I'm doing a case of butts this weekend for an engagement party. I've done countless butts in my day, and done one competition (2nd place in amateur!) but am thinking about trying something new this time. At least on half of the butts. In the past, I never rub with anything other than maybe some salt. I do this primarily because I finish mine with a vinegar-pepper sauce (more like a gravy), typical of most pulled pork in South Carolina, i.e., all of my flavor comes from the smoke and the sauce. But I am thinking of doing a rub this time, mainly just to try something new but also to get some better bark. However, I don't want whatever I put on the butt prior to smoking to interfere with or overpower the sauce I toss it with once I pull it.
Now most people say to rub it down with mustard first to help hold the rub on and produce better bark but that the mustard taste cooks out. But I want ZERO mustard flavor. If you know anything about barbecue in the south, you know that mustard and vinegar-pepper are two conflicting styles, ergo, I don't want any mustard flavor. So does all of the mustard flavor completely cook out?
Also, is it absolutely necessary to apply the mustard before the rub? I also don't want to use a rub that's going to conflict with the vinegar-pepper gravy either. I guess what I am getting at here is while I would normally stick with what I know when cooking en masse like this, I kind of want to try something new but I don't want it to completely send the whole operation to hell in a hand basket. Thanks for any advice you gurus can offer.
-TB
Now most people say to rub it down with mustard first to help hold the rub on and produce better bark but that the mustard taste cooks out. But I want ZERO mustard flavor. If you know anything about barbecue in the south, you know that mustard and vinegar-pepper are two conflicting styles, ergo, I don't want any mustard flavor. So does all of the mustard flavor completely cook out?
Also, is it absolutely necessary to apply the mustard before the rub? I also don't want to use a rub that's going to conflict with the vinegar-pepper gravy either. I guess what I am getting at here is while I would normally stick with what I know when cooking en masse like this, I kind of want to try something new but I don't want it to completely send the whole operation to hell in a hand basket. Thanks for any advice you gurus can offer.
-TB