Question on rub for ribs

[dburne]

Hey gang,

Got a new Char-Griller Akorn Kamado recently, and going to be trying my first smoke on it  here in the next few days.

We downsized and moved, and had to get rid of my Oklahoma Joe due to space constraints.

I have been smoking ribs using Jeff Phillips recipes for the rub, and love it. We now live very close to my in-laws, and wife would like me to smoke some ribs and have them over as well. She would really like me to do some pulled pork, but thought for my first smoke on this thing I would try it  with some spare ribs.

My dilemma - her dad can not eat brown sugar, gives him migraines. White sugar is ok, but not brown - I know strange...

Anyway, I love Jeff's rub recipe and will be using it, but obviously it uses a lot of brown sugar. I will need to smoke a half rack or so of ribs without any brown sugar.

So I am looking for any suggestions? Could I substitute white sugar instead for that half rack for him, or would that not really be any good. I know it would not have the texture of course the brown sugar gives. Or just do his ribs  with no sugar but use everything else in the recipe?

Thanks for any suggestions,

 

[matchew]

I've seen recipes that use white sugar in place of brown so I would think there should be no issues. I've also seen rub recipes without any sugar at all.

Good luck and let us know how they turn out.

 

[bobbobbbq]

I use both white (granulated) and brown (muscavado) in my rib rub. If you want to lighten it up I've used icing sugar in the past and it came out really well.

Happy smoking
Bob.

 

[seenred]

Hello dburne.  IMO you've got a couple of good options:

You could simply remove the brown sugar from the recipe and leave all other ingredients as is.  I think it'd still be good...just no sweet in the finished flavor profile.  There are plenty of rubs out there that have no sugar at all in them.

Or, you could substitute for the brown sugar in the recipe...white sugar would work, or maybe sugar in the raw (turbinado sugar) if your FIL can eat it.

Good luck!  

 

[dburne]

Thanks so much guys!
I will just sub white for brown for his ribs.

 

[chef jimmyj]

White works fine and after smoking there is little difference....JJ

 

[dburne]

Great to know thanks Chef Jimmy!