Are expensive BBQ Rubs a rip off? Homemade BBQ rubs that cost less & taste better REVEALED
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
- UA-cam almost had me convinced the key to good BBQ was to overpay for premium BBQ rubs.... BUT I found a way to make rubs that taste better and cost less money at home.
Update - recipes now live on www.smokingdadbbq.com in the make your own rub blog. Did this video help you? Sharing this video with friends, groups, social media etc. helps others find me and is greatly appreciated! 🙏
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Chapters
00:00 - Why I think overpriced BBQ rubs are a rip off
02:57 - Avoid these common seasoning mistakes
06:17 - Start doing these tips now (seasoning best practices)
09:57 - 3 homemade rub recipes that taste better & cost less
#SMOKINGDADBBQ #bbqrub #seasoning
@mannkitchen - Навчання та стиль
So Ill add a note about the "Pepper Cannon". Ive owned it for about 2 years now. It is hands down the best pepper grinder you can buy. It is expensive but IMO worth it. Now I dont use mine for anything except pepper. You can grind a Cosco/Sams club sized container of 16 mesh pepper in about 3 minutes. I really produces.
100%. For those you don’t have one
🧂 Pepper Cannon (8-60 mesh 10x more per grind) - t.jo.my/pepper
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ10” to get 10% off any order site wide!
A $20 electric spice grinder will do it even faster
I absolutely highly recommend all meat church seasoning 💯.
Wait $200 for a manual grinder? Wtf. At $99 it would be expensive. $200 its madness
@@kevincris2589 Fr fk that 😆 that’s pure greed! Electric spice grinder $20 at Walmart
I love the content from Meat Church & How to BBQ Right. Happy to support both of these businesses by purchasing their rubs.
They make a great product and it’s an awesome place to start. It’s not until you want to have more control over sodium for getting the benefits of a dry brine where the rubs with salt in them start becoming more of a challenge but as you can see I am a customer as well
What meat church rub to you recommend and for what?
@@SmokingDadBBQ the bbq rub is low in sodium, as I'm sure you know.
I think Matt from MC assumed ppl would use his rub for dry brining.
@@petergriffinson1907 I like holy Voodoo 👍
Was going to join this channel then I saw this video ! to put other bbq legends rubs on full view and then label the video scams is quite honestly very disrespectful. These guys put thousands of hours sweat and tears into there rubs . They travel all over the US attending bbq competitions at there own exspence not just for the money but the love of bbq . If some of them take the time to put out a rub and make UA-cam videos to maybe try and make a living doing something they dearly love, I for one will support them wholeheartedly . Malcolm Reed of How to bbq right show cases not only his own rubs but other peoples as well. That shows you what type of man he is helping out his fellow competitors. And for you to say you're a customer then put out this video is so disrespectful. All you had to do was make the video without putting all the rubs out in full display and it would have been a great video. But to put them out in full display then tell you're viewers they are all basically a waste of money is in very bad taste in my opinion !! Best of luck with your channel it is really good but I'm sorry I for one wont be joining.
Excellent James! Been waiting for something like this for a long while. It's so easy to get swooned by advertising when it comes to the store bought ready made rubs. A lot packed into this video which will be revisited often. Thanks
Thanks Dave
Thank you so much for putting this together! I’ve been researching run recipes on my own for months, and was wondering if I was doing the right thing. Seems like I was on the right track. But so good to know about - well everything you had in this video!!
I would love to learn more.
thanks
The reality is that most bbq guys selling their own rub actually make their own which is why they launched their rubs to the masses. It’s like enjoying ground coffee but deciding to roast your own, of course the flavor is better but time is worth something, thanks for the video James
100%, this isn’t a critique on their ability to make something that tastes good. It’s the shortcoming that happen with packaging. We no longer have control over salt for dry brining, the clumping and freshness etc. it’s a great way to get started, like training wheels for a time and place.. but if you want to, the freedom and growth you can have taking the next step is worth it imo
Thank you for encouraging people to create their own rubs! There's nothing wrong with buying pre-made rubs, but the retail pricing for most of them is downright insulting.
Some of these cost me $34 CAD a bottle. That’s ridiculous for sure
Great video. Well put together.
A friend of mine always comments on my BBQ because I use store bought rubs and don’t make them my own. The way I see it is these people have perfected the ratios and have done the experiments to achieve that profile I’m looking for. I do use some as a base and add off of them or mix and match them to achieve an overall flavor.
Thanks Richie
Thank you for shedding light on this issue and sharing recipes.
2 personal tips I have for using herbs and spices are:
1) Use Mason jars for storage. A case of a dozen jars works out to $1 a jar and they provide a proper air tight seal. You can go from small 125ml jars, all the way up to quart size.
