Pork Rib Bbq Rub Recipes

The difference between good ribs and great ribs is in the seasoning and the rubs that are applied to the raw meat before cooking. The two basic styles of rubs are wet rubs and dry rubs. There are also two basic types of each: sweet rubs and savory rubs. By learning which spices go well with each other, you can create your own unique signature rub for ribs like nobody else's.

Basic Wet Rubs

For a sweet wet rub, you might want to start with a mashed fruit base. Apple sauce goes particularly well with pork, but peach, papaya or even citrus also make great sweet wet rubs. You will want to add a good amount of salt to the fruit base--a little more than tastes good by itself. Remember that the point of a rub is to bring out and enhance the flavor of the meat. After adding salt, add some other spices. Spices that go well with sweet rubs are cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamom, ginger, mace, allspice and various peppers. You might want to add a splash or two of your favorite pepper sauce. If you want the rub to be sweeter than you get from just the fruit, add some brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or molasses.

For a good savory wet rub, try using tomato paste as a base. As with the sweet rub, add a good amount of salt. Basic spices that go well in savory wet rubs are basil, cumin, paprika, mustard, onion, garlic and pepper.

With both sweet wet rubs and savory wet rubs, don't be afraid to experiment with spices. Try some of the sweet spices in your savory rub--cinnamon, ginger and clove, for instance. Or try some onion and garlic in your sweet rub.

Basic Dry Rubs

The most common base for a sweet dry rub is brown sugar. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. For a basic sweet dry rub, add a fair amount of salt and cracked or powdered pepper to taste. Paprika and cumin make an interesting combination with cloves and cinnamon. Some dried powdered orange peel adds a whole new dimension. You might want to add a little extra heat with powdered cayenne or pepper flakes. Sweet and hot is a pleasing combination.

A savory dry rub leaves out all or most of the brown sugar. A good basic savory dry rub is salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, paprika and black pepper. Of course, you can add or substitute any of the other savory spices, and you can always add more heat with cayenne powder or pepper flakes.

Tags: brown sugar, sweet rubs, amount salt, might want, savory rubs, well with, Basic Rubs