What are the Best BBQ Rubs Money Can Buy?

Some say that BBQ Rubs are the actual heart of the barbecue.  For many years the most standard of seasoning formats was simply salt and pepper.  Salt a natural preservative added to this tree born complement pepper to heighten the taste and sensation of standard meats.  Most meats hundreds of years ago were heavily coated in salts to prevent spoilage.  And it wasn't until the upper classes of society moved away from laboriously produced meat products into alternative grain and vegetable products that peppers made their way into the pantheons of culinary faire.  True high end sauced foods and culinary preparations were borne in France under the watchful eyes of Elisabeth Brassart a master at converting simple cooking style in elegant fanciful creations worthy of Michelin stars.

But our topic and interest today is in the area of BBQ Rubs or as some more aptly put it Barbecue Seasoning Rubs.  The term "Rubs" is simply a short affectation for the slang use of Barbecue.  And as most of us know that real term Barbecue is derived from the Spanish word "Barbacoa" meaning to cook foods slowly over and open flame.  The cooking foods slowly part is the true adaption of barbecue however, with today's modern appliances in the collective area of barbecue the key focus is toward slow cooking with some sort of smoke application.  The BBQ Rub is seen more as a necessary evil that leads to the ultimate and final form of cooking which is grilling at a reasonable rate with the addition of some tenderizing agent.  Although mistakenly applied smoke is not a tenderizing agent but rather a flavor coating that can lend to a sense change in the ways meats or vegetables are consumed.

BBQ Rubs for their worth are concocted and applied in a multitude of formats. 

The differences of the Rubs being either "Wet" or "Dry" which will add to or detract from the taste of the meat.  For our discussion and subsequent products reviews we will focus on the Dry application of these Rubs.

As one famous author commented "Always begin with the end in mind".  Truer words could not be said when it comes to barbecue.  Too often the unskilled may set off to create a masterful effort cooking ribs, chicken and steaks without considering the time element required in the preparatory phases as well as the cooking time or the marinating time required to complete the task. So, let's set off on this road of discovery.  Consider first the requirement of time in marinating or preparation.  Let's also focus on some form of meat and for this discussion we'll use Pork Ribs.  Ribs come is varying cuts, Baby Back, St. Louis, Spareribs, Loin backs and more.  We'll us the general version Baby Backs or in many circles Loin Backs which are collected somewhat high up on the back of the pig.  These Baby Backs are most closely associated with the bone-in-pork chops but just don't have that continuing loin muscle attached.  Baby Back ribs are delineated by the fairly obvious curvature of the bones with meat spread between the bones and over the top surface.  The curved underside is primarily the lining containing fat that separates the bones from the stomach of the pig.

To marinate or not to marinate versus injection.  This three segment discussion has plagued the barbecue competition world for the last 30 years where marinades and dry rubs are concerned and the last 10 years where injections are concerned.  I've used all three methods in various settings with varying results.  The wet marinade I believe works best for meats like steaks and chops which will be seared or grilled at relatively high temperature for a somewhat short period of time.  Dry marinades are meant to be added to the cleaned and prepared meat with plenty of time on hand.  The marinades can take from 2 hours to 20 hours to properly deliver the desired flavor to the meat.  When we say desired flavor that's where the real concern lays considering how much sugar or salt is within the marinade will determine the end result and flavoring of the meat.  Also considering applications of such elements as Rosemary, Oregano, Tarragon or other root vegetable elements used to flavor the meat.

In the case of injection a device is used to directly drive a liquid marinade within the confines and pockets of the meat.  The hope is that the liquid when delivered within the confines of these pockets will actually balloon up capturing and containing the liquid while it softens the area in which it is held.  The injection process requires multiple injection sites sometimes upwards of 20 or 30 to ensure the meat is fully marinated.  The issue at this point is with so much injected marinade are you really barbecuing or simply flavoring meat much like the flavoring of candy.  Also, when injecting it's best to have a proven marinade that will deliver the flavor.  Experimentation of marinades is best left to the experts so consulting some documentation or online guide is a good way of safeguarding the end results for both you and your guests.

Let's discuss the types of dry marinades we use at Jake's Famous Foods to improve and enhance the flavor of our barbecue.  Let's start with the basics and when we say basics we're talking about application on one of the most common meat types, steak.  Depending on the type of steak either, filet mignon, chuck steak, porterhouse steak, round steak, rib eye steak, cube steak or other then desired end result is to actually taste the flavor of the meat without overpowering it.  We've found that some key combinations of sugars like brown or natural brown or turbinado work best in combination with elements of Kosher level salts.  The Koshered salts appear in almost flake like forms concentrating in particular segments of the meat with overpowering the steak with a too salty format.  In addition to sugars and salts we've found that a combination of plant and vegetable elements like Oregano, Turmeric, Tarragon along with Garlic, Mustard and Onion powders allow the marinade the ability to adhere to the capillary regions of the steak providing a pathway for the remaining ingredients to enter and thus tenderize while flavoring the meat.

