How long to allow pork rub to be applied before smoking

[westgordonfn]

How far in advance do you all apply rub to your pork butts before cooking?

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

As thick as they are, IMO 24+ hours... but a couple hours before if that's all ya got works fine too. I'm assuming we're talking salted rubs. No salt rubs go on right before the grill.

[westgordonfn]

Thank you. Yes sorry I didn’t specify. Salted rubs

[DavidNorcross]

I apply at least two hours prior, I have gone up to 8 hours

[HawkerXP]

8 lb or so butt....dry brine or salted rubs, at least 24 hours.

[Donw]

I go 24 hours minimum too for a pork butt.

[Mosca]

I’ve done it 24 hours, and I’ve done it right before. Honestly by dinner time I don’t notice if there’s a difference. But I try for the night before.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I can only tell the difference side by side, the only obvious difference when not side by side is when not dry brining

[texastweeter]

If salt containing and acting as a brine, 25/48 hours. If it was dry brined prior and is salt free, just before it goes on, sometimes even applied while it's on the grates to cut down on mess.

[westgordonfn]

Thank you everyone!!!

[texastweeter]

Our pleasure

[Richard Chrz]

I’m a simpleton, I do it about an hour prior.

Dry brine 24 - 48 hours depending on how organized I am.

[smokenoob]

if salted, day before.

[Sweaty Paul]

Like everyone else if the rub has salt I try to apply the day before and then I add additional rub immediately prior to cooking.

[Santamarina]

I dry brine the day before. For the rub itself…just before it hits the pit!

[captainlee]

I just use rub the night before, that amount of meat wth all that fat can handle it. I think that I learned on ribs not to apply it more than an hour or so before smoking.

[Mosca]

I’ve done it 24 hours, and I’ve done it right before. Honestly by dinner time I don’t notice if there’s a difference. But I try for the night before.

I want to expand on this a little bit. Sometimes it’s a matter of convenience, and when I’ve decided I want to do a pork butt (or any long cook). If it’s something I’ve planned for a few days, then I’ve also usually allotted some time ahead for prep; trimming and seasoning, and for ribs also peeling the membrane. But if I just decide to do some bbq, then I don’t sweat it. I do some bbq. It comes out pretty good, usually. Nobody complained about bbq before we knew that there were benefits to salting in advance, after all. Get good meat, good smoke, and good time and temp, and you’ll get good bbq whenever you season it.

[Johnny Booth]

+1 There are times when I feel like putting maximum love and effort into a cook for a specific result. Other times, I just want to eat some good bbq. 😎