2) Get a Vitamix (essential for any kitchen, really) with the dry container. You can effortlessly go from whole spice to powder in 30 seconds. No more 5 minute microplane sessions with cinnamon sticks.
Good tips. Cheers
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. I have a lot on hand as a result of my pickling and canning efforts. Be sure to always use fresh lids. What shelf life have you experienced with fresh herbs in the mason jars?
Great tips. We have plenty of mason jars on hand due to pickling and canning efforts. Important to always use a fresh lid. What shelf life have you experienced with fresh herbs in mason jars? Would be helpful in determining size of jar
Thanks for sharing. I’m a kettle guy but I’m always looking at ways to ups my game. Going to give this a try.
Pro tip: When making your own spice rub recipes, WRITE IT DOWN. I had on my shelf a rub I previously made and was delicious but no way could I remember the exact proportion of ingredients. Also, a dedicated coffee grinder for spices works out perfectly.
Great tip. It’s a good idea to write the ratio on a label you stick on the bottle.
I have a sodium restriction, so I've been making my own rubs for awhile. Controlling salt is why I got into BBQ in the first place. I'll admit I've tried to read the understanding spices books, but I normally go to sleep. I'll stick with you on this one because you can dumb it down for me. 😆 Thanks James.
Cheers Don
Funny, I just ordered a Pepper Cannon yesterday. Perfect timing to confirm I made a good choice. And thanks for spelling these concepts out so well. This will save me money and cabinet space in the future.
Congrats
Great content. You make a fair point. I think rubs still have their place. And it makes it easier to try out different flavors/styles without having to spend a ton of time and money to source the ingredients. But I WILL be making that brisket bark rub!
Omg, I laughed way too hard at your reaction to that big Mac smoothie
Haha don’t want to remember that taste
I fall somewhere in the middle. I enjoy making my own rubs, but I also have a few favorite pre-made rubs. I think there's a place for both in my kitchen. I really enjoyed this video, and I'll be checking out that pepper cannon!
Cheers
I spent a couple years buying whole spices and grinding up custom spice rubs. Eventually I figured out I really only needed 3-5 ingredients in any rub, and maybe 10 to do everything.
These rubs are about quality of life. I spend so much less time making my own spice blends now and these still taste better than the ones I made myself. That and I get to support the people that helped me on my BBQ journey. I'll keep buying, thanks.
I agreed with you James on the rubs. Twelve years ago when I got my GE I would buy store rubs thinking it would make perfect taste. I soon learned to make my own rubs and make them to my taste. I have both Pepper cannon and Salt cannon and will try gridding other spices now. Great Tip!
i haven't pulled the trigger on the salt cannon yet but let me know how it goes
@@SmokingDadBBQ It is very much like the Pepper cannon, except you turn it counter clockwise. It looks great next to the pepper cannon and is silver.
Thanks for your honest opinion and great tips
As a rub and sauce maker, I have to put in my 2 cents. I am a fan, first and foremost, of barbecue in many forms and styles. I don't ever claim ours to be the only great flavors or products for barbecue. Flavor is perception in each person's own tastebuds. To say we are a scam because we offer something a lot of people love, is akin to me comparing this video to being a ripoff because it's not my preferred style of video (even if 1.5k people like it). We tell anyone we speak with that our rubs are here for one main reason. To do for others what they may not know or care to learn how to do for a myriad of reasons. Usually, people don't have the time to perfect their desired flavor profile or they don't have a desire to do this on their own. We fill that void. That's the same as someone not repairing their own car or remodeling their home. I don't call mechanics or carpenters scammers because I CAN do it on my own. I just simply prefer and defer to experts for certain things. I know the reasons behind your title, edits and premise but I also know what we do and why it's a shame you have to call us a scammer for offering something people can buy on Amazon or our website. I like your information but your opinion is flawed as you obviously know. I can assure you that what I say is truthful, honest and without absolute statements that are impossible to make when discussing opinions of flavor. Good luck and congrats on 100k subscribers. If you'd like to try our stuff out for free and at no obligation, just let me know. We'll gladly go head to head with anyone on who's is best. Oh and by the way, buying or growing some of those ingredients usually ends up being just as or more expensive than an entire container of rub or sauce. Food for thought.
Great points. Personally I use both (pre-made and homemade) rubs. Two advantages premade rubs have are consistency and time. If there's a specific flavor profile one rub has, you know you'll get it every time you buy a bottle. And sometimes you don't quite have the time or energy to put a rub together.
