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Dry Rubs - Homemade vs. Commercial

What is the preferred type of dry rub you use most of the time?

  • An original homemade rub

    Votes: 43 35.5%

  • A commercially sold rub

    Votes: 43 35.5%

  • A BBQ cookbook rub recipe followed "to the letter"

    Votes: 3 2.5%

  • A commercially sold rub that I like to "doctor up"

    Votes: 8 6.6%

  • A BBQ cookbook rub recipe that I like to "doctor up"

    Votes: 24 19.8%
  • Total voters
    121
caseydog said:
If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook.

CD
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wrong.

it's condescending statements such as this that would keep a novice away from trying any type of cooking, not just bbq.

i have made my own rubs with great success. at present, i carefully select the freshest spices in the proper proportions for the product i wish to create: killer bbq. my spices come conveniently mixed, sealed and shipped to me via priority mail from my buddy steph in california.

while i won't disagree with the idea of mixing ones own spices to create a rub is a wonderful part of the process, it is not the ONLY part of the process of making Q. fark up the temp control, choose the wrong wood, over cook, under cook, use a sauce that doesn't compliment the rub or meat, and you could have the best rub in the world and the Q is bad.

but to each his own....

cheers and have fun smoking. scott
 
^^^ Oh hell...

Look, I've Given CD some serious uphill in my time and you might wanna call him an anal retentive douchebag if you wanna get modded and chucked off the forum even if you've got a gold sparrkly star, but CD is not being condescending as much as you might think.

Nothing wrong with a strong opinion... I think anyone using teflon cookware can't cook... so bite me.

CD is effectively saying a great cook is a great chemist, or alchemist. That mixing of spices and herbs is an essential part of cooking. You can use an off the shelf rub, but you'll learn so much more making your own. All those other components you mention.... wood, temp, sauce are a part of the whole thing, so you can't really disagree with him from the spice and rub persepective.

Cheers!

Bill
 
SmokinAussie said:
^^^ Oh hell...

Look, I've Given CD some serious uphill in my time and you might wanna call him an anal retentive douchebag if you wanna get modded and chucked off the forum even if you've got a gold sparrkly star, but CD is not being condescending as much as you might think.

Nothing wrong with a strong opinion... I think anyone using teflon cookware can't cook... so bite me.

CD is effectively saying a great cook is a great chemist, or alchemist. That mixing of spices and herbs is an essential part of cooking. You can use an off the shelf rub, but you'll learn so much more making your own. All those other components you mention.... wood, temp, sauce are a part of the whole thing, so you can't really disagree with him from the spice and rub persepective.

Cheers!

Bill
Click to expand...

A great cook is a great cook. A great chemist is a great chemist.

Some are both.

I thought the grow your own herbs analogy was spot on. Who determines how far back you take this discussion?
 
Aren't some of you touting your horns about making your own rubs getting them from a book. I recall a few threads where that was mentioned. Just Saying:thumb:

Just because someone does not make their own rubs, they are less of a cook? :crazy:

This sounds a lot like the stick burner versus pellet pooper argument :rolleyes:
Folks are always willing to knock people down a bit to elevate themselves.

And yes cooking is a journey and there are multiple paths :thumb:
 
Mostly use commercial rubs but when i want to make my own, i grab one of my cookbooks by Dr. BBQ. My first one (and go to recipe) was his Big-Time Barbeque Rub (from Big-Time Barbeque Cookbook).
Ray's gotta lotta great recipes (and stories) in his cookbooks.

http://www.drbbq.com/bigtimecookbooks.php
 
kennedyma said:
Okay, I'm going to bite on this one.

What about using "commercial meat?" Are you not a cook if you don't raise your own pigs? Heck go one step up and say are you not a cook because you don't butcher your own pigs? Why don't you do this, because you want to save time.

But since we are talking about rubs here. Are you not a cook if you don't grow your own spices? What about onion and garlic powder? They are very easy to make at home, but just take time. I know I've done it. Do are you not a cook if you don't make your own spices?

What about BBQ sauce or vinegar or heck all the other commercial products we all use when we cook.

So right now your scope of the journey is very narrow. I bet if you asked somebody 100 years ago what the journey was for cooking a pig it would be a much, much longer journey. So does that mean we aren't cooks, because we don't spend as long on our journey?

Your statement was pretty bold and I do take offense to it. Sorry but I do.

BTW, I know that wasn't directed at me but at everybody who uses rubs. So please take the post above from everyone who uses commercial products.

I also agree with your last statement, cooking is a journey and we all chose our own path to follow. Just because we choose a different route doen't mean we aren't hikers.
Click to expand...


That's a little extreme, you're comparing cooking and farming. I agree with CD, I think preparing the rub is part of the whole process. It's okay to buy the commercial rubs, I have some of them myself. But I never stop trying to develop my own. For competitions, I use my own. Personally, I think winning with something I developed is better than winning with someone else's flavor profiles.

It doesn't have to be a one-or-another, though. It can be both.
 
