Diabetic BBQ????? SOS

[tikismoke]

My wife has just recently been diagnosed with diabetes I am looking for some good ideas on how to cut sugar and salt out of rubs and sauces

 

[diggingdogfarm]

We need to know more about what you like to smoke and the rubs and sauces that you like.



~Martin

 

[tikismoke]

I am big on brisket and spare ribs and I also like whole chickens

 

[foamheart]

There ya go, chickens are no problem, use some fruit, herbs, veggies if you need to build more complex flavors. BUT you can sprinkle some Mrs Dash on the bird and smoke it just like that. Chicken is happy just in the smoke. but you could sprinkle. parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, or stuff it with onions or go with fruit like oranges and apples.

Just chicken is a perfectly wonderful meal. They tried taking me off salt once also. Its like someone rips out your taste buds. But you can sacrifice salt by replacing it with other flavors. Its really frustrating cause nothing seems right, and it takes awhile to ween yourself and not want it. It just takes time.

 

[chuckles]

Most recipes that call for sugar or brown sugar seem to work well with sugar sustitutes. The bark may not be quite the same but still very good. I've lost over 100 pounds since late September on a local hospital diet, eating my smoked meats a couple times a week. I've used sugar substitutes in all the rubs I've found on this site. Salt is also a concern for me. If I use salt in the rub recipes I find on this forum I usually cut the salt in half to start then adjust up or down from there. Also, lemon zest and lemon pepper seem to be a pretty good supplement to the reduced salt. Everyone has different likes and dislikes but these techniques seem to have worked for me.
Roy

 

[tikismoke]

Trust me a little piece of me died when she told me low salt

 

[diggingdogfarm]

@tikismoke

What do you normally put on your brisket , spares and chicken?
Tell me about your rub and sauce.
How low-carb do you want to go?
I'm a diabetic so I do know a little bit about this.



~Martin

 

[foamheart]

Wow, not only is Martin a very knowledgeable smoker but knows your needs personally. Man that's great! You're in really good hands.

 

[pops6927]

Also check out the group YAWYE!  (You Are What You Eat).

 

[forluvofsmoke]

tikismoke, Martin is right on this, with personal experience. I also decided to drop sugar from rubs when my spouse was diagnosed as type 2 years ago, and then I began to reduce sodium as well in recent years (for her and myself), just as a precautionary measure.

As mentioned, adding other flavors can make a big difference when omitting or reducing something that you have become accustomed to having on your food. I have incorporated dried fruits and red bell peppers into my dry rubs for chicken and pork for a few years now and that has worked quite well in replacing sugars. Yes, dried fruits still have sugars, though they are not simple sugars like refined sugar, so they don't hit the blood-stream as quickly...and, they add so much more depth to the flavor profile, that you can use less and taste more.

Here's an example of one of my more recent experimental rubs that became a big hit here, even with the kids (note: I used Morton's Lite Salt as a sub with this recipe at 1/2 the normal amount for 1/3 the sodium content, and it is good as well):

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...t-dry-chamber-recipe-q-view-finished-w-review

Don't sweat the transition to low sugar/sodium. There are lot's of alternatives if you just look around a little...if you like the flavor of something, think about what it can do when added to a dish, dry rub or sauce. Even Jalapeno or milder chilies can be added to rubs for a little extra depth of flavor to accommodate for less salt or sugar. I will say though, red bell peppers have been the back-bone of my sugar-free rubs for years now...they add there own sweet back-ground, so I suggest you start with them. The fruits can come later, but the blueberry, cherry and red bell combination is really nice...I've been thinking of adding apple powder to that as well. I would caution using salt alternatives long-term, on a regular basis, as they aren't so great for health, either, however they can help you to get less sodium from the start, un til you slowly change your recipes to remove them (and replace with other ingredients, if needed, to please your taste).

Hang in there...BBQ doesn't need to end when you need to make dietary changes.

I do recommend you look for the YAWYE group (found HERE), as Pops mentioned...ton's of folks there for different reasons, but with the same goal in mind...getting or staying healthy, and finding ways to cook and eat which support that goal.

Eric

 

[tikismoke]

For my brisket I do mustard and a salty spicy rub and for porc is usually apple juice and a sweet rub. The advice given so far has been really awsome and has gotten the brain juices flowing . Thanks alot guys

 

[rlk438]

I have lost over 100 lbs and got off 2/3 of my BP meds.
I made my own BBQ sauce made it hot, with home grown tomatoes, pepper, halipino and vinager. It has lots of flavor. I took some recipes off here and put them together. Check out YAWYE group on my post of a ? I got some of the ideas. I also go with heaver smoke. A oak hickory mix. But not a soot smoke thin blue. I also got a vacum tumbler marinater to help with keeping chicken breasts moist and adding flavor. I didn't use to like hot spicy food. But with out salt it make it not be bland. This is a great group to help. I also use a lot of mrs dash. Original is great on smoked fish.