That said, I'm all for making your own where possible. My key is make sure to make my own chili powder. Toasting and grinding your own chilis had made the biggest difference in my bbq rubs. I usually keep a modified version of Mike Mill's Magic Dust recipe in a vacuum sealed container, and it works on nearly anything.
Good point
Great video, I’ve made some rubs in the past but look forward to picking up a pepper canon and really getting into it. On your SPG recipe are you mincing the garlic?
I love it. I've really come to rely too heavily on bottled rubs. I haven'tmixed my own in quite a while.
Thanks Ron
I’ve been on this for a few years now and am so with you on it, about 3 years ago we had a spice shop open up nearby and I couldn’t believe how inexpensive they are in bulk, for instance a 3kg kosher salt bucket $30, 1kg of 16 mesh black pepper, $10, and so on, I bought 1kg packs of everything and the amount of beautiful rubs I make that don’t have sugar as am diabetic is incredible, thanks for this vid too
Thank you James for another great video!
Cheers
Thanks very much a very informative vid and definitely from now on making my own rubs👍
Cheers
I will vouch for this 100% I never used single ingredients for a rub only in pan dishes or whatever but once you make a basic rub it tastes much better than any pre packaged one
100%
Great video! Can you make a quick video showing the Joetisserie in action on the Char Griller Akorn. Thank you 😊
Great video- Knowledge is key. When I first got started I got all the commercial rubs and really tried/experimented with what I like. Also being here in Texas, there was motivation to buy/support creators that are local.
For the average backyard cook, I can see why it's more convenient to get the commercial rubs- I remember even just a couple of years ago making Thanksgiving turkey for the first time ever, having a ton of anxiety around picking the right rub for the turkey and went with a commercial option as a way to mitigate the risk of making something completely new for the first time.
But as you point out, once you know your stuff, there are many advantages to making and grinding your own. It actually reminds me of the latest Chef's Table series on Netflix on Pizza, where the top guy in the US is in Arizona of all places, key reason that he has bested all of the placed in NYC being that he focused on perfecting every single ingredient, down to locally sourcing and grinding the grain that makes the flour for his dough.
If this is a hobby and passion like it is for many of us watching the channel, learning how to make rubs is the next level of perfection to pursue, but if you're just getting started and watching this video, there's no shame in buying some of the commercial rubs to get a sense of flavor profiles and seeing what you like.
there is no shame at all... if anything my point is take the time to taste the rub you love and use it as a benchmark to learn how to make something similar. Everyone learns with training wheels myself included.... taking them off opens a world of new options
I agree 100%. My coworkers and I do a lot of grilling and smoking. I'm frequently asked what rub do I like and I always tell them I make my own. Super fun and you can experiment with your own blend.
100%
Adore the rub recipes, your channel is awesome, thanks! 🙏👍👏🏻
Thanks 🙏
I've been looking forward to this topic! I'd still love to see a side by side test similar to the hot-and-fast versus low-and-slow series. Can the casual (or even serious) bbq eater discern an expensive "perfect ratio" rub vs a basic homemade rub. My hypothesis is that as long as the salt and sugar (if any) levels are carefully controlled, there won't be a significant preference. I did this once with 2 pork butts. Different, but neither was "better" according to my tasters. Worth testing for repeatability 🤓
I thought about that … but nobody in my house likes their coffee the same so wasn’t sure how we could get any sort of consensus on taste lol
Thanks for the recipe’s rub and great video
thanks Marc
Do you have multiple cannons for each spice? Or do you clean out after each spice? Curious if you're going for one flavor if lingering flavors from another spice affect it.
No. I just put a few black pepper corns in between to clear it back to at lest what it was
Another great video James. As others mentioned time is a factor and I never buy a lot of the same rub at once so they don’t get the chance to loose their flavor 😅 love your videos and hope you”ll reach +100k subscribers soon👍🏽
Thanks Raymond
@@SmokingDadBBQ no James...thank you for all those informative videos 😃👍🏽
Our incentive to make our own rub was not only cost but also availability. We've relied on some blends for our consistent cooks then one day they're no longer available. Thus, for our ribs for example, we developed a rub that we like and we'll never run out.
What the heck - here's our recipe:
1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Sweet Hungarian Paprika
1.5 Tablespoons Chili Powder
6 Tablespoons dried light brown sugar *Dry in low temp oven being careful not to melt it.
2 Tablespoons Turbinado sugar
1 Teaspoon molasses powder
2 Tablespoons Sea salt or kosher salt *Fine granules
1/4 Teaspoon tomato powder
1/8 Teaspoon Jamaican jerk seasoning *sift out any big pieces
3/4 Teaspoon black pepper
1/8 Teaspoon powder smoke
1/2 Teaspoon MSG
1/8 Teaspoon orange peel *grind, sift
1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 Teaspoon powder vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon onion powder
1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 Teaspoon mustard powder
1/8 Teaspoon annatto powder
1/8 Teaspoon turmeric
Very small pinch cinnamon
It gives the color and flavor to ribs that is really good.