As you might expect naturalists prefer that a truly good cut of meat receive little if no seasoning at all and should only be seared on a hot cast iron pan for less than a minute per side.  Steaks of this nature can cost well into the double digits approaching a triple digit cost level.  While we agree that higher choice and prime steaks are better cuts of meat we find it almost impossible for the average person to afford to enjoy this level of quality on a daily basis and thus the addition of BBQ Rubs to enhance the flavors of everyday average person steaks that range in the moderate to medium double digits at the checkout counter.  To achieve this everyday level of steak perfection we offer our Tri Tip, Steak and Rib BBQ Rub.  This BBQ Rub is complemented with all the well known table ingredients like rich brown sugar, Kosher smoked salt, turmeric, tarragon, mustard, coarse ground black pepper and hints of garlic and onion.  This is the poor man's bbq rub marinade that can easily be used as simply as the name implies on tri tip, steaks and ribs.  Easy application with little to no fuss in the marinade cycle at a minimum two hours and further good to excellent absorption into the capillaries of the meat to aid in tenderization.  This is sheer BBQ rub perfection that is meant to be used sparingly or generously depending on your level of taste preference.

In addition to our Tri Tip, Steak and Rib BBQ Rubs we've built a superior version Memphis BBQ Rub termed Memphis Blues Dry Rub "Sugar Free".  Memphis being known over the last hundred years for it's direct relation to music halls and performance stages featuring the "Blues" we created a BBQ Rub that captures the essence of that spirit.  Our Memphis BBQ Rub is a true complement to the authentic natural style recipes of Memphis.  Recipes that did not focus on high levels or in many case zero levels of sugar.  And when we spent time in Memphis understanding the culture and heritage of these historic avenues we set out to build a product that would honor and aptly frame the city for it's brotherhood, kindness to fellow man and their drive to deliver good times and quality results to all who visit their hallowed locations.  We believe our Memphis dry rub is a kissing cousin to some of the most famous BBQ Rubs to ever come out of Memphis.  Garnered with rich, smoky Paprika, smoked salt, essence of celery salt, chili power, black pepper and hints of garlic this Memphis style BBQ Rub will have you singing your praises as it performs it's magic on your ribs, chicken, steaks and more.

And finally for this discussion what would a good BBQ Rub be without a Tri Tip rub?  It's funny that in so many states we've found that many have never even heard of tri tip.  While so many others know it simply as a steak related roast cut.  We here on the Central Coast of California know that Tri Tip is King in these parts.  Tri Tip is a triangular cut taken from the lower front section of the sirloin of the cow and is most cases considered to be an almost muscle like segment. Which overall explains the fact that tri tip requires some peculiar treatments which result in an almost buttery like texture when properly cooked.  The tri tip when aptly seasoned and marinated is seared on all sides then set off away from the main flame and allowed to roast indirectly until the meat reaches an almost medium rare to medium cooked state.  The tri tip then is allowed to rest for a minimum half hour then is sliced perpendicular to the grain of the meat and when all these steps are followed correctly the end results is tri tip heaven.  The meat is reddish in color, uniform in appearance, juicy and slightly complex with no aftertaste just plain beefy goodness.  And that's why we made our Pure Santa Maria Tri Tip BBQ Rub.  This Tri Tip BBQ Rubs' only desire is to improve the flavor of your meat.  It does that job by delivering fresh levels of Kosher Smoked salt, Coarse ground black pepper, fresh sprigs of Parsley, hints of garlic and almost imperceptible amounts of mustard and onion.  This is the BEST BBQ Rub money can buy and delivers premium flavors at average prices without all the hype but with all the action of a true BBQ Rub.

There are a few more BBQ Rubs in our stable of dry rubs however, we wanted to focus only on those that we classify as true steak, rib, and tri tip BBQ Rubs for this go round.  In addition to our BBQ Rubs for Steaks, Ribs and Tri Tip we've got some killer BBQ Rubs that support your health while delivering enormous flavor.  Our San Ysidro BBQ Rub is a complex yet completely natural dry rub without the weight of sugar and yet it inspires the taste buds with right complements of Paprika, Cumin, Garlic and onions.  This is the perfect dry rub for your vegetables, for rice, eggs, soups and salads.  Along with the San Ysidro dry rub is our Santa Barbara Smoked Seafood BBQ Rub.  Our Santa Barbara Rub was actually our first dry rub designed to give our family and customers options when grilling and frying seafood.  We noticed an inadequate supply of products in the market that support fish focused diets so we set out to create stellar products that deliver the flavor without immense calorie loads that some products provide.  In addition to our Santa Barbara Rub is our California Chipotle Dry rubs a sweet heat centric dry rub that capitalizes on Southwestern level flavors with a combined spiciness that make your mouth water.  And last but not least is an all time favorite our California Chicken BBQ Rub.  This inspired dry rub focuses as you might expect on Chicken. This is a superior quality dry rub that delivers the most succulent chicken you've ever tasted.  The rub is perfect leaving a golden brown to medium yellow tint on the meat and has just the right amount of spiciness to make your chicken mouthwatering.  This is an all time favorite and a BBQ Rub you should get immediately.

