" in Portland Oregon which was taught by "Professor Barbecue" Bruce Bjorkman. I still have my diploma from that enjoyable event. At that time Bruce was working with Traeger but I think he works with somebody else now.

In any event, Bruce told us that after the rub is applied to ribs or Pork Butt, that a thin coating of ordinary yellow mustard (Frenchs, etc) applied over the top of the rub makes the meat more tender and is a common trick of competitive BBQ teams. I have used that trick for years and although I can't taste or see the yellow mustard on the finished product, it does seem to yield a high quality end product.

Is this a technique that is commonly used, or was it Professor BBQ's secret weapon, or is it nonsense?

Cheers!

 

[swylen]

I don't think it has any effect on the meat other than to make the spices stick on very well. I have a nephew who is very allergic to mustard who just ate about 4lbs of my mustard coated pulled pork butt. So i can say it is completely out by finish of the smoke.

 

[noboundaries]

I used mustard once, early on when I first started smoking.  Seemed like a waste of mustard to me, but I know folks swear by it.  Now I just give a fine spray of oil then apply the rub.   

 

[Bearcarver]

I use Yellow Mustard on Pork to help the Rub stick.

I use Lea & Perrins Bold Steak Sauce (AKA Worcestershire "Thick") on Beef for same reason.

And I use either EVO or Mustard on Chicken, also for same reason.

Bear

 

[BGKYSmoker]

 
Twenty years ago (more or less) I attended "BBQ University" in Portland Oregon which was taught by "Professor Barbecue" Bruce Bjorkman. I still have my diploma from that enjoyable event. At that time Bruce was working with Traeger but I think he works with somebody else now.

In any event, Bruce told us that after the rub is applied to ribs or Pork Butt, that a thin coating of ordinary yellow mustard (Frenchs, etc) applied over the top of the rub makes the meat more tender and is a common trick of competitive BBQ teams. I have used that trick for years and although I can't taste or see the yellow mustard on the finished product, it does seem to yield a high quality end product.

Is this a technique that is commonly used, or was it Professor BBQ's secret weapon, or is it nonsense?

Cheers!

Bruce works for MAK grills now. He is a good friend of mine.

I am not sure if Bruce still uses mustard, I will ask when i talk to him.

 

[gjd53]

Great.  Tell him Greg Dennis and Albert Jones and several of the other people who did BBQ University @ the buffalo ranch in SW Portland say hello.  I really miss his Saturday BBQ radio show in Portland - the replacement guy is a poor substitute.  Also, I just noticed that my BBQ University degree is not 20 years old, it is more like 14.  I am not as old as I thought!

 

[bmudd14474]

Years ago I did 2 butts one with mustard and one without. I found zero difference to the finished product. So now I just put the rub on the butt and let it sit for about 15 minutes and reapply if I see any thin areas. Works great for me. But as the saying goes to each their own.

 

[3montes]

First time I have heard of putting mustard on after the rub. I've never used it before or after so I can't speak to any affect it may have either way. I have never had a problem with rubs sticking to any of meat so I never felt I needed to add any kind of sticking agent. I always lay down a piece of butcher paper and lay the meat on top of it before applying rub. If any falls off on the sides while applying rub I just roll the piece of meat around on the paper to pick up any excess left on the paper.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

 
Great.  Tell him Greg Dennis and Albert Jones and several of the other people who did BBQ University @ the buffalo ranch in SW Portland say hello.  I really miss his Saturday BBQ radio show in Portland - the replacement guy is a poor substitute.  Also, I just noticed that my BBQ University degree is not 20 years old, it is more like 14.  I am not as old as I thought!

I sure will.

I was on his radio show a few times from north east pa, He and I did west/east coats cold smoked peeps on our MAKs. He wanted to have me tell how i came up with the design for my smokehouse.

 

[SmokinAl]

I'm with the group who used to use mustard, but now just put the rub right on the meat.

Al

 

[sauced]

I still use the mustard, but put it on very thin, guess I will be trying to smoke without it one day....lol

 

[chef jimmyj]

I only use mustard with my coarse Beef Rub to hold it in place. I did see Melissa Cookston add a coat of rub then a healthy schmear of yellow mustard on Ribs when she was featured on DDD. I thought it odd to put the mustard over the rub but hey, you can't argue with one of the winningest Ladies of Comp Q...JJ

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I only use mustard with my coarse Beef Rub to hold it in place. I did see Melissa Cookston add a coat of rub then a healthy schmear of yellow mustard on Ribs when she was featured on DDD. I thought it odd to put the mustard over the rub but hey, you can't argue with one of the winningest Ladies of Comp Q...JJ

Smart Girl !!

Probably just trying to suck her competitors into doing it.

Then doesn't really do it during a Comp.

Bear

 

[johnmeyer]

Years ago I did 2 butts one with mustard and one without. I found zero difference to the finished product. So now I just put the rub on the butt and let it sit for about 15 minutes and reapply if I see any thin areas. Works great for me. But as the saying goes to each their own.

Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment. I love it when members of this forum do a "controlled experiment" where they do two identical smokes, with one variable changed.

I have long suspected that mustard or EVOO isn't needed, but I still use it before I apply the rub. Why? Because no matter how I dry the surface of the meat, or even if I don't dry it, the amount of moisture and fat varies from point to point and therefore I get slightly different adhesion. By patting the meat dry and then applying a very, very thin coat of either of those two things, I get very uniform results.

So, the rub will definitely adhere without first applying a coating, but you may not get it looking as uniform. Whether this makes any difference at all, I don't know. Some people even claim that, when smoking, most rubs fade away and can barely be tasted.

 

[bmudd14474]

Years ago I did 2 butts one with mustard and one without. I found zero difference to the finished product. So now I just put the rub on the butt and let it sit for about 15 minutes and reapply if I see any thin areas. Works great for me. But as the saying goes to each their own.

Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment. I love it when members of this forum do a "controlled experiment" where they do two identical smokes, with one variable changed.

I have long suspected that mustard or EVOO isn't needed, but I still use it before I apply the rub. Why? Because no matter how I dry the surface of the meat, or even if I don't dry it, the amount of moisture and fat varies from point to point and therefore I get slightly different adhesion. By patting the meat dry and then applying a very, very thin coat of either of those two things, I get very uniform results.

So, the rub will definitely adhere without first applying a coating, but you may not get it looking as uniform. Whether this makes any difference at all, I don't know. Some people even claim that, when smoking, most rubs fade away and can barely be tasted.

I find that if it goes away and they can't taste it either the rub isnt that good as in isn't strong enough or they didn't apply enough IMO.

I always suggest that everyone does a side by side like this to find out what they like.

 

[joe black]

I use a thin slather of mustard on pork. Yes, it helps to hold the rub, but I wait about 15 minutes to let the mustard liquefy. Then it helps to pull the rub into the meat. I use EVOO on beef and butter on poultry. As far as I know, they just help to hold the rub.

 

[jokensmoken]

I'm in the group of "used to" when it comes to mustard.
I used it because everyone said that's how it's done...one day I ran out so I just rubbed my second butt up with nothing underneath and crossed my fingers...I nor anyone else could tell any difference between the two butts so I abandon the mustard all together on pork butts however, I'm with Bear on the Lea & Perrins on my beef...I also use EVOO, as Al recomended once, for pan fish.