No-Salt Blueberry/Cherry Rubbed Baby-Backs : Q-View & Review

[bajabarrister]

Very well done sir! All the cool guys are named Dave!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

 
Very well done sir! All the cool guys are named Dave!

Thanks!!! Dave is good folk. I've tossed out a few experiments with rubs, developed methods that work for me, etc, and he has tried a lot of them, best he can, and added a few twists to suit his personal liking where it would fit best. Like this dry rub...he's looking for no-salt rubs lately, and when he tried this one w/o salt, I just had to give it a whirl, too. It actually works pretty well. I did notice while eating some leftover ribs last night that on spots where there was a heavier rub application the ribs had a lot more of the flavor I was looking for...a little too bland where the rub was light, but it's definitely worth another shot when I can do it all right and lay the rub on as heavy as I want. Dave and I chat about stuff like this from time to time and exchange ideas...he's open-minded and very receptive to anything new that seems to make sense. I'm more of a rogue experimenter, myself...I throw things together after a little thought about what I want to do or change from what I've done before, and just make it happen...sometimes out of necessity, sometimes just out of curiosity. Anyway, Dave took what I started, went a bit further with a no-salt version, and now I find myself wanting to take that path as a result...way to go, Dave!!!

Eric

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks for the kind words Eric! When it comes to smoking I like to try different things and methods. I used to just stick with the conventional stuff and I started getting bored with it so I started looking for new ways to try things. When I started reading Eric's epic threads with such great detail and amazing results I knew this was someone I needed to start following and when I started adapting his methods my smoking went to a new level. When I saw his threads about RBPs, cherries, blueberries it just sounded so unusual I knew I just had to try it. I have learned so much from reading his threads and experimenting with his methods. So if anyone is interested in trying something new that somewhat goes against the conventional thoughts of smoking I suggest you take some time and read through his threads and articles. There is so much to learn in there and though a lot goes against what you are used to doing I will tell you first hand IT WORKS!!!

So how did you fair from the snowstorm? I see just east of you over in Deadwood they got 4 feet of snow!!!

 

[pigbark]

Honestly I got so bored with the norm, its another reason I joined.. I wanted to try different recipes for smoking and learn to cure meats.. Im in on this recipe, bought some ribs last night and well give it a go soon... Tired of the sugar and salt in a lot of the recipes I use now...I do have some basic dry rubs we like to use but again, a lot of salt in em as well...

Eric, hope your not snowed in up there...

Dave, ill PM ya soon if you got a little extra time...

Thanks

~Jim

 

[pigbark]

Ok so no salt or sodium got me digging through the spice cabinet, its not exactly organized but heres what was in it as far as salts..

DSCN1212[1].JPG

• pigbark
• Oct 6, 2013

High Sodium to Low Sodium LEFT to RIGHT salts serv. size is 1/4 tsp and weighed in grams.
Mortons regular table salt- no data given but I found it to be 25%
Hain Sea salt fine-1/4 weighed 1.5g Sodium 590mg DV is 25%
Morton Sea s alt fine- 1/4 weighed is 1.4g Sodium 560mg and DV is 23%
Olde Thompson Himalayan Pink Salt coarse-1/4 weighs 1g Sodium 416mg DV is 17%
Lawry seasoned salt- 1/4 weighed 1.2g Sodium 380 Dv is 16%
Morton salt substitute- 1/4 weighed 1.2g Sodium 0mg DV 0% *Potassium* 610mg DV17%

 

[hoity toit]

Those ribs really look nice. I'm a rib guy and I give you a 10 on appearance and color. Great job, I am going to have to try out this method, it is quite interesting. Thanks for the post.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Thanks guys-

Just winding-down for the night, finally. We did get snow-bound for a couple days...it laid-in for a wet, heavy snow the night I posted this thread...wind came howling through after mid-night. Road closures in every direction. Buffalo WY got hit with 31", just about 75 miles away as the crow flies...those down-slope snows coming off the Big Horn Mountains can be fierce. We got probably only got around a foot, but it was piled up everywhere...anything that didn't have tracks under it didn't go very far until Saturday afternoon when there was more snow-removal complete. There were tons of stranded motorists and trucks parked anyplace they could...no way to get anywhere so all they could do is hang-out. Way too folks don't check weather reports and road conditions often enough, and this is what happens as a result. I finally got home from work today @ mid-night...battling with the residual effects of the storm.

