Proper ratios for a SPG rub

[jasonwilliams14]

Hey folks! i hope everyone is doing well.

I have a question about how to add correct proportions to my own rub. I create my own rubs mostly because of food allergies in the family (paprika, peppers).

After trying a mix sort of rubs, I want to try a very basic rub for my ribs and then sauce them later.
That said, I have settled on doing a basic SPG, salt, pepper and garlic rub.
My question is, what are the proper ratios that I should be using so I do not overdue one spice or the other?

Is it a 1 to 1 ratio for all three?
Little bit extra salt perhaps?

Lastly, for pepper and garlic, two follow up questions
What number coarse is recommended? I have read 16 is a pretty good one to go with.
For garlic, are granules preferred garlic spice for this type of rub?

TY very much. I appreciate it!

[Panhead John]

I like a 1:1 ratio of salt and pepper and 1/2 as much granulated garlic. And you’re correct about the 16 mesh black pepper and using granulated garlic. I’m not saying it’s the final word, but it works well for me.

[Draznnl]

I think you’ll find that’s a pretty standard ratio which many of us use.

[Jerod Broussard]

Killer ribeye seasoning

[jasonwilliams14]

Awesome. Thank you very much. I just pickd up some of that 16 mesh black pepper and have some Diamon kosher salt. I think i will start with that and work in my sauce.
Start simple, work my way up.

[RonB]

I don't put salt in the rubs I make because I like to dry brine most protein before applying any rub. Either way works, that's just my preference.

[jfmorris]

I second RonB on the use of salt-free rubs if you plan to dry brine your meat. If you don't do that, then making a salty rub is fine. Or use the rub as the dry brine I suppose...

I've gotten used to salt free rubs for my ribs, using the "Rendezvous" or "MMD" rub recipes on the free side of Amazing Ribs. Right now I am tending to keep a jar of that Rendezvous clone rub on hand. If I don't have time for a dry brine, I salt with kosher salt on both sides of the ribs, then apply the salt free rub. If in a hurry, I'll use yellow mustard or water as a binder to hold the salt and spices on.

[jasonwilliams14]

I think i am going to try this approach. Back to the basics and then experiment a bit.
Salt and pepper, then try some saucing, see how it goes.

[yakima]

This prompts me to ask re salt in commercial rubs. Somewhere Meathead, probably in conjunction with introducing his commercial rubs, commented that such rubs require salt due to economics. I will appreciate someone parsing that out a bit more.

I realize this is a bit off tangent, but hardly worth it's own thread.

[jfmorris]

It's simple. Salt is the cheapest ingredient. Even plain old black pepper costs more than salt, and other spices are even more. By making 50% or more of their rub SALT, they save money.

[Meathead]

jfmorris is correct.

[Henrik]

100% true.

[jasonwilliams14]

This is very helpful. TYVM.
I guess I am still learning what I look to do, but that is part of the fun.

One last question. Are all spices created equal? Meaning, are certain brands better quality and I should consider using?
TY again!

[ecowper]

also, for BBQ rubs, I usually find fresh ground pepper to be more peppery/spicier than I like. So, I keep a big plastic Costco container of coarse ground pepper in the spice cabinet.

[PGH_RAM]

I think Penzeys and Spices, Inc are far superior to anything you'll get in a grocery store. They both have good on-line storefronts. Penzeys also has brick-and-mortar stores, including one in San Diego.

Penzeys Extra Special Bold Black Pepper is my favorite pepper. I use it in my grinder for any time I need a tablespoon or less--which is almost all of my indoor cooking.

[Murdy]

I agree with the general sentiment that most brands of pepper and garlic are more alike than different, with a caveat. There is a floor you can go below where quality starts to suffer. My Grandmother used to buy spices from a discount bin at Walgreen's for 99 cents for a huge container, They tasted like they were supposed to but lacked the pungency of even supermarket brands. I get most of my spices from Costco or Amazon (including their house brand) and find them adequate.

[PGH_RAM]

My go-to ratio for SPG is 1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher, 1/2 cup Costco coarse ground black pepper, and 1/4 cup Penzey's granulated garlic.

[fzxdoc]

I used to really like Penzy's, but then got tired of the political announcement with every order, even on their online site when trying to place an order.

It wasn't an issue of whether I agreed with the sentiments or not, it's that when I want to buy spices, I shouldn't have to wade through political diatribe of any sort to place an order. The guy needs to set up a venue separate from the business to vent his political beliefs on.

So no more Penzy's for me, not for years now.

Kathryn

[ecowper]

fzxdoc this is exactly why I stopped buying from Penzey's and moved my business to Spice Jungle.

[Dewesq55]

This is the ratio I use. I originally got it from Malcom Reed who uses that ratio for his AP Rub.

[Bob K]

Guess I'm in the minority. I go 2:1 black pepper to salt so I can go pretty heavy without oversalting. I use this as my dry brine.

In my main cooker this gets me a better bark formation, and the pepper's not overpowering after 7, 8, 9, etc hours in the smoke and heat.

If I add garlic, it's like a half-part, granulated (not powder). I don't buy fancy garlic but I do buy CA garlic (the vast majority of dried garlic is...imported). Costco's Kirkland brand is what I typically get (on amazon).

[realdocBBQ]

This is my philosophy, as well. 100%. 2:1:0.5 pepper, salt, granulated garlic. 16 mesh black pepper and Morton's kosher salt. Granulated garlic usually from Costco. The coast black pepper from Costco is just about right, seems pretty close to the ones I've bought that specified they were 16 mesh.