I enjoy making my own rub. I also enjoy making my own sauce. One of the books I enjoy is Peace love and BBQ. Mike gives you detail flavor profiles of spices and suggestions on how they could be used. He also has a chart of do use and do not use spices. By making my own dry rub I feel like I am more a part of the process. It is really fun when your friends say where can I get that rub or sauce and I can smile and say you have to make it yourself:clap2:
I have also enjoyed making rubs and sauces for my friends varying taste. One of my friends likes it sweet and mild so pepper or cayenne is not in his rub or sauce.Then there is the dreaded Low carb verision I make for myself cause I tend to blow up easily!
So here comes the confession FORGIVE ME BROTHERS AND SISTERS FOR I HAVE PURCHASED HABANERO DEATH DUST! actually two packages! I just could not resist trying the fire powder!:crazy: But i have not opened it yet
There is room for everybody here. If you like buying rub good for you:clap2: If you make your own I hope you enjoy that as much as I do:clap2:
 
big brother smoke said:
Aren't some of you touting your horns about making your own rubs getting them from a book. I recall a few threads where that was mentioned. Just Saying:thumb:
Click to expand...

I don't mean to argue, I just want to say that my rubs are my own creations. Lots and lots of trials, and many of those chucked up as errors slash a learning experience. I still don't like my beef rub, but my pork rub has finally gotten good.

I would also like to say I respect you and the other commercial rub makers a lot because I know the efforts you guys must have put into creating your rubs.

Does a cook need their own rub hmm... My thoughts are that if you sell what you cook yeah you probably should take the time to make your own rub/sauce. On the other hand a backyard cook Q'ing for family and friends creating their own rub/sauce is not as important, but does make for yet another item to brag about.

Just my 2 cents worth.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Moose said:
I used to use only homemade rubs, because at the time, I wasn't aware of any commercial rubs that were worth a hoot, and a couple of mine were really good. But I recently tried some of the high quality Brethren rubs, like Rub Company and Simply Marvelous, and they really are great. So now I use both, depending on what I'm cooking.
Click to expand...

^^^^^ this
 
Those that only use commercial rubs may not have the knowledge of how to put together a good flavor profile so they let someone else do it for them.

Get the knowledge it is worth it and more satisfying than using someone else's rub.
 
I personally dont have time to make my own rubs and I would hate to disappoint my guest with a failed attempt. I stick with what works for me. I've bought a few rubs but hands down Oakridge bbq's beef and pork competition rub is my favorite. I did buy some Yardbird while I was at Bass Pro Shop to try on chicken since so many of you guys recommend it.
 
Last edited:
I have done both and will continue to do both and as my skillset improves, I hope to develop more of a knack for mixing my own stuff. I don't think one must make their own in order to be a "cook" though. Like it was said earlier, there is a lot more to preparing good food than just rubbing some spices on it. Some of the best food I've cooked have only had salt, pepper and garlic... Some have just had salt and pepper.

Rubs are just ingredients in the total experience. If you don't know how to cook then it don't matter if you get rubs off a shelf that are so good they come in gold clad containers your food will still make you want to chase down a dog so you can lick his arse to get the bad taste out of your mouth.

I do concede however, that quality ingredients definitely make food better, on the other hand, if you don't know how to use said ingredients you won't get good results.
 
That says it for me. Still, not against trying a Commercial rub.
Also, tend to start out with cookbook recipes and tweak from there.
 
I 've always made my own, until I pulled the trigger on the HDD. I also ordered the sampler pack, which I haven't used yet, so depending on how it goes, I might be making less of my own in the future.
 
Just because you make your own rubs does not mean you truly understand how to properly pair spices to create an optimal blend. Sure you can throw some common ingredients together which may taste fine but there is MUCH more to creating a top-notch rub than that. We commercial guys work with chemists and food scientists to hand select specific ingredients to produce a product you are not capable of doing in your kitchen.
 
Ryan Chester said:
Just because you make your own rubs does not mean you truly understand how to properly pair spices to create an optimal blend. Sure you can throw some common ingredients together which may taste fine but there is MUCH more to creating a top-notch rub than that. We commercial guys work with chemists and food scientists to hand select specific ingredients to produce a product you are not capable of doing in your kitchen.
Click to expand...
Don't want to re-post .... see this thread post #27 for my reply to the above comments.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1852634#post1852634
 
Ryan Chester said:
Just because you make your own rubs does not mean you truly understand how to properly pair spices to create an optimal blend. Sure you can throw some common ingredients together which may taste fine but there is MUCH more to creating a top-notch rub than that. We commercial guys work with chemists and food scientists to hand select specific ingredients to produce a product you are not capable of doing in your kitchen.
Click to expand...

I have heard great stuff about your products.
That being said.

I am striving to reduce the amount of processed foods I eat.

IE: Raw sugar vs white (processed) sugar

So the terms "chemist" and "food scientist" do nothing to make me want to try a commercial rub.

Neither do any of the additives typically added to rubs to prevent clumping, etc (not suggesting your products have any).

I drink like a fish, eat BBQ and grilled foods regularly, so anything I can do to increase the food intake of foods that haven't seen a processor that better off I am.

Buying whole spices allows me to determine what does and does not go into my runs. While buying commercial or boutique rubs don't.
 
SirPorkaLot said:
I have heard great stuff about your products.
That being said.

I am striving to reduce the amount of processed foods I eat.

IE: Raw sugar vs white (processed) sugar

So the terms "chemist" and "food scientist" do nothing to make me want to try a commercial rub.

Neither do any of the additives typically added to rubs to prevent clumping, etc (not suggesting your products have any).

I drink like a fish, eat BBQ and grilled foods regularly, so anything I can do to increase the food intake of foods that haven't seen a processor that better off I am.

Buying whole spices allows me to determine what does and does not go into my runs. While buying commercial or boutique rubs don't.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that my man! Just stating some facts. To each his own!
 
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