 

[bucfan7273]

I'm new to smoking but not new to diabetes. I've had type 2 for over 15yrs. I will try some of the ideas in this forum also. I have tried some commercial rubs and salt is a problem with all of them. I use sugar subs when I'm cooking on the oven with no problems. So I will try them while smoking.

 

[jdftwrth]

A lot of interesting posts on this thread.

I am a T2 diagnosed in 1997 and I have to admit that most of the commercial sauces and rubs drive my bgl crazy. Salt is an issue for me also, too much and it causes me all sorts of problems.

I live about 90 miles south of Fort Worth Tx and there are so-called bbq joints all around the area, I have tried some of stuff these folks offer up as Q and found most of it lacking in flavor and the meats tend to be so overcooked that you could use them as siding on a house. The other thing that is an issue for me is almost all of the Q sold commercially around this area leaves an aftertaste that is best described as soapy.
 

I am somewhat of a purist, when i smoke brisket its rubbed with salt and pepper and smoked with a combination of post oak and mesquite. However my wife is a whole other story, being from way north of the mason-dixon line she has some rather strange tastes, she tends to favor sweet fruity sauces with little or no heat. I am not a great fan of sauces/rubs that are hot enough to melt steel but do like a little punch in the rubs/sauces that I use for pork/chicken.

I am always on the lookout for recipes that even a diabetic can use and if I run across any that are diabetic friendly I will post them here (as long as they are not copyrighted in which case I will post a link to the site).

Later...

JD
 

 

[tikismoke]

That is always appreciated thanks so much everyone

 

[addertooth]

With type 2 diabetes, you are not seeking to eliminate ALL carbs/sugars.  You are just wanting to shift the proportions. Your body needs some glucose for normal function.  Ketoacidosis (due to excessive carb/sugar restriction is a serious medical condition.   Yes, there is a lot of brown sugar in the rub (my recipe uses 1/2 cup); however, keep in mind that is a thin coating spread over 2 racks.  Of the two racks, I have 4 ribs. This translates to about a teaspoon of sugar ingested.  Some of the sugar becomes oxidized during the smoking process, which reduces the amount of glucose which will be produced by the consumption of it. I also had half of a number 2 potato. My post-meal blood sugar was 113 after 4 ribs.  I simply limited my carbs/sugars on the day I was fixing ribs, which allowed me to indulge in ribs which had the normal rub, plus the non-healthy BBQ sauce which was applied in the final hour.  Also, if it is important, G. Hughes makes a sugar free smokehouse hickory sauce, which will drop the total sugar intake a bit.  I have been forced to make healthier choices since my diagnosis.  As a consequence, my weight has dropped by 50 pounds.  Even with the occasional  ribs, my Ketones are typically in the slight to moderate range.  Type 2 diabetes does not mean you can't have a bit of sugar now and then, it just means you can't do it every day.  As for your sodium, consider drinking more diuretics (coffee, tea, chai, etc).  You will eliminate enough sodium that you may discover you have to up your sodium intake to put your sodium/potassium back in balance.  Too little sodium will cause heart irregularities, critically low sodium will cause your heart to stop.  The loss of sodium can be more pronounces if you are taking a prescription diuretic (such as hydrochlorothiazide).  Only your chem7 tests know for sure. 

 

[Seattle back yard Q]

I just now saw this after 3 months. But I sympathize. I was diagnosed in February with type 2. With help from my wife I changed my habits and went from a blood glucose of 397 (yikes!!) to around 80-90 now. I've lost 50 pounds and I'm just at the upper edge of normal weight for my height. I attribute 4 things to this: support, drugs, diet and exercise. Walk daily and do strength training. Take drugs as prescribed and eat right and it will all be good. But, you wrote because you want to change how you BBQ ( Support!! ). I did a couple of things. 1) I expanded my herb garden and use them all the time. 2) I like to dry brine, and I reduced the salt to about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pound (chickens, pork, steaks, which is not often, etc.) which is helpful for a diabetic, lower the fat (skin off on chickens....sigh). 3) Portion control....more veggies and less meat. 4) Eat less but eat more often with good things. So, for chickens, I make an herbal rub with fresh herbs (dry in winter) and rub it under the skin for flavor. No bbq sauce needed. I do similar with other meats. I make my own rubs and severely reduce or eliminate the sugar and put no salt in the rub because I dry brine. You can use alternative sweeteners, but I prefer alternative sauces using coconut milk or yogurt or other things, and they are full flavored. So, I don't feel much like I've given up anything and, in return, I feel better than I have in years. You'll help your wife feel better too and, even if you don't have diabetes, you'll be healthier if you participate in the diet change and exercise. I hope you'll post again with how you're doing. Best of luck to you.