This is quality content in both honesty and detail.
Thanks!
I have been through a ton of commercial rubs. There are some out there that I really love and some that I think are just mediocre at best. The selling point on MOST rubs is simple aroma and taste on the tongue when you open a bottle and put your finger in it. THAT sort of appeal has its place, but I don't necessarily think it's place is in the cook itself. Those nuanced flavors and aromas are usually LOST in the cook. I believe there are just about four or five ingredients that make a statement in the cook itself. The most important one is the salt. Then you have pepper, garlic, and paprika. I bring the umami to my stuff with MSG. I believe the aromatic aspect of various herbs and spices are best left for AFTER the cook. Shake some of that on top of the protein after it's plated if you want to. I have gone back to making my own. I agree with your idea of making just what you need UNLESS you have a vacuum sealer. You can keep this stuff fresh for years if you keep oxygen out out of it and keep it out of the light. Light and oxygen are the main bad actors in the preservation process of herbs and spices. Over time I have stopped trying to persuade folks to make their own though.. lol. It's a lot like trying to get folks to make pizza dough from scratch. A lot of folks would rather pay for the convenience of having the work done for them. Some of the ingredients in these commercial rubs are hard to get without buying them in bulk or making them yourself which goes right back to the convenience factor. So... scam? I dunno. That's a harsh word :) Maybe there is a fine line between scams and incredibly good marketing. Most of the rubs you have on your table there cost north of $10 per bottle and a lot of them are $15 and up. That's a hefty price tag for 2 cups of seasoning that, in most cases, is mostly salt, pepper, and other relatively inexpensive ingredients. And KUDOS on the promotion of SALTING your meat early. THAT is a staple method that goes further towards improving your results than anything else. Sorry for rambling on your comments section... but i'm probably gonna try your brisket bark builder or at least a mild variation on it.....
Scam likely a little more on attention grabbing than fact lol. In cad$ some of these are $33 a bottle which is getting out of hand.
I think store bought rubs can be a great teacher to learn from some of the industries experts if you take the time to taste, understand what’s going on and learn how to tweak to your liking in which case it’s a small price to pay
Let me know what you think of the bark one. SPG is my favourite but this is a nice variety to throw in from time to time. Helps get more of an offset looking bark in a Kamado as well
Some great information James, Cheers.
Good video. I appreciate the time savings, essentially if you are starting out, with pre-made rubs. It lets you try out some things that you know work, and discover what you like. Once you figure that out, then try to replicate it, and tweak it to make it your own.
I’m glad the recipes were in the description, because it seems like you never actually got to sharing the 3 rub recipes in the video! I got to the end and thought, did I miss it?
Too much text to put on screen so I pasted them below
I see you ground cloves in your pepper cannon too. I now have clove flavored pepper still a couple of weeks after I put the black pepper back in the cannon. Did you find some way to remove the clove oil from the grinder?
clean and clear explanation, i am making my own rubs sinds a couple of years now. I us two or three brandend rubs, but i go thru them quick so the dont get a change toning down hahaha. understnding the basics of flavors is realy key to understand building up your taste profile per dish.
100%. Cheers
Tysm. Can’t wait to try it.
have fun
Bonjour James ! Here in France, it's complicated to find the rubs you use... So we manage by making them ourselves from recipes found on the web. I use SOPASCO a lot, for Salt Oregano Paprika, (Ail) Garlic, Sugar, Cumin, Onion and C4P2 for crushed peppercorns, coriander seeds, powdered mustard (or turmeric), brown sugar, salt, paprika and cumin! Of course, there are others!!! Each recipe being dosed to the nearest gram. There are dozens of them that we make according to the taste of the day and the meat that we are going to cook !!!
Bonjour Pierre and Merci
@@SmokingDadBBQ have become addicted to your videos and very soon a KJ 2 will be coming home ! Subsidiary question, as you are Canadian, do you understand French ? easier for me if so... Merci !
@@pierrevautard6463 very little. That was almost the extent of my vocabulary lol 😂
Yeah I use LC BBQ, LoveByrds, & Killer Hogs & I guarantee those blends are better than just a flat out home blend. Plus I’m not trying to keep 15lbs of salt, pepper, garlic, msg in my cabinets. It depends what, who, & how many people you cook for.
Thanks for the tips. What is 30% Your lane in your Umami binder from above?
Do you think storing rub mixes in the freezer significantly extends shelf life?
