Dry Rubs - Homemade vs. Commercial

Ryan Chester said:

If you were in the business you would understand the importance. Those are all EXTREMELY important factors. Consistancy is huge. If you ground everything the same consistancy, you would have a rub with no visual depth. Some spices like pepper for instance taste completely different depending on the mesh (coarseness). This is why we grind each spice individually to get the desired coarseness.

Weights need to be exact when you are dealing a commercially available product. Our customers expect the very same product each time they buy it so we cant just add a little of this and a little of that. It's call quality control which has to be strict. In addittion distributors such as SYSCO require proof of how you control/guarantee that each bottle is exactly the same as the other. If you can't do that, you don't get the account. I'd say thats pretty important!

I sold to the Four Seasons in NY, NY last year. We had to prove lots of stuff that "wouldn't make a difference in your opinion".

I hope this sheds some light for you.

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I think what he's trying to tell you is that the visual appeal and exact weights are not real issues in home kitchens.

I've ordered commercial rubs of late to help you guys out. I think after I use up what I bought, I'm gonna make my own blend for a while.

Thank you for your answer.

I can see that consistency means something when you are selling a commercial product because it has to be the same in every bottle.

So weights and measurements will have to be the same that is obvious.

Sure I can grind pepper a little more coarse and also my other spices I can grind more or less coarse. It will not make a GREAT difference.

I could almost guarantee that if you and I were using the same exact ingredients with no artificial ingredients my rub would certainly taste very good even if my grind was not exact and I was off by one gram in my measurements.

I have been an executive chef so I have been in the business thank you very much.

sandiegobbq said:

I can see that consistency means something when you are selling a commercial product because it has to be the same in every bottle.

So weights and measurements will have to be the same that is obvious.

Sure I can grind pepper a little more coarse and also my other spices I can grind more or less coarse. It will not make a GREAT difference.

I could almost guarantee that if you and I were using the same exact ingredients with no artificial ingredients my rub would certainly taste very good even if my grind was not exact and I was off by one gram in my measurements.

I have been an executive chef so I have been in the business thank you very much.

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You are an ex-executive chef so there is obviously nothing I can possibly tell you about the spice business so I'll leave it at that. I have no doubt you could make a good rub, many folks can.

Ryan Chester said:

You are an ex-executive chef so there is obviously nothing I can possibly tell you about the spice business so I'll leave it at that. I have no doubt you could make a good rub, many folks can.

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I understand that you're a businessman and you're feeling that your business is being attacked, but your attitude in this thread makes me never want to do business with you. You being so antagonistic about this has caused you to lose at least one customer.

You've made some generalizations about this community that I think are a little over the top, especially since you don't know the kitchens/tools that we have at our disposal. My rubs are measured out precisely, my spices are ground to different consistencies and the mixtures are very consistent. I realize you have to do this to a more extreme degree, but you shouldn't call out a community like you did if you expect to continue to be supported by them.

I typically make my own rubs, especially for comps. But, I also buy some commercial rubs just to try them out, make life easier and support the vendors that help us get to stay and play here. I can appreciate that you decided to make BBQ rubs your job, but pretending to be better than us isn't going to get you far in my eyes.

some...body...rubbed somebody up the wrong way....:cop:

Ryan, sometimes its better to walk away....

Lazybones said:

I understand that you're a businessman and you're feeling that your business is being attacked, but your attitude in this thread makes me never want to do business with you. You being so antagonistic about this has caused you to lose at least one customer.

You've made some generalizations about this community that I think are a little over the top, especially since you don't know the kitchens/tools that we have at our disposal. My rubs are measured out precisely, my spices are ground to different consistencies and the mixtures are very consistent. I realize you have to do this to a more extreme degree, but you shouldn't call out a community like you did if you expect to continue to be supported by them.

I typically make my own rubs, especially for comps. But, I also buy some commercial rubs just to try them out, make life easier and support the vendors that help us get to stay and play here. I can appreciate that you decided to make BBQ rubs your job, but pretending to be better than us isn't going to get you far in my eyes.

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I wasnt trying to put anyone down. I was simply trying to show the difference. Sorry you and a few others took offense to it. In the end, we're just talking dry rubs here folks, it's not rocket science or worth getting worked up over.

Walking away from this one.

Ryan Chester said:

I wasnt trying to put anyone down. I was simply trying to show the difference. Sorry you and a few others took offense to it. In the end, we're just talking dry rubs here folks, it's not rocket science or worth getting worked up over.

Walking away from this one.

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Ryan,

I do not wish to prolong this, so I'll make this one comment and that will end this for me.

FTR- I do not know Sandiegobbq personally, and I have had very limited exchanges with him on this website.

My reason for answering last night on behalf of him was because you were, in my opinion, disrespectful to him.

Denying that you made the statement was one thing, but in doing so, you used this icon:

:crazy:

I am still amazed that you would do such a thing, and not expect that you would offend your other customers here.

So please excuse me, but I do not see you as a victim, sir.



And after sleeping on it, I think I was too harsh last night.

I have been very pleased by the product Simply Marvelous and 3EYEZ BBQ has supplied to me.

In SM's case, I actually had an issue with one of his rubs. I can tell the board: he apologized, and remedied the situation by replacing the product.