We hope we've answered some questions regarding what are BBQ Rubs and what do BBQ Rubs do. 

For more information on our BBQ Rubs please consult our BBQ Rub page and also see our direct links to each BBQ Rub.

Thanks for your time and Happy Barbecuing.
Jake

Tri Tip, Steak and Rib BBQ Rub
Memphis Blues BBQ Rub
Pure Santa Maria Tri Tip BBQ Rub



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Dry Rub for Ribs Recipe

Dry Rub for Ribs

What can be better than the aromas of fine barbecued meats sending up wafting smoke to tickle the noses of some of the most discerning palates. Rich, natural flavors all combined to make your particular brand of barbecue the best it could possibly be. We like to say that ribs taste good thinking that the meat itself is the primary actor in this chorus of taste. But in fact the meat is actually the carrier of some of the finest seasonings available to man. Believing and saying that meats taste good is driven directly through the barbecue, and grilling or smoking process. A Dry Rub is defined by Webster as "a mixture of herbs and spices and similar dry ingredients that are rubbed onto the surface of food (most often meat) to add flavor. The dry rub also creates a crust on the surface of food that is grilled or broiled." So, this belief that meats taste good is subject to the combinations that employed in the actual makeup of the dry rub itself. And where a dry rub for ribs is concerned it's the combination of juices, liquids, sinews, powders, granules and spices all combined to deliver one specific taste at one specific point in time.

Taste is somewhat subjective since each of us has a different level of sensation especially where our palates are concerned. But what we know is that each of us technically can discern the difference between sugar, salts, spices, and herbs. And so when we say that a dry rub is "good". What we are in fact complimenting is the expression of those salts or peppers on our palate.

The most basic of dry rub for ribs is the use of salt and pepper. The dictionary defines salt as a savory component that is a white crystalline substance that gives seawater its characteristic taste and is used for seasoning or preserving food. Whereas pepper is defined as being pungent, hot-tasting powder or granules prepared from dried and ground peppercorns, commonly used also to spice food or is reserved as a condiment for the purposes of adding flavor. Each of these elements serves their individual needs however, when added to foods they present themselves and additionally heighten the flavors of that item they are added to.

In the case of dry rubs we focus on the big four, salts and peppers that are combined with additional sugary, and spice laden elements to create flavor as the dry rub is tasted on the palate.

Rib Rubs takes advantage of the very nature of spices, salts and peppers each of these elements presenting them in balance drawing out the natural flavor of the meat. Similar to a musical composition flavors come into focus at key moments during the orchestral equivalent of the chorus of smoke, heat, time, meat makeup and personal desire formulated as degree of hunger.

A rib rub is much like wine with its complexities in that the dry rubs first notes can be determined on the palate first with its individual saltiness, followed by an herb note and complimented with sugars either white or brown and finally a pepper laden note. A good dry rub takes advantage of the science afforded it and seeks to draw out the best flavors of the meat it is presented on. But dry rubs for ribs alone are not enough to improve the flavor of the meat. First one must start with a reasonable cut that is properly trimmed and prepared.

When it comes to smoking meats and the use of dry rubs we look to combinations of salts sugars, peppers and herbs to drive home their place in the symposium. The critical elements are ensuring that the dry rub doesn't conflict with the desired end result of the seasoning blend. A dry rub that is heavily laden in sugar might not be the right fit for wood smoke that is strong in ash or black walnut. The fact that the wood may impart a bitter taste to the food is enough to reconsider the type of wood used. Better woods for sugary laden dry rubs might be cherry or apricot that adds a mild almost hickory note that goes well with poultry and pork.

Dry rubs that are laden in salts and herbs may well benefit from smoking woods like Apple, Almond and Citrus varieties. One wood type that gets very little air time is Grapevine. I've used grapevines a number of times and the smoke that is derived from the bark is almost sweet in flavor aromatic with hints of sweet grapes. A truly awesome wonder wood type for smoking.

But back to our primary topic: What makes a Dry Rub good or great for smoking? The end result is the trigger for finding the right type of wood. Whether you're focus is to smoke steaks, ribs or chops each has its own brand or type of wood that favors smoking. For Steaks it's important to impart an almost earthiness to the meat much like that which is delivered when using Hickory or Red Oak. For ribs one wants to truly taste the pork goodness and only woods like Almond, Peach, Plum, Apple and Red Oak deliver that rich smokiness that matches the sugars, salts, herbs and spices of the dry rub.

