I tweaked the Big Bad Beef Rub but kept the same ratio of the pepper, garlic, and what not to sugar. No salt, I dry brine all my briskets so no salt percentage. And instead of using regular white sugar I use Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado).
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I do how Jerod does with brisket (all beef actually)- dry brine first, then add a rub. And for rub I use BBBR on beef too.
For my ribs my process went something like this. Looked up a bunch of different online rib rub recipes. (This was before AmazingRibs and Memphis Dust). Picked & chose what I'd try here & there from different ones. Decided what spices I'd try and ones I would never try. Paprika? Why? I thought, it has no flavor! Anise? I hate that! That kinda thing.
Then I started with a base of 50/50 sugar/salt- way too salty.
Then I tried 1/3 salt and 2/3 sugar- that was more in the ballpark, so I rolled with that. Currently I use about 1/3 brown sugar, 1/3 white sugar, and 1/3 table salt. Ratios aren't exact, but that's the general idea.
Then I added my other spices like garlic, onion, pepper, chili pwdr, etc. about 1tsp at a time until none overpowered the other and I thought it was balanced. I would taste the mixed rub on my fingertip and when I thought it tasted somewhat like a sweet BBQ potato chip, when I oculd taste the sweet, the salt and the spices fairly equally, I knew it was time to try it on ribs. Initially I added a little cayenne as well as another spice, but have since taken it out since no one in my family likes 'em on the spicy side.
It always tastes different on the finished product than on your fingertip, by the way.
Over a few months I would add more of this and less of that, until I settled on the blend that my family & I really liked. After a batch or two they still seemed like they could be salty for some, so I tried a thing I'd seen for doing smoked salmon- adding a generous layer of brown sugar right on top of the ribs, after the rub was on, right before going on the smoker. Boom! Perfect for what we like at my house. It's been a hit for us, and it was a lot of fun trying it all out.
For beginners (but not only beginners, pros too!) dry brining is really the way to go so you don't oversalt your meat. So I'd advise you start by making Meathead's Memphis Dust or another rub that looks good to you, but with no salt in it. Then dry brine, add the rub later, etc. I use my salted rub as the dry brine, and I know how much to add so the balance is right, and I prefer it that way.
Technically the best way is to dry brine your meat first with the right amount of salt per weight of meat, then add your saltless rub later. Maybe a slight sprinkle of surface salt to give the bark layer some.
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