Yoder Smokers

[jfmorris]

Con't 2:

If you *WANT* bark I would forget you have these rubs for a bit, and try your next smoke without them.... you won't have bark with just a couple teaspoons of this stuff on the surface.

[jfmorris]

Con't

So... that 1/3 cup of Rudy's has enough salt for 22.6 *POUNDS* of meat. The 1836 rub has TWICE THAT! 1/3 cup is about 5 tablespoons. No way you could ever use 2 tablespoons of that on a slab of ribs without it being salty beyond believe.

I can't see using much of those rubs if you dry brine your meat either. Now, that said, the rub has the salt mixed in, so not all the salt touches and penetrates the meat, but it is still sitting there on the surface...

Sure they are worth saving?

[jfmorris]

If salt is the first ingredient in the rub, you almost have to use sparingly, or cut it with another homemade salt free rub.

When we dry brine by Meathead's rules, it is 1/2 teaspoon course kosher salt per pound. Morton course kosher salt has 960mg per 1/2 teaspoon. So that is 960mg per pound, or 240mg per 4 ounce serving of meat, which seems reasonable. Most store bought turkeys contain 200 to 400mg sodium per 4 ounce serving from the packing process.

[Murdy]

I would just eyeball it, but a TBSP sounds reasonable, and add anything else that sounds good, maybe in smaller quantities.

[Ghawtho]

Murdy
diluting them using 1TBSP of each ingredient you mentioned? If so that sounds like it should work. Wow, I have learned a bunch the last 12 hours. My brisket smoke / cook will be positive results soon. That’s what this site is for.

[Murdy]

i wouldn't touch them myself, but if you want to salvage them, you could "dilute" them with other spices, particularly the Rudy's, try 50/50 with some paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, whatever.

[STEbbq]

I mean, they are both likely way too salty for your health and taste. Unless you are specifically buying no salt or low salt rubs that are marketed as such, they are not going to work. I would suggest regifting to a friend and start making your own rubs with no salt.

[JLR]

I've used Rudy's Rub as is when I dry brine brisket overnight. It comes out fine.
I now make my own version without salt so that I can dry brine with salt only and add the saltless rub later.

[STEbbq]

Good recommendation!

[Purc]

I do not use any table salt to speak of, so any salt that I get is in the food, rubs etc. that I buy. I like the 1836 rub and I have it on a ribeye now dry brining in the refrigerator. I buy low to no salt added when possible.

[Ghawtho]

Oops, I purchased these two recently and don’t want to waste them. Rudy’s 1/4 tsp=85mg sodium. 1836 1/4tsp=160mg sodium. If using 1/3 cup rub there is 64 1/4tsp in 1/3 cup.
Sodium using 1/3 cup Rudy’s = 5,440mg sodium. 1836 rub using 1/3 cup = 10,240mg sodium. It looks as though the Rudy’s Rub would be safer to use if 1/3 cup was applied to a brisket.
Keep in mind these both were purchased about 10 days ago and really don’t want to toss them out.
Thoughts please.

[Murdy]

I do approximately the same thing, except that because I am quite lazy, the night before when I'm salting for the dry brine, I go ahead and apply the salt-less rub right after I salt, mostly just because I have the meat out, and then I don't have to mess around with it again in the morning. I haven't noticed a difference. Also, I just blot the meat a bit with a paper towel, and the residual meat juice acts as a bit of a binder since I haven't let it dry out overnight--again, lazy.

[STEbbq]

Dizzy Pig has a no salt rub too.

https://dizzypigbbq.com/product/salt-free-dizzy-dust/

But I third (or fourth?) the suggestion to just make your own with no salt and use Meathead’s recipes on the free side. It takes five minutes to make!

[Purc]

Don't forget that Heaven Made Products makes a number of low salt seasonings, and they offer Pitmaster Club members 10% off and they are a monthly giveaway sponsor.

[jfmorris]

Ghawtho it now seems maybe your issue is just not using enough rub, due to the use of commercial rubs that are too high in salt. I would look a couple of ways here:

1. Make your own rub, without salt, salting in advance (dry brining) before cooking. We have plenty of recipes on the free side of Amazing Ribs. I like the Big Bad Beef Rub and Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Crust for beef, and Meathead's Memphis Dust for pork. You can also go simple with salt (in advance), pepper and garlic powder, things like that.

2. Use a good rub that is not OVERLY salty, such as the one's Meathead makes, and use it for dry brining. 1-2 TBSP per slab of ribs shouldn't be too much using his. Just sprinkle on out of the shaker bottle and give the meat a heavy coat on each side, and let it dry brine overnight, and don't apply anymore at smoking time.

3. Buy some salt free or low salt rubs. There are some out there. Here are are few:

- Kinder's No Salt Seasoning BBQ Blend (available at Walmart)
- Killer Hog's The BBQ Rub (salt is the 4th ingredient in the list!)
- Meat Church The Gospel BBQ rub (salt is the 2nd ingredient, after sugar)

I saw a few other salt free rubs on Amazon, but not ones I had heard of.

I highly recommend trying some of the rub recipes on the free side first, which are all salt free, then branching out from there.