Rubs

[somerset]

So I have been smoking meat for long time then got out of it due to sickness for few years and am now able to get back to smoking the meats,  I see all kinds of rubs and videos on rubs on you tube and I see meat getting smothered in these rubs.  I am of the thought process of let the meat and wood chips do the flavoring not a rub..dont get me wrong I have tried rubs in the past but find them to overpower the natural flavor of the meat, I find good old salt and pepper is all that is needed to flavor say a rack of ribs and of course some good sauce with it...How many others out there find rubs to be overpowering?

 

[tropics]

 
So I have been smoking meat for long time then got out of it due to sickness for few years and am now able to get back to smoking the meats,  I see all kinds of rubs and videos on rubs on you tube and I see meat getting smothered in these rubs.  I am of the thought process of let the meat and wood chips do the flavoring not a rub..dont get me wrong I have tried rubs in the past but find them to overpower the natural flavor of the meat, I find good old salt and pepper is all that is needed to flavor say a rack of ribs and of course some good sauce with it...How many others out there find rubs to be overpowering?

If you like sauce

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/123/sauces-rubs-marinades

 

[SmokinAl]

Go with what YOU & YOUR FAMILY like, not what other people like.

Al

 

[browneyesvictim]

Agreed... I go light. Depending especially on the kind of rub it is. For example a Texas rub will tend to have a lot of black pepper. But I do like a bit of herbs like Rosemary and Thyme. But that's just a preference. In fact, I keep a shaker of SPOG with Rosemary and Thyme for almost everything as a seasoning, But I'll add some brown sugar or paprika for a rub depending on what I'm making. Even then, I go light. If you ever watched Aaron Franklins videos (youtube), you see experts like him follow this as well.

But... I will say that Jeffs rib rub is pretty forgiving out of the many that I have tried and made. (shameless plug)

 

[noboundaries]

 
So I have been smoking meat for long time then got out of it due to sickness for few years and am now able to get back to smoking the meats,  I see all kinds of rubs and videos on rubs on you tube and I see meat getting smothered in these rubs.  I am of the thought process of let the meat and wood chips do the flavoring not a rub..dont get me wrong I have tried rubs in the past but find them to overpower the natural flavor of the meat, I find good old salt and pepper is all that is needed to flavor say a rack of ribs and of course some good sauce with it...How many others out there find rubs to be overpowering?

I don't get it either.  Before I started smoking ribs completely on the grill and the smoker, and before YouTube and TV barbeque shows, I used the oven to cook the ribs then I'd finish them on the grill.  I always lightly applied rubs just to enhance the flavors of the meat. 

Then along come the TV shows.  They pile on rub for a dry brine period, add more rub before they go on the smoker, then add more rub before they wrap.  Finally they add more rub before the turn-in.  I thought I was doing something wrong and tried it once.  I like the taste of the rubs I use, but not like that.  A light dusting is all I need.  Let the meat and smoke do the rest.    

 

[phatbac]

Ribs/ CSR's and skinless chicken are the only thing i put a rub on these days. Boston Butt or picnic pork etc. i use just kosher salt the night before.

Beef i put salt and pepper or some beef ribs i put some Worcestershire and some steak seasoning (Montreal or Chicago) something like that. recently i put some KC rub on a Chuckie but that's an exception. 

I think you are on to something with let the meat taste like meat flavored with smoke! forget all this rub that turns to bark and leave the mustard for the hot dogs!

Or as AL said cook and eat what you and your family like...

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[papageorgio]

I like a rub, but only lightly. I rub what I'm cooking the night before and store it rapped in cellophane in the frig overnight. I let the smoke and the meat do the talking! My advice, find something YOU like and go with it, everyone has different taste.