John Setzler commented below and mentioned the vacuum sealer hack as a great way. That an avoiding daylight
If you do a salt brine on a brisket do you then decrease the kosher salt in you brisket rub? If so by how much do you decrease? Thanks
Yes if I salt brine I don’t add any more salt. Just the other ingredients
Very good content and presentation. I have been smoking mostly ribs and wings for 25 years on a charcoal/wood smoker. I always thought the meat and smoke should speak for themselves. I had never used a rub until I bought a pellet smoker three years ago. I thought since everyone else was using rubs, I might as well jump on the bandwagon. The first brisket I did on the pellet smoker had nothing on it, just smoke and fat juice. The neighbors couldn't eat it fast enough. I have since tried my own rubs, commercial rubs and doctored up commercial rubs. I am ready to go back to nothing. Nobody could tell much difference between rubs, no rub and anything in between. Besides, most people put some sort of condiment on the meat and that pretty much overpowers any rubs.
100% agree
I've used pre-made rubs with SPG and fresh cracked pepper does enhance the rub and also I use local flake sea salt since in the Philippines now and it's amazing.
Oh nice
How do you keep your store bought jars of raw ingredient fresh? I know most keep for a good 6months or more so long as they are still aromatic. Most grocery stores nowadays, and in Canada we have Bulk Barn. I find grabbing just enough of what I think I will need is more economical from the bulk food section. Just have to really watch out for the freshness factor from bulk bins.
Usually in a Tupperware container in a drawer inside to avoid humidity
Can you share a link to one of these videos where they suggest the only way you can be successful is to click a link at the end and buy one of their rubs?
yep but this is not about picking on any one creator. Unfortunately many of them don't see much of the money we pay, one of these bottles cost me $33 at my BBQ store which says they mark up no less than 40% above what they paid. Then there is the co-packer, raw ingredients, packaging, shipping and marketing .... the creator may only see a few bucks out of something sitting on the shelf for $33.
Buying rubs is a great way to learn from experts how different flavours come together, if you buy a rub to learn how to get better than knock your socks off. The fact about not being able to control sodium, freshness, clumping and or learning how to season your food without being co-dependent on a store bought product is the the point of this video. No judgment for people that have no interest in leaving the comfort of quality and consistency of the pre-made stuff... we all start somewhere if thats what gets you cooking than rock on
@@SmokingDadBBQ I don’t think this is lost on anyone or unique to the world of rubs. You just made a bold statement to kick off the video that seemed a little hyperbolic and made up.
Great vid! Love my pepper cannon, worth every penny. All you have to do is pick it up the first time and you can tell the quality. 🍻
100%
I too had a collection of rubs (and sauces) as you have there. It's true I've thrown most out due to age or just not liking them. However, I'm not upset about it. I bought them looking for that "Holy Grail" rub (or sauce) that really works great for x, y, or z. As Richie Bag states in the comments, these guys have experimented and "perfected a product". Of the many dozens I've tried, I continue to buy my favorites because I use them often, and therefore they stay fresh. The BBQ world involves a lot of work from start to finish. I'd rather not add another step to create my own rubs. I applaud you for doing so.
Thanks for this video James. Not knocking any of those fine pit masters but I couldn't agree more.
When I first started smoking a few months back, I went into "research mode" and bought over a hundred dollars of rubs just so "I know what to use when with whichever meat I was going to cook". Would have bought more until my wife put her foot down and forbid me from buying more till I started cooking. That got me thinking. If a cook with a store rub turned out great then I am stuck with that and I would have no idea how to play with the flavors. So I started with the basics and have only used the following: black pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder and based on feedback, I change proportions and it has worked out great for me so far. Additionally, it forces me to be more methodical about owning my learning and taking notes. Finally, I have not opened a single one of those rubs that I got off of Amazon.
Btw, do you know what is the video link for what you were cooking at the 6:00 mark? Thanks
Yes that’s a pulled lamb recipe that’s not out yet
This is such a good video!! I’m done buying all kinds of different rubs. Only rub I still buy is John Henry’s. I spent lots of money on rubs and majority of them are too salty with no flavor.
The salt control is one of the biggest issues. Can’t believe I forgot to make that more clear in the video lol
also I have several of these rubs. I’ll use them but I’m saving the containers. In my city we have a well stocked spice store that has pretty much every whole and ground spice you would want, cinnamon, saffron, star anise, 6 paprikas, peppercorns etc. I made a run a few weeks ago and stocked up and will be experimenting with my own rubs!
If you’ve never had pie/cinnamon rolls with freshly ground cinnamon you don’t know know you’re missing!
