Rub

A rub is a dry mixture of spices, seasonings, and sometimes sugar that you apply to the surface of meat before cooking. The rub serves multiple purposes: it seasons the meat, contributes to bark formation, and creates the first layer of flavor that combines with smoke during the cook.

Types of Rubs:

Simple/Texas-Style: The classic Central Texas brisket rub is just coarse black pepper and kosher salt in equal parts. That's it. The simplicity lets the beef and smoke flavors shine. This is what I use on brisket and have for 30 years.

Complex/Competition-Style: Competition rubs add layers — paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder. These work well on pork and chicken where the meat flavor benefits from more seasoning. My rib rub has 8-9 ingredients.

Sweet vs. Savory: Sweet rubs (brown sugar, honey powder) caramelize during cooking and create a darker, stickier bark. They're popular for ribs and pork. Savory rubs (pepper-forward, garlic, herbs) are better for beef where sweetness can clash with the smoke and meat flavor.

Application Tips: - Apply a thin layer of yellow mustard or olive oil first as a binder. The flavor cooks off — it just helps the rub stick. - Apply generously. More rub = more bark. The rub should completely coat all surfaces. - Season at least 30 minutes before cooking. Better yet, the night before. The salt in the rub acts as a dry brine, drawing moisture out and then reabsorbing it along with dissolved salt. This seasons the meat deeper than surface-level. - Use coarse-ground spices when possible. Coarse pepper and granulated garlic create more bark texture than fine powders.

My Rub Philosophy: Match the rub to the protein. Simple for beef. Sweet and complex for pork. Light and herbal for poultry. Don't use the same rub on everything.