Dry Rub Styles

When properly paired with wood smoke a dry rub ribs can impart a sense of luxury and extravagance to the meat. We've paired our best dry rubs with some key wood types to help you in your decision making. See our listing below as a guide. In addition we've added some of our best dry rub for ribs recipes. These recipes are easy to make and make use of ingredients that every household has on hand. But let's look at our stock of dry rubs for ribs when combined with key smoking woods that will make your barbecue exceptional.

Santa Barbara Rub (Alder, Apricot, Grapevine, Mesquite, Orange, Pecan)

San Ysidro Rub (Red Oak, Almond, Peach, Grapevine, Mesquite, Pecan, Pear)

Santa Maria Dry Rub (Almond, Peach, Red Oak, Mesquite, Hickory, Lemon)

Memphis Blues Dry Rub (Almond, Peach, Grapevine, Hickory, Cherry, Maple, Grapefruit)

California Chipotle Dry Rub (Peach, Plum, Cherry, Apple, Grapevine, Red Oak, Almond)

California Chicken Dry Rub (Almond, Red Oak, Mesquite, Cherry, Apple, Grapevine, Maple, Mulberry)

Dry Rub for Ribs Recipes:

Homemade Cajun Rib Rub Recipe

• 8 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons cayenne
• 6 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons garlic ground
• 3 tablespoons onion ground
• 6 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 tablespoons dried thyme

Santa Maria Basic Rib Rub

• 3 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Brown Sugar Sweet and Spicy Rib Rub

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

Santa Maria Rib Rub Brown Sugar Recipe

• 3 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Ranch Style Rib Rub Recipe

• 4 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons Dried Orange Peel
• 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Smoky Rib Rub Recipe

• 1/4 Cup Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Smoked Hickory Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
• 2 Teaspoons Granulated Garlic
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin

Chicago Style Rib Rub Recipe

• 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

Coriander Tarragon Rib Rub

• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander pepper
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric

Greek Style Ribs

• 3 Lbs of Baby Back Ribs "uncooked"
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Rind
• 1/2 Cup Onion
• 4 Tablespoons Oregano "fresh"
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper - Coarse Ground

Merlot Dry Rub Ribs

• 8T Light brown sugar
• 3T Salt
• 2 T Jake's Tri-Tip Steak and Rib Rub Seasoning
• 1/2t Ground black pepper
• 1/2t Cayenne pepper
• 1/2t Jalapeno seasoning
• 1/2t Old Bay Seafood seasoning
• 1/2t Rubbed thyme
• 2t Onion powder

Rosie's Rib Rub Recipe

• 4-5 cans of Beer (regular not light beer)
• 3 Cloves of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt (table salt can be used if Sea Salt is not available)
• 1 Tablespoon of Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Pot large enough to cover the ribs with water
• 6 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• ½ Tablespoon Onion Powder
• ½ Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper

Sesame Rib Rub Recipe

• 1 Rack of Baby Back Ribs
• 1 Tbs Garlic Salt
• 1 Tbs Coarse Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tbs Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbs Soy Sauce (Light or Regular)
• 2 Tbs Sugar
• 2 Tbs Chile Oil
• 1 Tbs Cornstarch
• 1 Tbs Sesame Seeds
• 1 Cup of Jake's Original BBQ Sauce

Each of these dry rubs are designed to impart just the right amount of flavor at just the right time. But the real test is in the results you will receive.

Dry Rub recipe mix

Last but not least is the mental imagery that one receives when you try out your very favorite dry rub for ribs. I often tell people that barbecue is about memory and a form of that muscle memory for the palate and the brain. Most people will gravitate to experiences they had when they were young children especially where barbecue is concerned. Each of us is trying to bring back our most favorite experience and that absolutely awesome, burger, steak, ribs, chops or whatever that item might be. We at Jake's Famous understand that mental focus and our products are designed with that key element in mind. We are constantly working to get your mind and thoughts back to happier experiences be it without Famous barbecue sauces, our amazing dry rubs or our award winning condiments.

The real key to what makes a dry rub for ribs good or great is the memory it holds for the user. We believe that you will enjoy making memories with each and every one of our products.

Jake

Jake's Famous Foods

Lock, Stock and One Smoking Barrel......

Jake's Ugly Drum Smoker

Whether it's warming up with the blooming of flowers, the tweeting of birds and the obvious hints of sunny days ahead or it's rain and snow with cooler days in the forecast, it's always a good time to barbecue.  And as predictable as these signs are, so are the signs of barbecue season.  But wait, there’s a new old wave that’s coming through the season.  And that wave is the rise of the UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker), or plainly enough smoking in barrels with removable tops.  Now Jake’s relatives have been smoking meats for generations and we’ve been building smokers for the better part of 40 years but recently we decided to make an exceptional Ugly Drum Smoker that we consider to be the "Creme de La Creme" of barrel smokers. While all that’s good and fine what’s been missing for most is the practical uses of these UDS units. 

