Rub taste testing part deux...

[JC in GB]

Great pics and write-up.

This is just a question and not a judgment, but have you tried using less rub? On TV, the "pros" pack on the rub. I tried that once and all I could taste was rub, and it was kind of dusty in my mouth. It overpowered the meat. Now, I lightly dust my ribs so I taste the meat enhanced slightly by the smoke and the rub.

No worries. I usually use less rub but I was trying for more of a competition style rib. I found the rub to actually be a good amount. Made a good crust and was not grainy at all.

 

[JC in GB]

Here’s some of the rubs I’m interested in:

Sasquatch bbq Moss
Caribeque Big & Bold
And a few rubs from spiceology

Ever try any?

No, I have never even heard of those. Great, now more on my list to try.

 

[xray]

No, I have never even heard of those. Great, now more on my list to try.

Haha, sorry. I wouldn’t even know what to compare them with in a side by side test.

 

[tallbm]

What is the flavor profile. Sweet? Sweet Spicy? Smokey Sweet Spicy? Tart? HaHaHaHa!

The flavor profile is Savory with Sweetness but not overly sweet and it has a little kick to it but I think a lot of the kick comes from fresh coarse black pepper rather than the cayenne that supplements the heat.

It is very well balanced where all the different parts play off each other so you notice them all and the depth of character and flavor.

This is what I think of when I think of Texas style bbq sauces.

Heres a copy cat recipe I've been meaning to try. Tomatoey. Sounds good I might mix a batch up tomorrow. I was going to order from their site or Amazon but with shipping it'd be $20-$23 a bottle. irk.
https://bethsfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com/2010/06/rudys-bbq-sauce-clone.html

I'm 99% sure I have tried this copy cat recipe and it tasted nothing like the real thing. I have made about 4-5 attempts to replicate Rudy's sause but none of them are super close... some are really really good tasting but not a Rudy's copy cat.

My method is to look at the label of the Rudy's Bar BQ Sause I have on hand and make sure I have ingredients in that order (most to least used) to try and get close. As for the AMOUNT of each ingredient, that is where they guess work comes in. What I mean by this is that if ingredient #1 is tomato sauce and #2 is salt and #3 is pepper it could be that the real ratios/percentages are 95% tomato sauce, 3% salt, 2% pepper... OR 50% tomato sauce, 48% salt, 2% pepper... so no telling what the actual ratio's are, ONLY that one is used more than the other (well technically one can be used equally to another if listed side by side).

Here is where I last left off with my attempts, feel free to pick up where I left off if you have a bottle of Rudy's to compare it against... or just feel free to make this and enjoy it. Again it is making good BBQ Sauce I would enjoy eating anytime but it isn't a Rudy's copycat which was my goal with these attempts


-----------------------------------------
Rudy's Bar BQ Sause copycat
Iteration 5 with REVISED Notes
Makes 2 Cups (16oz) of wannabe Rudy's BBQ Sause
------------------------
- 1 tbspn sunflour oil
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (last time tried 1/2 cup, needed to come down)
- Salt (NONE!! Seemed like plenty of salt from ketchup)
- 1 TBsp Granulated Garlic (reduced from 1.75 TBS in last attempt)
- 1.75 TBspn Dehydrated Onion
- 1.75 TBspn Black Pepper (did 1 TB last time and needed more or may need to add some red/cayenne pepper)
- 1 TBsp Paprika (did .75 TBspoon last time needed to come up a little)
- 1 TBspn Chili Powder (did .5 TBspn last time, needed to come up some)

(this is where maybe more of the magic happens)
- 5 TBsp distilled white vinegar - (went up from 3 two attempts ago)
-2 TBspn Worcestershire (went up from 1, two attempts ago)
- 2 TBsp Lemon Juice NOT FROM CONCENTRATE - I use Italian Volcano in the bottle from Costco, it is not from concentrate, never tried with fresh squeezed - (went up from 1, two attempts ago)

*-add 1 teaspoon Oregano (didn't have this in last attempt but I think it is a missing ingredient. Mexican Oregano or Marjaram may be better suited than plain oregano but only experimenting will let me know)

Cooking Steps:
------------------
-Heat oil in pan
-Add tomato sauce, ketchup and dry seasonings and simmer uncovered in oil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and don't let burn
-Set aside and let cool to warm temp
-Mix in very well remaining liquid ingredients: distilled vinegar, worcestershire, lemon juice (tried to cook them with other ingredients in the past and it was a no go on flavor, this was the better approach to get closer)
-Note how taste changes every day over the next 3 days

 

[JC in GB]

The flavor profile is Savory with Sweetness but not overly sweet and it has a little kick to it but I think a lot of the kick comes from fresh coarse black pepper rather than the cayenne that supplements the heat.

