An old English expression, “What’s the rub?” meant ‘what is the trouble’. But in BBQ-speak a rub is the mixture of spices that is slathered over the meat before cooking. And for many a backyard chef that’s where the trouble starts. Nothing defines a barbeque aficionado so much as his own unique rub.
There are dozens of basic BBQ rub recipes around. Many will start with a simple 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of white sugar, and maybe some paprika. Not a bad beginning.
Instead of plain white sugar, many will substitute brown sugar. That certainly adds a little more flavor to the BBQ, but it can lead to a crusty, scorched exterior. Cook slowly and monitor the meat to prevent that. Then go one step further.
As a natural product, sugar comes in many variations. A delightful form of raw sugar is turbinado. Made from spinning sugar in a centrifuge, it is packed with flavor and makes for a great variation on the standard recipe.
But there are BBQ rubs that go well beyond these common ingredients.
Adding a bit of cayenne will bring a southwestern zing to a fine piece of BBQ chicken. The key is not to go overboard. Delicate flavoring enhances the taste of meat. Shaking spices on by the pound will drown a good cut and make the spice the centerpiece. If you have to mask the dull flavor of your cut by dousing it, select another.
Simple black pepper often forms part of a basic BBQ rub. But substituting white pepper will add a bit of visual interest and a slightly unusual taste to a fine steak. Experiment to arrive at the proper taste, but start slowly and build up. Those delicate hints will have mouths watering, whereas a ton of pepper will have them on fire.
Many enjoy the taste of a flavorful onion powder. Here again the BBQ chef is fortunate because there are several varieties of onion that can provide choices. Popular commercial onion powders are fairly bland. Try a dried, ground version of Southport Red for a nice pungent variation.
Even the salt can undergo a transformation in your BBQ rub. Instead of ordinary table salt, try some sea salt. Richer in iodine, with a mixture of sodium and potassium and minerals, it’s a healthy addition to the diet while providing a unique flavor.
For a fine rib rub, Memphis style, combine paprika (4 tsp), cayenne (1 tsp), onion powder (2 tsp), salt (2 tsp) and pepper (2 tsp) all together. That’s a BBQ rub that will get you out of any trouble you got into earlier in the week.
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