Many can tell you how to build an ugly Drum Smoker or what to expect and even where to buy the parts but there just seems to be a shortage of easy to use, convenient recipes and instructions for cooking.  So, to get you on your way I’ve included one of our easiest smoking recipes, smoked barbecue ribs.  In this recipe I take you from the front door to the back porch and ultimately to the table with these step by step instructions.  Keep in mind smoking meats is wonderful but takes time and planning.  One should begin the planning process at least a day in advance of the smoking to get things perfect.  When the smoking begins try to dedicate at least 6 hours to the entire process.  While you’re not standing around staring at the barrel for 6 hours, you are in fact monitoring the process for that period of time.  So, let’s get started. 

Smoking Jake’s Famous Barbecue Ribs:

There are many ways to smoke ribs making them succulent, sweet tasty and full with a natural smoky flavor. This method uses a water smoker which not only delivers the richness of smoke but adds additional juiciness to the ribs through the use of water.  The process cleans up nicely and the results are fantastic. Because we are using a UDS we will focus on the use of charcoal and the components necessary to make that work. If you have a smoker with a heat element or gas system you can still achieve the smokiness that you desire. Most of these steps translate directly to your preferred method. 

Preparatory steps:

-Assumptions:  We’re going to assume that you’ll either be smoking the ribs on a Saturday or Sunday.  That would mean that either on Friday or Saturday you’re going to have all the necessary materials at your disposal to ensure that things go well on the DoS (Day of Smoke).  In addition to the UDS we’re going to assume that you have some way of hanging meat in suspension over the charcoal as it’s cooking either by hooks or by some other hanging method.  We’ll also assume that you’re going to be eating your meal on the DoS in the afternoon of either day.

Ingredients:

1 UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker)

1 Standard Bag of Regular or Non-Matchlight® Charcoal**

1 Rack of Ribs (at least 13 bones in a standard rack)

1 pan/dish to carry at least 1 Quart of Water

4 Tablespoons of Jake’s Tri-Tip Steak and Rib Rub (Natural Dry Rub)

4 Tablespoons of Standard Yellow Table Mustard

2 Cups of Wood Chips (Hickory, Alder, Cherry whatever you prefer)

1 Roll of Foil Wrap Aluminum

1 Chimney Fire starter

Rib Rubs
Seasoning pork or beef ribs beforehand enhances the flavor when the ribs are finally cooked.  The best Dry Rub Rib mixture will allow the meat to marinate evenly throughout the ribs.  Since Jake’s makes and sells it very own pure, natural seasoning that is rich with flavor and full of battle tested ingredient to improve the quality of your barbecue, our Tri-Tip Steak and Rib Rub is an easy choice for us.  But if you don’t have a dry rub there are a couple of ways we can remedy this.  One, you can simply go to our website  for the best selections of dry rub and generous amounts of bbq recipes.  By going to our site you get access to some amazing products that improve the end results of your process.  Get access to the best products at www.jakesfamousfoods.com and order your dry rub using code: 1707200910 at checkout which will give you a 10% discount.  Or you can go to our website at www.jakesfamousfoods.com and search for a copy of one of our open source recipes for dry rubs that we have available free for any site visitor.  Just type in “dry rub recipe” in the search box and you’ll be taken to the web page listing the recipes.

Continuing on with dry rubs we've added a video review done by "Bad Beast Barbecue" in which he reviews our Tri-Tip Steak and Rib Rub along with our premium version slightly spicy but savory Chipotle Dry Rub on smoked ribs.  We hope you enjoy.



  
Before applying the dry rub you’ll need to clean your ribs.  Take the ribs if they’re pork and simply use a paper towel and your fingers to remove as much of the white membrane on the backside of the ribs.  This membrane barrier when removed allows you to deliver more flavors from the dry rub directly to the meat. After cleaning pat the ribs dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water moisture.  Lay down a long piece of aluminum foil enough to wrap the ribs in when completed.  Following the foil lay the ribs on top of the foil.  Coat the rib with the yellow mustard on both sides of the meat.  If you used your hands to coat the meat you must thoroughly clean your hands to prepare for the next step.  Follow the mustard with the dry rub coating both sides thoroughly.  When done coating cover the ribs with the foil wrap.  Seal as much of the ribs as possible with the wrap.  Now, take the ribs and place them in your refrigerator where they will rest overnight.  The combination of dry rub and mustard will help tenderize the meat and make it juicier when cooked. 

Next Day DoS: 

Since you’ll need at least 6 hours of smoke time it’s a good idea to get the grill ready by 9 AM.  We’ll assume that you’ll have all the items and ingredients you need and that you’ll light the fire at 9 AM.  First position your UDS so that you will be upwind from the unit.  Remember it will be smoking most of the day so ensuring that you’re not in the smokes’ cross hairs will run favorably in your direction especially if you have a few sensitive family members or a testy neighbor. 

