Dry Rubs - Homemade vs. Commercial

[SirPorkaLot]

It's not that I haven't tried any commercial rubs. I have, but I much prefer to grind my own. So quick and simple, why wouldn't you?

I use a $15 Mr. Coffee - coffee bean grinder, and I buy whole spices. When it's time to make a rub, I grind what I need at the consistency I want.

[EricF]

Like so many other posts here I do both. I have slowly over a few years come up with a pork rub my family and I really like. I have tried several commercial pork rubs but to be honest I like my pork rub. My beef rub is not as developed yet, and I have found that I really like a particular commercial rub for brisket. Which is probably why my beef rub is not very developed.

In regards to sauce I make my own. Although I have tried the Blues Hog line, and that is a good sauce. It's just I don't know of a local supplier of Blues Hog thus if I want it I have to order it.


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[RevZiLLa]

Originally Posted by caseydog

Okay, if you were to find already cooked BBQ that you thought was awesome, would you sell your smokers and stop cooking?

Making rubs is part of the cooking process, IMO. Sure, I like trying commercial rubs, but I cannot see myself ever giving up on spending that 20 minutes tops to mix up a rub.

That's like buying a chili mix, or a jar of sauce, and saying, "that's good enough for me."

Again, I have nothing against commercial rubs, but there is something intrinsically fun about making something yourself. If not, we would all just eat out.

It is not an either-or thing, IMO. If you only make your own rubs, you are probably missing some good flavors. If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook. That may piss some people off, but IMO, good cooking is a journey -- no, it's an adventure -- it's certainly not a destination.

CD

My sentiments exactly

[landarc]

If what I am cooking requires something pretty simple, I will make up a quick rub with fresh ground ingredients. If I am doing a cook that requires very specialized flavor profiles, I also make up my own blends. But, there are many cooks where I just want to have a good proven flavor profile, I will use commercial rubs, I have many rubs, but, especially those which offer a sweet/spicy or Santa Maria profile that I can choose from.

[SmokinAussie]

Originally Posted by kennedyma

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. etc....

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

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.

Sorry Mate, you're drawing a very long bow on that one. In this day and age, we can't all have a farm and a market garden in our backyards... that is if we all even have a backyard. You don't see BBQ restaurants with their own dedicated Hog farm out the back although they may buy from a selected farm or supplier.

It is possible though, to buy bulk spices at good prices without having to grow them yourself amongst your pansies, and without having to move the car out of the shed to move in the processing equipment.

Casey's on the Money. Making your own rubs is fun, and it does make you a better cook though trial and error. When you're in a pinch, or after a specific flavour profile, you can't beat a commercial rub like Simply Marvelous, even though it's not a commercial rub... more like a boutique rub. A commercial rub, I'd say is more like a McCormacks, Lawries, Zatarians, Tony Catcheres' etc.

Cheers!

Bill

[sbramm]

Originally Posted by caseydog

If you only use commercial rubs, you ain't a cook.

CD

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

[SmokinAussie]

^^^ 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

[tortaboy]

Originally Posted by SmokinAussie

^^^ 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

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?

[Smoothsmoke]

I endorse The Rub Co, Simply Marvelous and Big Rons.

[big brother smoke]

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

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

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

And yes cooking is a journey and there are multiple paths

[cwo2lt]

Originally Posted by tortaboy

I thought the grow your own herbs analogy was spot on. Who determines how far back you take this discussion?

I thought it was nit picking. Cooking is cooking, raising herbs is farming!

[frognot]

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

[Lazybones]

Originally Posted by kennedyma

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.

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.

[Randbo]

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
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! But i have not opened it yet
There is room for everybody here. If you like buying rub good for you If you make your own I hope you enjoy that as much as I do

[EricF]

Originally Posted by big brother smoke

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

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.




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