He was a total gentleman.

So it's not fair that they should lose business over this silliness, and they will not, from me.

Good luck to you.


To the mods: just a thought, but maybe the "crazy" icon is an icon that has 'seen its day' so to speak? It's disrespectful, and frankly, I don't think it brings anything to our board that we couldn't do without. Just my .02.

btcg said:

Ryan,

I do not wish to prolong this, so I'll make this one comment and that will end this for me.

FTR- I do not know Sandiegobbq personally, and I have had very limited exchanges with him on this website.

My reason for answering last night on behalf of him was because you were, in my opinion, disrespectful to him.

Denying that you made the statement was one thing, but in doing so, you used this icon:

:crazy:

I am still amazed that you would do such a thing, and not expect that you would offend your other customers here.

So please excuse me, but I do not see you as a victim, sir.



And after sleeping on it, I think I was too harsh last night.

I have been very pleased by the product Simply Marvelous and 3EYEZ BBQ has supplied to me.

In SM's case, I actually had an issue with one of his rubs. I can tell the board: he apologized, and remedied the situation by replacing the product.

He was a total gentleman.

So it's not fair that they should lose business over this silliness, and they will not, from me.

Good luck to you.


To the mods: just a thought, but maybe the "crazy" icon is an icon that has 'seen its day' so to speak? It's disrespectful, and frankly, I don't think it brings anything to our board that we couldn't do without. Just my .02.

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It's not the emoticon but the person that uses it.


My 2 euro cents...

Some rubs are quite good and can't be easily duplicated so I buy them or get them as a present from Brethren.

Sometimes you want to use a rub for a certain dish but it ain't available in the stores.....so you make it yourself.

btcg said:

Ryan,

I do not wish to prolong this

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Too late :crazy: :laugh: :wink:


We are obviously a passionate group here, and sometimes things get a little whipped up. We all have opinions, and that's okay. The problem with text on a page is, you can really only assume what the person means. I seriously doubt Ryan meant any disrespect, I think we all need to be a bit less sensitive :grouphug:



Back on topic.....There are too many great rubs available for me to hassle with making my own, I'm kinda lazy like that. And anyone who thinks I'm not a cook because of that fact, can pound sand :becky:

Phu,

I know a number of us use that icon as a joke between brothers. So maybe again, I am being harsh.

When it isn't being used as a joke, to me, it's like using the term "retard." We've moved away from this in our society because those who suffer from the affliction are unfortunate, and shouldn't be made fun of.

Worse, it lessens the impact of its true meaning. The site probably isn't aware of this, but I happen to have a certificate in counseling, and perhaps I'm a bit sensitive over the use of these type of terms.

As to you, you're a super cook. You should probably make your own line of rubs. I'd buy em.

Groundhog66 said:

Too late :crazy: :laugh: :wink:


We are obviously a passionate group here, and sometimes things get a little whipped up. We all have opinions, and that's okay. The problem with text on a page is, you can really only assume what the person means. I seriously doubt Ryan meant any disrespect, I think we all need to be a bit less sensitive :grouphug:



Back on topic.....There are too many great rubs available for me to hassle with making my own, I'm kinda lazy like that. And anyone who thinks I'm not a cook because of that fact, can pound sand :becky:

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Tim,

You're probably another guy whose rubs I'd buy.

Quick aside: what does "pound sand" mean. I've heard it before, but never understood it. If it's too dirty, PM me. :becky:

btcg said:

"retard."

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Yeah, you can't say that...:hand: This place if full of the sensitive types that won't appreciate it :wink:

btcg said:

Quick aside: what does "pound sand" mean. I've heard it before, but never understood it. If it's too dirty, PM me. :becky:

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Ummmmmm :icon_shy

The origin of the expression go pound sand is from a longer expression, "pound sand down a rat hole." Filling rat holes with sand is menial work, and telling someone to pound sand down a hole is like telling them to go fly a kite. The expression dates to at least 1912 and is common in the Midwestern United States.

Folks bottom line is this:

The spice/rub business is a high profit venture with extremely high start-up costs.

Anyone in that business has to try to protect their investments (see: start-up costs).

If someone in that business sees a community discussing ways to do at home what they are in the business of doing, then they could decide the best approach is to make it sound much more complicated than it actually is.
Certainly not an approach I would recommend, but I can see where the thought process went.

Food for thought:

Bulk spices (unground) cost me approx. .30/oz
Ground spices cost me approx. .55/oz
Pre-made rubs can run $1.00++ per lb.

'Nuff said.

I prefer commercial rubs myself. The last batch I ordered was from Zach's Spice Company and they were all fantastic. I just found them through a yahoo search and they had the best prices so that's why I went with them. I make homemade rubs and sauces from time to time but they always end up tasting the same.

I took some of the rub recipes here and doctored one up of my own that I have been using for about 6 years. Haven't ever found a commercial rub I like.

SirPorkaLot said:

Folks bottom line is this:


Food for thought:

Bulk spices (unground) cost me approx. .30/oz
Ground spices cost me approx. .55/oz
Pre-made rubs can run $1.00++ per lb.

'Nuff said.

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If those figures are what you meant to type, please explain it for me coz that lost me.
Pre Made Rubs are waaay cheaper?

Yawn!