I find the best way to mix rubs is in the free shaker bottle my gym gave me. That wire ball mixed it up very well.
thats a great example where fresh ground makes a world of difference
Scary part with the table full of rubs is I own almost every one of them 😂. I do like making my own seasonings and I need to start making larger batches so I don’t have to keep spending 7-15 bucks a jar.
some of these were 33 each lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ that’s 33 maple syrup dollars though, right? 😉
I have alot of friends that make commercial rubs and I buy them because I love to show them some love and support.
Which mustard do you use as a binder?
Thank you for all of your recipes, techniques, and knowledge!
LOL ❤ the big Mac demo
haha getting nauseous just thinking about it again lol
I wish you went into a little more detail on the recipes I'm a little co fused on them and want to learn and make them I got a kamado Joe last year and want to improve.on my cooks. I don't know what an umami binder is for example so it would help with some more in depth explanation. Thank you for your content
I have tried a lot of rubs. Some I love, some I was quite disappointed in, given the price and hype. I have settled on a few Lane’s and Atlanta Grill Company, almost always bought when on sale. But I really do need to try making my own, especially with a Costco membership. Thanks James!
Cheers Brian
Give away would be awesome to send to Australia James! Great video mate. Looking forward to getting my pepper cannon
Thanks Tristan
This is one of those things that falls squarely into the category of, "yeah, I know, but I'm still gonna what I want to do sometimes." I make my own BBQ rubs for ribs and such, but I also have plenty of the pre-made rubs as well, for a few reasons. The obvious one is the TIME it saves. But what also can't be completely discounted is that the pre-made rubs have been tested and adjusted and tested and adjusted again. I would love to do this with my own rubs, and I may still at some point, but not everyone can or will do the testing necessary to get the flavor *just right.* Pre-made rubs sell for a reason, which is that they do offer great flavor profiles. Not to mention, they often have ingredients that may be hard to get or expensive. For example, I have a couple of rubs that include honey powder in them. I love the flavor those rubs provide, but I'm probably not going to buy honey powder on my own to make a homemade rub. So, yes, making you own rubs is a great thing. Heck, I haven't bought pre-made cocktail sauce or tartar sauce, or even coleslaw dressing, in years because making your own is so easy and tastes so much better, so I'm definitely not knocking the idea of making your own rubs, but there is still a market for some the pre-made rubs too, IMO. At any rate, another great video.
Thanks Cody. I own these for the same reason, convenience matters so not to say there isn’t a place for both. But if you never ever try taking the training wheels off it can hold you back as it limits your ability to manage salt/dry brine, as well as make some stand out dishes that you can call your own
Agree. I have a few of my go to commercial rubs that I use all the time. I am starting now to experiment with my own combos and really appreciate the recipes from this video. Definitely going to try out the brisket one.
If you like the honey flavor dissolve a couple of tablespoons in apple cider vinegar and spray during the cook. Sweet and tangy layer.
I have to add another consideration when buying pre-made rubs is sugar. Being on the keto diet, I am very aware of food contents and nothing gets me more angry than finding that the vast majority of rubs have sugar. I have been making some of my own rubs and really enjoy getting a good flavour on my own. I do find some rare commercial rubs that don't have any sugar but the prices of them have been outrageous lately, like $10 for a small bottle. Never thought of using whole spices and grinding them myself so will give this a try when BBQ season comes back. Thanks!
I make my own rub which sits in the closet for months. It still tastes good many months later, although the flavors diminish somewhat. I just use more rub to compensate. I also purchase Killer Hogs, and Weber's Kickin Chicken, which tastes good after many months.
At about 8:07, you flash a web page that showed themes on flavors. Can you share a link to that page?
kathleenflinn.com/a-cheat-sheet-to-flavor-profiles/
I use Meat Church and Killer Hogs as my main rubs. I never get to the point of them being old or stale and sticking together. Thank you for another good video with a lot of inforomation.
Thanks. Yes that’s only a problem when you buy too many and don’t consume them in a reasonable time period
I see no reason to be wasting my time on something that costs 8 bucks. The company’s, like meat church, are doing all the research and putting out a good product. I’ll happily support them and their efforts.
8 is a good deal... some of these cost me 33 CAD which is getting a little too far on the other side of the equation. I like buying rubs to learn from experts at flavours, if you are learning from them its a great education
about time someone addressed the absurdity of the prevalence and cost of premixed rubs. well done.
Good for you James, good for you. I hadn't been bbqing long before I realized what a con commercial rubs are. It's frustrating that so many sites feature great recipes/equipment how-tos, but they all include some rub you gotta-gotta use to complete the recipe. The one thing you left out: they're all mostly salt. Even the great Meathead Goldwyn, when he endorsed a rub line, admitted they were mostly salt because salt is cheap. Thank you for speaking the truth.