Remove the charcoal basket from the UDS and fill with Regular Non- Matchlight®  charcoal.  Place the basket back into the UDS and ensure that the vents which provide air to the unit are all the way open. Take a handful of smoke chips and place them onto the charcoal.  Also, take the soaked chips and split them into two piles. Do not discard the water from the chips as we will use this later in the process.  Take each pile and wrap them in aluminum foil.  Tear a hole in the foil to allow smoke to rise from the foil.  Take the packets and place on the outer edges of the charcoal.  Take enough of the charcoal left to fill the Chimney fire starter.  Take a couple of strips of newspaper and ball them up.  After balling or wading them up place them under the starter.  The starter should be placed on a stone or metal surface.  Remember this unit will get hot, ensure that it is not placed anywhere that kids or adults may accidentally come in contact with the unit.  Also, ensure that the unit is not placed in doors when starting or on any surface that might catch fire.

These steps are critical to your health and safety, do not take them lightly.   Once the fire starter is placed take either a match, lighter or barbecue lighter and light the paper underneath the chimney starter.  Within moments you’ll see the smoke from the burning paper rise up through the charcoal.  The intense heat of the flame against the bottom charcoals fed by the open vents of the starter will allow the charcoal to begin burning and will ultimately act to start the fire on the surrounding charcoals. 

**Charcoal: Note, we recommend using non-matchlight® charcoal.  This use will allow the charcoal to burn naturally.  If you use matchlight® or similar then all the charcoal will light as one unit which converts your smoker from a smoker to a grill.  Since we’re attempting to smoke and not grill this would be detrimental to our process.  Now, you can use a few matchlight® briquettes at the bottom of the chimney starter if you’re having trouble getting the fire started.  Beyond, using matchlight® in the chimney starter I would hold it aside for the days in which you intend to grill and not smoke.

Once the Chimney starter is going let it burn for at least 10 minutes.  The objective is to get about half or more the charcoals lighted without having them burn white all the way.  This will help start the fire in the charcoal basket when transferred.  After the charcoals have reached their desired burn level use a heat protective glove or towel around the handle of the chimney to pick the unit up and dump the charcoals onto the charcoal basket.  When dumping the charcoals keep in mind there may be sparks for the charcoal or embers which may float around.  Be aware of the wind,  temperature and the area in which you are transferring the coals so as not to send sparks onto dry grass or brush.  Dump the coals over the center of the charcoal basket.  While the charcoals settle they will come in contact with the existing charcoals which will catch fire and begin to smolder.  As the heat builds you will begin to see smoke rise from the wood chip packets.  

Once the packets are smoking take a metal container or bowl and fill it with the water from the chips that were soaked.  Place the metal container on top of the charcoals directly in the center.  Make sure the container is level and keep in mind as the charcoals burn they will reduce in size causing the dish to change position.  Don’t let the dish shift too much because it may spill causing the water to cover the bottom on the smoker. If the water comes in contact with the smoker it may put your fire out.  A good way to determine something is wrong is by monitoring the temperature gauge.  If there is a dramatic drop in temperature then you know something is wrong and the smoker will need attendance. 

Options for water smoking include wine, juices or even beer. No matter the liquid or liquid combination you choose to smoke with, first soak your wood chips in this liquid. Depending on the flavor you want, you can vary the type of chips used. Alder, Mesquite, hickory and red oak are four of the most popular. Soak the wood chips for no less that 1 hour.  After soaking the chips, use the same liquid which will be poured in the water pan and used for the smoking process.

Once the charcoal is set remove your ribs from their foil and insert the hooks to hang the meat.  Transfer the meat to the smoker and hang.  Place the lid on the unit carefully and monitor the temperature.  A good smoking temperature is 200 degrees.  A great smoking temperature is closer to 225 degrees.  The best way to manage the amount of heat is through the movement of the air vent.  Adjusting the vent either open or close will deliver more or less air to the burning charcoals.  More air equals faster burn and of course less air means slower burn and longer cooking.  If you are cooking pork always be aware of the temperatures necessary to full cook the meat.  The temperature must be high enough to move the meat out of the known danger range to kill bacteria and allow the meat to cook.  If the meat stays in the danger range too long one can get sick or ill.  Having your smoker at 225-250 degrees will ensure that bacteria and illness never become a problem. 

Ongoing

It is a good idea to take at least one additional cup of smoking chips and have them soaked and ready for use.  After every 2 hours you should check on the water in the dish and also the wood chips.  If you need more water carefully pour more into the container without spilling or turning it over.  If you need more chips simply take a small handful and sprinkle them over the burning charcoals.  You may not need more charcoals but if you see them burning awful fast do two things, first, close the vent door to deprive the smoker of air which will slow the burn process, second, prepare more charcoal by filling the chimney starter.  Once the charcoal reaches its desired temperature fill the charcoal basket as necessary.  When filling the basket watch for charcoal dust spray as the charcoals land on the ones beneath.  If you have a large enough access door fill the basket from the access door. 

Monitor the temperature and allow the smoke to perform its magic.  Once the meat is cooked and rested add barbecue sauce after removing the ribs from the smoking process.

