Oakridge rubs

93vpmod said:

The HDD is not really over-poweringly HOT, but just enough to wake up your taste buds. I frequently mix it with Dominator rib rub on all types of pork for a nice balanced flavor.

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I will agree with this and add that HDD is different to most other "spicy" rubs in that it TRULY tastes good after cooking. Heck, it smells amazing WHILE it's cooking.

What is everyone's favorite Oakridge rub to mix with one another? Mainly referring to mixing the Dominator rub...

Use the Dominator, Game Bird or Venison as a sweet component.

HDD as the heat component.

Secret Weapon or Comp Pork and Beef as the savory component.

Honestly I've mixed and matched em all every which way and it's all pretty good!

Same as a lot of people already-buy the sampler pack. Everything is good.

We like Secret Weapon. Also get my chicken brine mix there and it is very good too.

Just grabbed a reorder of HDD (for a kick), Dominator(ribs & occasionally butts), Santa maria(on everything), & Secret weapon(main butt rub).
I Love their rubs!

Just got the sample pack & am not through all of them yet, but everything I've tried (black ops, Santa maria & comp rib/pork) have been stellar.

I am going to be placing an Oakridge order very soon, I really want to try the Black Ops on a Brisket.

I love the HDD Wings, but will admit I am still working my way up to the amount they use in the recipe. I love heat, but the amount they show being used sounded insane, so the first time I used half, the second 3/4's. They were good, and they were hot, but they weren't unbearable. Next time I will try the recipe as described.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116783&highlight=HDD

The recipe as posted is fantastic. We let ours marinate for two or three days though, which we did by accident the first time and decided it was a keeper. Great for thighs too done the same way. Just have some raw broccoli, carrots and such with some blue cheese and ranch dressings which compliment the flavors well and help with excessive heat build up.

Guerry, does the longer marinade allows the flavors to soak further in or does it just mellow / marry better?

It definitely lets it marry better. Also, the fat in the olive oil is a great carrier for the flavors. As to penetration, I think there are limits to that, but it's been working well for us. Oh, also, a pork tenderloin really benefits from the same recipe.

Just mailed by nephew in Canada some Dominator and Venison & Wild Game Rub.

Need to get Mike some better Canadian distributorship... cost me $23 to send them up there. Even with the cost, they are more than worth it!!

I need to order some!!! sounds great!

Santa Maria grlling rub is mine!

DUBBAGA said:

Just mailed by nephew in Canada some Dominator and Venison & Wild Game Rub.

Need to get Mike some better Canadian distributorship... cost me $23 to send them up there. Even with the cost, they are more than worth it!!

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Shhh....don't let the Oakridge guys hear you say that. They might jack up their price! Haha

Anyone taste a lot of celery salt sort of flavor in the HDD? Or am I crazy?

I didn't initially experience that taste when I first tried it on pork chops and wings but the last couple times I have made both it has really come through. Made me wonder if maybe the rub is getting a bit old (stale) somehow...

Sorry if that hijaks the thread.

MattM said:

Anyone taste a lot of celery salt sort of flavor in the HDD? Or am I crazy?

I didn't initially experience that taste when I first tried it on pork chops and wings but the last couple times I have made both it has really come through. Made me wonder if maybe the rub is getting a bit old (stale) somehow...

Sorry if that hijaks the thread.

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I have been looking for an excuse to discuss this. I have noticed that my Oakridge rubs that I don't use very often seem to be improving in flavor over time.

When I first got the HDD, I thought it was completely one dimensional. All glorious Habanero heat with nothing else going on except a sweet to balance it. Now that my shaker of HDD is several months old, I notice other flavors. Almost like an American Curry, if there were such a thing. I chalk this up to the fact that most OR rubs come very fresh, and certain ingredients are extremely potent when fresh. Over time, the flavors mellow, and the blend of spices becomes a little more complex, if maybe a little less intense.

I have noticed this same effect with the Secret Weapon and the Santa Maria.

When they are one day out of the mail box, they are extremely potent and not really at their best, in my opinion.

After a month or so in a shaker bottle, or sitting in the bag in the back of my cupboard, they seem to mellow and come to life. The lesser potent ingredients come a little bit more forward, and the very intense ingredients seem to mellow, leading to a more complex flavor profile that might not be apparent from an initial tasting.

I first noticed this effect when I bought my first bag of Secret Weapon. After using 3 sample packs over 3 or 4 months to get to know the rub, I finally bought a bigger bag and immediately noticed a huge difference. At first I didn't even like the SW anymore, because it was so intense and different from what I was used to.

A couple months later, and I am back to throwing it on every single thing I cook, because it has aged and mellowed into what I expect from the SW.

Ultimately, I have found that OR rubs age a lot better than most other commercial rubs. They still change over time, but they are so fresh when ordered from the OR website that they will still be good over a year later, in my experience.

Sorry if this de-rails the thread.

ON TOPIC: I just ordered the Game Changer Brine for the first time! It's the only OR product I haven't tried yet. I just got a fair deal on a 7 pound Pork Shoulder that is sitting in the freezer waiting for the delivery!