Cheers
You hit the nail on the head. I started our company for this very reason. I was tired of rubs calling themselves sweet when they were mostly salt and you had to add your own sugar to make them edible. I'm not saying to go buy ours but I am saying we are different for this very reason.
Yes! totally agreed! I stopped buying pre-made rubs and make my own!
100%
Thanks for the video and the recipes.
Quick questions about the rubs though
In one you mention “your lane” and in another you mention “store bought”. Was wondering if you could clarify what you mean there.
NM. Figure it out
Looked like “your lane” is indicating a chef’s choice to round out the remainder of the rub and “store bought” is meaning the store bought lawry’s
Thanks for the video
Yes you got it
Great video James. Most of those commercial rubs are designed for people with little knowledge of cooking. I'll admit I have purchased them in the past but it's usually more out of curiosity. One reason I love Matt Pittmans channel is he always says, if you don't have his product then use what you have. Never pressuring viewers into purchase. Again, thanks for the video James! Good info, cheers!
Cheers Kyle
Do you use the Umami Binder on every thing.. Not sure how it works
No mostly just steaks due to cost. But prime rib or a NY strip I would
Awesome video!!!!
Couldn't agree more. Was a chef, went to School.
Learned some more from you
Appreciate the video
Never did a dry brine was kinda against it for Drying it out
let me know what you think after giving it a go. i use diamond crystal kosher salt for the overnight dry brine
Informative. Thanks. I appreciate the convenience of prepared rubs but I can’t have them because I’m allergic to garlic. Of course, every rub has some garlic, so I make my own rubs and sauces. In addition, many prepared rubs include additives that have nothing to do with flavor (anti-caking ingredients, for example). I don’t think they’re harmful but I feel better about not having those ingredients.
Cheers Kevin
I bought the book it was fantastic I loved how she told stories
Good topic mate! I do wish you addressed some of the positives of pre-made rubs though as well.
Convenience. I love how much about best practices you are, but honestly, I've got 3 kids and a busy life... I'm not getting out the spice grinder every time I want to fire up the grill. Also a lot of people enjoy trying and cooking with the same blend and products as others and sharing the experience with friends or even the creators. Who doesn't want to cook just like Malcolm Reed right?
One other note is addressing the cost situation. I'm not sure what it's like in Canada, but in Australia, unless you are buying in 1kg+ quantities, the spices raw are really quite expensive. Yes a little 30g sachet might cost 1/5 the price of the jar of rub... but you get nearly 10x the quantity of blended spices in the jar of rub. The main problem is people keep buying more and more different rubs and never finish jars. If you actually get through a jar of rub it's really not that bad value for money.
Either way man, always love your work, but would have liked to have seen you address some of the positives of the off the shelf products. Not all of us making rubs are trying to scam folks ;)
In hindsight this would have been a good 30 second addition I missed. I own all these rubs for the same reasons … but when my last order was 32$ CAD for one of my favourites that was a straw that broke the value prop for me
@@SmokingDadBBQ fair call! I don't think I've ever seen a rub at that sort of price here in Australia so I guess that is a factor I hadn't considered either, different cost factors and shipping around the world is a thing. Thanks for the reply!
If you want to grind/crack black pepper corns in larger quanities, use a SPICE GRINDER which is a small blender for grinding spices actualy!
Great video as usual! You mentioned that there were recipes for the rubs in the description, would you post them when you can? Thanks
www.smokingdadbbq.com/blog-posts/make-your-own-rub
Yes, do show us / teach us more in a future video ... 6:38 ... I would like to learn all that you can teach, because it is TOO EXPENSIVE to eat BBQ anywhere now. Even show us sides too.
Okay, just to let you know, I went and bought that Pepper Cannon, because (if you think it's a good deal) then I know it is. Because you are honest, helpful, and very knowledgeable.
I agree with you on most of what you said, $15 + for these rubs is a little steep. If you add the quantity of seasoning these folks put on the proteins, you can nearly use a container in one cook, and all your going to taste is smoke and rub.
Also a lot of the rubs that are out there taste basically the same, and just have a different labels.
But I have found a few rubs that I find are outstanding (The Slabs, Birds And Bones, foe one) and are well worth money, and may be hard to duplicate.
When I find a rub I love my first goal is to try and understand what it’s doing that I like and then figure out what to tweak in my own approach. Some of these bottles cost me $33 at dicksons
@@SmokingDadBBQ If you have Bird and bones in your mass of bottled rubs, I'd like to see if you could duplicate, or heck improve on it.