Slice the meat accordingly and plate with condiments, salsa, garlic bread and other items. 

Things to Avoid

Things to avoid are smoking on windy days or in areas where the smoke will drift causing irritation to neighbors or family members.  

One key issue that can't be repeated enough is heat management.  Keep the doors closed unless absolutely necessary.  Remember, open doors mean heat loss which means longer cooking periods which can also make meat tough.  Manage heat to improve the overall end result. 

If you follow all these steps your ribs should turn our perfectly, just remove, cut, and serve.

Happy Barbecuing!

Jake

SHOULD Grill Vents be OPENED or CLOSED for grilling?

Questions on BBQ Vents

We've been asked this question in so many forms that it begs an answer. 

And that answer is YES!  BBQ Vents should be Open when grilling. 

But after that question usually comes the next question, By How Much? 

To answer this question we really need to understand a few things namely your grill type, what you're grilling, when you are grilling it and where you're grilling it.  So, let's get you the information you need so you can get on with your barbecue.  My personal experience before and during  Jake's Famous Foods extends from small 10 inch Weber grills to even smaller Hibachi units all the way up to Ugly Drum Smokers and half barrel grills with pull handles.  I've even acted as Pit Master on large door units that you shovel wood and coals into making chicken for 300 plus guests.  So, I have some personal familiarization with the topic but best of all I like my standard every day of the week 18 inch Weber.  The unit is easy to use, doesn't take a lot of work and always delivers excellent results as long as I keep it clean.

So, onto the question SHOULD BBQ Grill Vents be Opened or Closed for BBQ making.  Since we need a meal to trigger the question let's say we're going to make Beef BBQ Ribs.  Good Beef Ribs take time and these make an excellent practice item.  You'll know you've achieved success when the ribs are juicy from top to bottom and literally melt in your mouth with each bite.  Now, on to the grill. My standard Weber is black with a half dome-shaped lid.  The lid has a circular steel vent system with 4 holes and a tab for adjusting the grill in one direction or the other.  Since our question is about before and during the grilling process well concentrate on startup and a degree of management.  

On Start Up, we suggest that you open the top and bottom vents as wide open as you can get them.  What you're looking for is the classic wind tunnel and draw effect.  The air around the bottom of the grill is drawn into the unit and used to assist in the burning of the charcoal.  The spent air or carbon is expelled through the top of the grill's vents.  This top vent is the key to managing the process of grilling.  So, once you've started your charcoal the draw effect takes over pulling in the air which is then used to aid in the burning of the charcoal. 

The temperature of the coals will depend on how much air is made available to the charcoals along with just how many charcoals you have on the grill.  Also, the temperature will adjust over time especially when you lay burning charcoal on top of non-burning units.  The non-burning units will shortly begin to burn and thus increase the overall combined temperature. 

Vent management is simple at this stage.  If you want the maximum amount of temperature for say broiling then allow both the bottom and top vents to remain completely wide open.  For broiling, you'll want to ensure that you have a minimum of 40 or more coals connecting or overlapping each other so that they can all burn at the same rate to deliver maximum heat. Placement of the coals may not be as critical but what is important is that the coals are connecting in some way and overlapping is an excellent way to maintain contact. 

For slow smoking, we'll want to have just as many units of charcoal but we'll want to lay them out so that the burning process is managed and that cooking occurs over time.  Try this method to manage a long period of burning.  Layout charcoal units in a 3 unit pyramid shape with two units on the bottom and one unit on the top.  Lay out the pyramids so that they are touching bottom and top.  Follow that pattern around the circular base of the grill.  With your charcoal laid out start 8 units in a charcoal chimney.  These will be the units that get everything going.  If you don't have a charcoal chimney just place the 8 charcoals in a stack on top of some heavy paper or newspaper.  Light the paper and allow the charcoals to burn until they are practically ashed gray.  

As a heads up if you have questions on smoking or bbq recipes you can get to our website  Jake's Famous Foods.   You'll get some good information and some killer recipes on the site.  And for additional questions just go to our BBQ Questions FAQs.  section.  On our BBQ Questions section, we tackle some of the critical and burning barbecue questions.

One the charcoals have reached their desired level place them at the head of the charcoal semi-circle touching the first pyramid.  These burning charcoals will create a domino effect burning through the pyramids one by one delivering heat to your ribs.  Beef ribs want to be slow smoked at 225-250 degrees.  Keep in mind if you decide to use wood in the smoking process you may need to adjust the vents to compensate for the additional heat that takes place as the wood is burned.  

Now as I write this I am actually running the barbecue for some Beef Ribs.  I'm using my 3-2-1 process with a twist.  I've been into the barbecue process for about 2-1/2 hours and just as I thought the temperature has crept up on me from 225 degrees to about 290 degrees.  This creep usually happens when wood is introduced into the process.  If you're using wood chips then you can easily compensate for the rise by adjusting the vents closing them slightly.  This will burn less oxygen and will reduce the overall temperature.  The adjustment process may take up to 8 or 10 minutes.  So, once that happens and you've adjusted your vents just keep an eye out as the temperature slowly comes back in line.  

