While waiting for my smoker to arrive, i decided to cook some pork ribs in the oven (I know, I know!). I put a thick, dry rub on the ribs and let them sit 3 hours, then cooked them. The ribs were well cooked (4 hours, low and slow). However, the rub gave them a pasty, dusty, grainy texture to the point of being almost inedible. NOBODY enjoyed them.
Any ideas of why this texture? The rub was mainly paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili. I did apply it pretty thick. I usually believe you can’t have too much rub, within reason.
Please educate me.
Bob
Well, Senior Bob,
sometimes the Bull wins....
I spent a few years carrying my favorite seasonings back and forth to my Bar-B-Que. Then one day it came to me (Like one of Dad's slaps upside the back of my head) that I could just combine them and carry one bottle around.
I didn't know it then, but I was developing my own rub.
I have used it for decades now. I called it, "Sonny's Secret Seasonings". Which is just a bunch of favorite dry seasonings mixed together in an old Shake-R-Spoon container. We loved the flavor!
Then we started doing Baby Back Ribs. I would use my rub, then glue it on with some Sweet Baby Rays.
Later I started just dumping the SBR in a bowl, adding the rub, and added a big ol glob of Sage Honey and mixed well. Then rebottled the Doctored SBR.
When painted on the rib racks, it cooks on and keeps all the flavor and great tasting stuff inside. Including lots of moisture.
Since I used things like Montreal Steak Seasoning, Granulated Garlic, Pepper, Lawery's Seasoned Salt, etc. It creates a multi textured, cooked on layer of Yummy.
So think in layers of flavors that burst in the chew. Multi levels, not a pasting of powders.
I will caution you though, When you develop something folks love, and you get a smoker and want to deviate and add smoke to the flavors... Well, you get told in no uncertain terms, "DO
NOT mess with the rib recipe!"
So it's true, Sometimes the Bull wins.