Jim, nice collection of salts...the specs are interesting...I browse the labels now and then, but never really took the time to make side-by-side comparisons. I do think my wife could raise you about 6 or 7 varieties, though...LOL!!! She's a seasoned-salt fanatic (garlic salt, Lawry's, I can't even remember all of them), and I've been trying to nudge her away from that, and she needs to cut salt, but it's taking some time. We do have a couple of different sea salts, which are nice because they do have less sodium than table salt or kosher and add more flavor, so you can use less. I use them now and then for rubs, marinades and sides. I'll be working on the same project as Dave, going the no/low-salt route and working up the right flavors to hopefully make it a desirable flavor combination for everyone here...finding the right combinations for beef, pork and poultry (completely separate from each other in the recipe builds) could prove to be a daunting task, but I always liked a good challenge. All of my family, relatives, neighbors and co-workers who have dined with me love my cooking up to this point, so if I slowly reduce the salt and use the right smoke combinations with the right spices, peppers and fruits, I think I can pull it off.

Hey Dave, I think it's guys like you that make my creative side come out sometimes. Maybe it gives me a push to keep looking for that next recipe idea when I know somebody's waiting to see what the next round will bring...I don't mind it at all. Keeps me busy doing something I enjoy, and the eats are pretty good too...LOL!!! Looking forward to tossing more ideas at you ASAP!!!

HT- thanks, I don't smoke ribs all that often, but I do try little twists with my methods frequently...just to experience a little different rib than before...never really had a flop to make me stop and rethink things, so, I just roll with whatever feels right at the time. Every smoke is a new adventure...that's what keeps it interesting and fun.

OK, I'm getting rummy now...work today took it's toll and I'm beat (I'd rather be up all night tending a smoke than working late)...eyelid inspections won't come soon enough. I'll have to catch up with you guys another day cuz I can't think straight anymore, and it's not from booze...(insert yawn here)

Take it easy guys, and keep those smokers warm and happy...all of mine are cold and buried in a 6ft snow-drift right now...

Eric

 

[s2k9k]

I hope we aren't hijacking your thread Eric!
Yesterday I had a craving for some tacos. haven't had any in a while because I know how much salt is in the store bought seasoning and really didn't think taco meat would taste right without salt. So I searched the interweb and found some no/low sodium seasoning recipes and decided to give it a try. I used one recipe that did have a little salt in it and I cut that back and used Morton Low Sodium salt which has half the sodium of regular salt. This probably had about as much sodium as two slices of bread in one pound of meat. It was actually really really good and I probably could have even used less salt.

 

[pigbark]

My better half is in on the recipe as long as we do not add the Cumin. she doesn't like it in nothing but Chili... we talked about it last night and we will be trying a test on half rack of PSR...

been looking for dried Blueberries and having a hard time finding them for some reason.. found the Cherries though.
- the salt
+ Mortons Salt Substitute- 0% sodium

-Cumin
+ I dunno just yet

The ribs have 250mg at 10% with a serving size of 4oz

This is going to be fun. Cant wait

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Naw Dave, I don't see a hijack here...it's related to the OP, IMO. Man, I gotta get my wife to ditch the salt (she has BP issues), and some of this stuff you guys are tossing up might get her attention.

Jim, just a thought, but try in the baking isle in your grocery store for dried blueberries, if you haven't looked there already...they seem to show up in the strangest places, but for muffins and such, the baking supplies might be your best bet. The salt substitute should work out ...never used it myself, but I should check into that, too. The cumin amount may or may not be noticeable...it's just a slight background flavor in the overall profile of the rub, so use your own judgment. Same goes for the sage, if that matters.

Enjoy the ride, fellas!!!

Eric

 

[pigbark]

Headed to the store after work to pick up the ingredients that I don't have.. Gonna roll with it and see what happens...

 

[gwschenk]

Man, O, man! Those look great!

 

[whistech]

Those are some beautiful ribs forluvofsmoke!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

 
Man, O, man! Those look great!

 
Those are some beautiful ribs forluvofsmoke!

Thanks you, fellow smokers!!!

Don't know how I lost track of this thread...site changes were giving me fits for about 2 weeks and I got way behind, I guess...

Eric