I must also say only adjust the top vent.  Do not adjust the bottom vent until you see that you upper adjustments have little to no effect.  If it's required that you adjust the bottom vents then only adjust them 1/4 of the way.  It's very hard to restart a charcoal burn if the coals have all but gone out.  Restarting the charcoals and achieving maximum temperature can take as much as 40 minutes.  

My adjustment after 10 minutes has yielded a decrease of about 15 degrees.  I will need to adjust the vents again keeping in mind that once the wood is burned through I will need to open the vents to allow faster burning.  

Let's cover the question how much should you adjust or more like how do you determine the rate of adjustment.  I'm going to show you an easy method for creating adjustments for your grill.

Adjustment Process:  This process will require some basic tools. You'll need masking tape, a dark marker, a metal thermometer, bbq grill with vents and about 10 minutes. Let’s first start with the bottom vents wide open. This setup will allow maximum draw of air across the charcoals. Second, let’s take some standard masking tape and circle the vent adjuster on the lid of the grill. Now with the vents fully opened, let’s take a marker and create a line out from the leftmost opening of each of the vents. Transfer that line down to the tape. Now, let’s move the adjuster to the right until the vents are fully closed. Transfer a line down from the leftmost opening onto the tape. These two lines represent the vent when it is fully opened. Now comes the really important part knowing how to segment the line. Let’s divide the distance between the two lines into increments just like you would see on a scale or thermometer. Each notch would represent 10 degrees on the scale. My notches would be about 1/8 inch apart and I would have approximately 5 notches representing about 5 degrees each. Even more important is to realize that if your vent adjuster has 4 holes then the total of the degrees is cumulative making a 1/8 inch adjustment equivalent to 20 degrees. Many ask, "is controlling the vents that critical and sensitive?" And the answer is, YES.

Gather all the readings on to a spreadsheet or make a simple graph and notice how the overall temperature was affected by the adjustments at the lid.  This will be your guide for future grilling.  Note, these temperatures are affected by what's happening around the grill.  If it's raining out and your grill is constantly being rained on then you can expect that the moisture both on the surface of the grill and in the air will affect the cooking process. It is important to realize that the temperatures will lower as we burn through the cooking cycle of the charcoal. So, readings at the start of the process and at the end of the process will vary. We are seeking the optimum temperatures that are why we wait until the charcoal has ashed white.

I've checked my ribs and pulled the lid to confirm that the raised temperatures was in fact due to the addition smoking wood.  My temperatures are now leveling off by another 15 degrees and with time will be right where I want them in that 225-250 degree zone.  

Now since I'm using the 3-2-1 process with a twist in about half an hour I will be wrapping my ribs in foil but first I'll include a nice liquid mix of pomegranate syrup, honey, brown sugar and some orange juice.  This will flavor and help tenderize the ribs.  Once tender I will turn them over then allow then to barbecue for a half an hour meat side up.  Then I will remove them and allow them to rest for 30 minutes to complete the process.  

Summary:  You may have noticed in my barbecue process that I had to adjust my vents.  As I said with the addition of wood the temperature will creep upward and greater management will be required.  But by using the 3 unit pyramids placed side by side you can easily achieve the 225 - 250-degree temperature for sustained periods.  

One of the easiest ways to truly gauge your grill is by performing a dry run.  That simply means setting up your grill without having the purpose to cook something.  You may have to sacrifice about 50 or 60 coals in the process but you'll really get a good grasp on managing temperatures.  In a lot of ways, the preparation process for barbecue is like golf.  Most everyone that plays golf will go out to the practice range and hit golf balls to determine how far each club will normally take a ball.  Well, the same can be said about the test process for the grill.  Make the setup process fun and when you've gained enough information put on a couple of steaks and relax.

I hope you've found this information helpful.  If you need barbecue sauces or dry rub seasoning to help in your grill process please check out our products below. 

To help satisfy they bbq urge we’ve built a boatload of products that are on the market right now and available when you shop natural bbq sauce online and when your order bbq sauce online. Below we’ve listed our key seven dry rubs for sale and our standing of natural barbecue sauces. These all represent our basic stable of natural bbq rubs and sauces for sale.

Tri-Tip Steak and Rib Rub

Santa Barbara Rub

San Ysidro Rub

Santa Maria Dry Rub

Memphis Dry Rub

California Chipotle Dry Rub

California Chicken Dry Rub

Really Good Mild Barbecue Sauce

Really Nice Medium Hot Barbecue Sauce

Really Hot Barbecue Sauce

Maple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Memphis Blues Barbecue Sauce

Texas Style Inspired Barbecue Sauce

Our finest bbq rubs and sauces for sale are available online on our website Jake's Famous Foods. See our natural bbq rubs and sauces for sale and order natural bbq sauce online today.