It is very well balanced where all the different parts play off each other so you notice them all and the depth of character and flavor.

This is what I think of when I think of Texas style bbq sauces.




I'm 99% sure I have tried this copy cat recipe and it tasted nothing like the real thing. I have made about 4-5 attempts to replicate Rudy's sause but none of them are super close... some are really really good tasting but not a Rudy's copy cat.

My method is to look at the label of the Rudy's Bar BQ Sause I have on hand and make sure I have ingredients in that order (most to least used) to try and get close. As for the AMOUNT of each ingredient, that is where they guess work comes in. What I mean by this is that if ingredient #1 is tomato sauce and #2 is salt and #3 is pepper it could be that the real ratios/percentages are 95% tomato sauce, 3% salt, 2% pepper... OR 50% tomato sauce, 48% salt, 2% pepper... so no telling what the actual ratio's are, ONLY that one is used more than the other (well technically one can be used equally to another if listed side by side).

Here is where I last left off with my attempts, feel free to pick up where I left off if you have a bottle of Rudy's to compare it against... or just feel free to make this and enjoy it. Again it is making good BBQ Sauce I would enjoy eating anytime but it isn't a Rudy's copycat which was my goal with these attempts


-----------------------------------------
Rudy's Bar BQ Sause copycat
Iteration 5 with REVISED Notes
Makes 2 Cups (16oz) of wannabe Rudy's BBQ Sause
------------------------
- 1 tbspn sunflour oil
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (last time tried 1/2 cup, needed to come down)
- Salt (NONE!! Seemed like plenty of salt from ketchup)
- 1 TBsp Granulated Garlic (reduced from 1.75 TBS in last attempt)
- 1.75 TBspn Dehydrated Onion
- 1.75 TBspn Black Pepper (did 1 TB last time and needed more or may need to add some red/cayenne pepper)
- 1 TBsp Paprika (did .75 TBspoon last time needed to come up a little)
- 1 TBspn Chili Powder (did .5 TBspn last time, needed to come up some)

(this is where maybe more of the magic happens)
- 5 TBsp distilled white vinegar - (went up from 3 two attempts ago)
-2 TBspn Worcestershire (went up from 1, two attempts ago)
- 2 TBsp Lemon Juice NOT FROM CONCENTRATE - I use Italian Volcano in the bottle from Costco, it is not from concentrate, never tried with fresh squeezed - (went up from 1, two attempts ago)

*-add 1 teaspoon Oregano (didn't have this in last attempt but I think it is a missing ingredient. Mexican Oregano or Marjaram may be better suited than plain oregano but only experimenting will let me know)

Cooking Steps:
------------------
-Heat oil in pan
-Add tomato sauce, ketchup and dry seasonings and simmer uncovered in oil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and don't let burn
-Set aside and let cool to warm temp
-Mix in very well remaining liquid ingredients: distilled vinegar, worcestershire, lemon juice (tried to cook them with other ingredients in the past and it was a no go on flavor, this was the better approach to get closer)
-Note how taste changes every day over the next 3 days

Very nice.. I am sure to give this a try. Thanks!

JC

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

With these rub taste tests, you get to chow down on really great ribs no matter what.

 

[JC in GB]

With these rub taste tests, you get to chow down on really great ribs no matter what.

I know... It is a win-win!!!!

 

[jusmejim]

I appreciate the time and effort for the review and enjoyed reading all the comments. Just a question though. If you're trying to do a taste test on the rubs wouldn't it be best to simply use the rub only and add nothing else at all? Doesn't adding the sauce "skew" the results since it is bound to alter the taste and makes it impossible to get a taste of what the rubs actually taste like?

 

[JC in GB]

I appreciate the time and effort for the review and enjoyed reading all the comments. Just a question though. If you're trying to do a taste test on the rubs wouldn't it be best to simply use the rub only and add nothing else at all? Doesn't adding the sauce "skew" the results since it is bound to alter the taste and makes it impossible to get a taste of what the rubs actually taste like?

You are so right. The problem is my judges wanted sauced ribs.

 

[Fueling Around]

You have very fortunate judges.
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