It's $15 and is often out of stock at Dicksons.
@@briandaffern5108 I will pick one up to try. Haven’t yet
@@SmokingDadBBQ about to throw a couple of racks of side ribs on my offset with birds and bones on it. Yum.
@@briandaffern5108 the fomo is real
Great video, James. When I come out with EMV ribs next year will you delete it please? J/K 😂
hahaha
One thing that killed pre-made rubs is MSG. It enhances the flavour so much that it's one of the reason why pre-made rubs are so popular. Once add it to your homemade rubs pre-made just isint worth it.
Good point
Great tips. I did buy a shaker or two of pre-made and honestly the family couldn't taste the difference. I now stick with homemade.
Question though - Is there a difference between sea salt and Kosher salt. You mentioned the NA levels with Kosher
I use diamond crystal in all my recipes. Sea salt for finishing at the table
Part of why I like to BBQ and cook in general, is that it's a chance to be creative. For me, making my own rub is part of the fun.
Good point, me too
Have you confirmed the pepper cannon can grind herbs? I finally received the Pepper Cannon as a gift and the instructions emphasize specifically to NOT grind salt but does not give any dos or don'ts for herbs. Thanks!
yes salt is the no go, but herbs are fine ... this is because the bur mill inside will corrode with salt, not that the hardness will hurt anything.
The salt cannon can do pepper, but its only about 70% as fast as there is a different internal configuration ... and maybe you don't want that much salt shooting out
@@SmokingDadBBQ thank you for the detailed reply! Loving the cannon!
Great info
Thanks for watching!
This is why in competition BBQ people layer flavors and seasoning vs just one or two rubs. Layering makes a difference but not many at home backyard bbq cooks want to layer and just go for a single rub for seasoning.
Hello
Regularly watch your videos in England,BUT I’m currently on holiday in Orlando 👍🏻 Is there anything to add to add to my collection in your superstores which is a staple in the US ? Regards Rubs
Thanks Andy
For me the key reason to avoid buying rubs is salt. It is generally the 1st or 2nd ingredient. I generally use hot sauce or mustard (40 - 60 mg salt per teaspoon) as a binder 10 - 24 hours prior to the cook. SDBBQ recipes are great because they skip salt. Obviously the binder is not “dry” but enough salt is pulled into the meat to enhance flavor without exceeding my allowance even if I overindulge on the finished roast
Great point Mark. I completely forgot to make this point even if implied
I do my own rubs and still purchase a lot of premade ones that I think would be too difficult recreate.
There are some hard to come by things where sometimes that’s a better option for sure
I have watched this video a few times now and recently convinced my wife that a pepper cannon would be a good birthday present for me.
I can't seem to find the recipes for the three rubs you described.
www.smokingdadbbq.com/blog-posts/make-your-own-rub
I moved them there as I make tweaks you always have the latest version
I use one rub and will last me a year even when using once a week on a big piece of meat or several small ones.$10 for it is well worth it to me but im a novice smoker/griller and dont have much free time in my life to put towards it.I can see this being a problem when you have 10 different shakers in your cabinet.I picked one and stuck with it,tastes wonderful on everything.I also live in WI,only have 6 months where grilling is something i dont mind doing.The other 6 months im standing outside with snow blowing in my face and just want to get it done.
When you dry brine a steak with salt alone 24 hours in advance, how much do you apply? I've heard one teaspoon per pound, but I find bone-in cuts complicate this rule.
You cant go wrong with a good ole bottle of Montreal steak seasoning. In fact Montreal steak seasoning is pretty much the base ingredient for the rub I use on all my beef/chicken/pork. I kick up the amount of black pepper, add some red pepper flake, little bit of toasted fennel seed, celery seed, and tiny little bit of cayenne. By the time I've added those ingredients I've gotten the total sodium down to roughly 100mg of sodium or so per serving and it works on everything as a really good base rub. on my pork shoulder, after the port is pulled I hit it with a bit more rub, a bit of powdered butter, and a light dusting of powdered honey. Mixed seasoning are perfectly fine to use, just don't buy 3lbs of it if you only cook 2x a year.
100% 3lbs not a good call
I agree, it’s snake oil
Clean smoke of your choice and salt and pepper does the flavor and color profile
100%
Layered approach, I agree with. Good message. Pepper Cannon, I don't. It might be worth it for a chef that wants presentation with precise grind, but for rubs, you can do the same with a $20 electric coffee grinder and get the grind in your range with a little practice. The statement about the oils, is well not true. The oils are going to be there if you crack the peppercorn, no matter how you do it. With the $20 grinder you can wipe cup and switch spices quickly. All grids are much faster than the pepper cannon would ever be.