Why dry rub? Why not just season the pulled pork after it's cooked?

[foamheart]

 
Now that I'm a member of the bark club, is there a secret handshake or something that I need to know?

All Hail Hephaestus! Welcome to the addiction.

 

[addertooth]

No secret handshake, but all new cult members are expected to tithe 10% of their bark to the main temple, which is strangely located in Arizona.

 

[grillmonkey]

 
No secret handshake, but all new cult members are expected to tithe 10% of their bark to the main temple, which is strangely located in Arizona.

Let me guess, about 15 miles from the Mexican border?

 

[addertooth]

Why yes GrillMonkey,

And with it being within a few hundred miles of Roswell, it, it is open to members from anywhere.

 

[grillmonkey]

Now that I've finally had it pounded into my head that bark is good, what's the best rub?

 

[badmoont2]

For a commercial rub, I like Bad Byron's Butt Rub. A little salty for ribs but great on butts.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Now that I've finally had it pounded into my head that bark is good, what's the best rub?

Try Jeff's rub, the founder of the site.... It's great ! For a rub ya just buy, Bad Byron's is ok IMHO.... I've used it ! Try Mad Hunky Rub... It's good too ! There's a lot of rubs out there and everyone's taste buds are a little different.... Just experiment, that is fun IMO ! Good Luck !

 

[pc farmer]

I am a fan of Mad Hunkys. Jeffs rub works great too.

 

[foamheart]

Salt, pepper, light brown sugar. Simple is good. Then expand from there. Once you know what the basics taste like you'll be more able to realize what the other flavor modifiers will bring to the meat. Its about what YOU like.......

 

[TulsaJeff]

I missed this thread initially but I just read through it with great interest. Happy to know we have a new member of the Pork Butt Bark Cult :-)

 

[grillmonkey]

I missed this thread initially but I just read through it with great interest. Happy to know we have a new member of the Pork Butt Bark Cult :-)

"Cult" was the only word I could come up with to describe it. As soon as I posted it replies started pouring in. The comments were polite and patient, like they were explaining it to a child, but it made me feel guilty, like I had blasphemed. I know to some, it was blasphemy.

Everybody keeps referring to your rub recipe; I may have to blow the dust out of my wallet and order it.

 

[Dutch]

Grillmonkey, Jeff's rub is some gooood stuff. It's my go-to rub for ribs and butts. I've done different variations of Jeff's rub by changing up the sugar or the chili powder. Folks always asks for "my" recipe but I tell them it's not my recipe to give away.

 

[grillmonkey]

Grillmonkey, Jeff's rub is some gooood stuff. It's my go-to rub for ribs and butts. I've done different variations of Jeff's rub by changing up the sugar or the chili powder. Folks always asks for "my" recipe but I tell them it's not my recipe to give away.

You've gotta admit, buyers of Jeff's rub protect it well. You can't find it anywhere for free on the interweb.

 

[801driver]

Ok, I just thought I was a "Crusty" old man.  Now I find I have been a closet "Bark Cult" member all this time.  I guess I have to come out into the open also.  I thought because we were all smoking to get all that good crust, I was just normal to everyone, Ha Ha.

I agree that finding a seasoning that could duplicate the bark flavor after any rub is smoked to perfection would be hard to do. 

For Pork Butt, we use a slightly modified Jeff's Rub. After smoking and resting I pull the pork and put it in a large foil pan, finely chop most of the bark, (have to sample a little) add finishing sauce and mix it thoroughly.  Then put it back into the smoker about 10 minutes with more smoke to add a little more flavor to the top, then stir it again and let it sit covered a little while.  We most likley like more smoke than some people, but it works for us.  Kinda like a layer of cole slaw on our PB sandwich with BBQ sauce, works for us.

Trying different things to find a way to match your taste buds that particular day is most of the fun of smoking. It never has gotten so bad that we can not eat our mistakes and try again.  Fred our dog has never refused a bite.  For me, that is what it is all about.

Thanks for all the good information and opinions by everyone.  From this forum I have learned, don't knock it till you try it. 

Keep on smoking.

 

[grillmonkey]

 
Kinda like a layer of cole slaw on our PB sandwich with BBQ sauce, works for us.

I love me some pulled pork with bits of bark floating around in it, with a good finishing sauce, a few shots of hot sauce and a glob of coleslaw on a sesame seed bun. If I ever end up on death row, I want that to be my last meal

.

 

[gabissmokeshack]

amen pass the sauce  

 

[grillmonkey]

 
amen pass the sauce  

Is Gabi's Smoke Shack a BBQ restaurant?

 

[noboundaries]

I've tried several different methods in the past year including brining and injecting.  I use a personal rub that does not have a lot of sugar in it.  Here are my two favorites and one involves adding more rub at the end of the smoke:  

1. Mustard base, rubbed just before smoked at 225F for 80% of smoke, them bumped temp up for last three hours to 250F until finished IT.  Fantastic, crispy deep bark, great flavor, moist.  17 hours. 

2. No base at all, rubbed just before smoked at 275F for 7 hours deep into stall, then wrapped with apple cider and fat drippings to finished IT, cooled juices, removed fat, added gelatin back into meat the next day, added raw sugar and rub while reheating.  Great flavor, crispy shallow bark, very moist and juicy.  10 hours.

I always use a finishing sauce once the meat is on the bread or on the plate. 

The first one is great if no time constraint is involved.

The second one is great for saving time and there is quite a bit of control over the flavor at the end of the smoke.  I really like juiciness of the gelatin added back in at the end of the smoke.