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All South Barbeque Rub
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoon chile powder
2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoon paprika
Instructions:
The rub is the second most important part of the BBQ process, next
to the smoking technique. There are two main concepts to keep in mind
when formulating your rub. The proportion of salt should be great
enough to trigger osmosis and begin to draw the moisture from the
surface of the meat, and (some may disagree with this) the proportion
of sugar should not be excessive because it will caramelize and burn
during smoking leaving a bitter taste. However, since sugar contributes
to osmosis, it is an important component and shouldn't be eliminated.
Beyond that, your rub should only be limited by your imagination.
Other ingredients to consider can include paprika, cumin, garlic powder,
onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chile powder, oregano,
sage or whatever sounds good to you. I like to keep my rub in a shaker
for easy application. Rub should be applied at least the night before
smoking. Anything longer, up to three days, is better. Shake the rub
over the entire surface of the meat to be smoked. Use a generous amount
at first and then, as it starts to get moist and adhere, add more.
I don't think it's necessary to "rub" it in. I find that that only
results in uneven distribution, and besides, it stains your hands.
Wrap the meat loosely in butcher paper and leave in the fridge until
a couple of hours before smoking. I find rubs to be far more useful
than marinades especially for large pieces of meat such as briskets
and pork butts. For cuts such as these, the internal and external
fat melt through the meat during cooking to keep it moist. I believe
that the texture of the meat is improved by drawing out excess moisture,
before cooking, through osmosis. The dry surface of the meat and the
rub itself combine to produce a flavorful and attractive crust on
the finished product. Unless it is thoroughly blotted dry on the surface,
marinated meat won't color properly. |
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