[Santamarina]

SPG isn’t something I keep around…Dalmatian rub is! 50/50 coarse ground black pepper and coarse kosher salt. When I want the SPG effect I use the 50/50 then hit it with a little granulated garlic - and yes, granulated, never powder.

Were I to make an SPG I’d probably start with a 2:2:1 ratio, fully expecting the garlic to go above 1 because it’s so popular in our house.

[LA Pork Butt]

So, if my math is correct and you have Dalmatian Rub you would add 1/4 part granulated garlic to 1 part Dalmatian Rub to get SPG.

[Mosca]

1/2 part to 2, no? 1 part Dalmatian is 1/2 part salt and 1/2 part pepper. So you would add 1/4 part to 1, or 1/2 part to 2.

[LA Pork Butt]

@Mosca
Thanks! I changed it 1/4 above.

[jasonwilliams14]

Circling back to this, I wanted to ask, do folks like to use a specific "sprinkler"?
Reason I ask is I am looking for some recommendations for a "sprinkler" with the combined ingredients. I dont want the openings to be to large or small so I dont spill a bunch of SPG, but get more of a controlled application of the rub.
I hope I explained that correctly.
So just looking for some shakers that would be good setup for my rubs. (assuming there is! )

TY!

[Oak Smoke]

I save the containers my pepper and granulated garlic come in to store and sprinkle my rubs. I have two small ones that came with oversized holes I use for kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper shakers.

[Panhead John]

https://a.co/d/91X91ay

I got these last year and they work well. The lids have 2 ways to apply….holes to sprinkle it on and a bigger opening to fit a spoon inside. jasonwilliams14

[jasonwilliams14]

ooo...nice...ty!

[Panhead John]

The “sprinkle” holes are big enough that coarse salt and pepper will still get through.

[realdocBBQ]

To be honest I don't really make SPG myself. I have done it and used the 2:1:0.5 ratio, being more pepper heavy, but I usually just apply them all individually these days.

I oughtta make some up, it would probably simplify my process just a little bit. I've got a briskie I need to cook sometime soon.

I also save my sprinklers from previous rubs, some I like because the holes are big enough, others I can't stand because of small perforations and I get frustrated trying to get enough and even enough coatings. Annoys me and I'm much less likely to buy that rub again.

<edit> OK, I messed this up - ignore this part right here
[s]I really like the Costco coarse black pepper and the shakers they come in. I think they're probably 16oz/1lb, and they've got nice largish holes to sprinkle. I refill with either salt or my MMD+ or something else I've concocted up.[/s] Small containers bother me, as well as small application holes, so those Costco ones are pretty darn good, IMO... </edit> Go to the end of this post to see my correction


Dangit now you guys have got me wanting to play with my meat, and I'm thinking I should put on that brisket in the fridge... but it's already 730AM and I'd planned to go out to the shop today to try to figure out something to do. If I stay here cooking a brisket, I won't get anything else done. If I go to the shop and try to cook out there, I'll be busy tending and poking and prodding and messing around and won't get anything done.


Odds are, I won't get anything done anyways, no matter what. lol

Wife's outta town till tomorrow and I'm being lazy - maybe I should make it a movie day?

LOTR marathon? Bourne marathon? Star Wars? New Star Trek movies?

I dunno, the more I think about it, cranking up the 6 15" subs and blasting the kids outta bed before noon sounds more and more appealing... ha! Damned teenagers, that'll learn 'em to stay up all night on their phones/computers, eh? lol

Oh my, I fear I've gone off-topic... stream of consciousness typing...



<edit> Ok, so after I made this post, I went and decided to take my own advice and make up my own SPG since it's been a long time and I needed to cook this brisket. I did a 2:1:0.5 pepper/salt/granulated garlic (in 1 cup parts), and then I added in maybe 2 teaspoons of cumin and maybe a tablespoon of MSG.

At this point I decided to put it in a Costco pepper container and realized I was totally full of shit! I guess I had these containers in my head for some reason, and was visualizing them wrong, the holes on these are WAY TOO SMALL, NOT the right size. Maybe that's why they came to my mind. I ended up using a different container, this one was actually a big sprinkle container from Head Country Original seasoning, THAT one was perfect - NOT the Costco pepper one. </edit>

[Mosca]

Circling back to this, I wanted to ask, do folks like to use a specific "sprinkler"?
Reason I ask is I am looking for some recommendations for a "sprinkler" with the combined ingredients. I dont want the openings to be to large or small so I dont spill a bunch of SPG, but get more of a controlled application of the rub.
I hope I explained that correctly.
So just looking for some shakers that would be good setup for my rubs. (assuming there is! )

TY!

Bear with me on this.

I got this set from Academy Sports for my ceramic griddle:



The towels are cool, the squeeze bottle is useful, the scraper and the plastic spatulas are useless on the griddle, but okay for inside on non stick pans. But that shaker:



The kit is $10. If you just used the towels, the squeeze bottle, and the shaker, and tossed the spatulas and scraper, you got your money’s worth.

Oh: my SPG is 2:2:1. 40% salt, 40% pepper, 20% granulated garlic. By volume.

[Jfrosty27]

I use sprinklers like these. They work perfectly for me. The holes are large and work great but if you have a finer grind you need to be cautious to not over do the rub.

[Mosca]

Yep, that’s why I like being able to twist for the finer holes.

ETA: A quick search of “adjustable seasoning dredge” on Amazon gives dozens of variations on quantities, sizes, and styles of these. You can get 2/$10, 3/$14, 6 of a different style but same principle for $27, etc. I couldn’t see myself needing more than 2 or 3; I only have an entire shelf of commercial rubs that I need to use first.

[BKYDBBQ]

jasonwilliams14 I have several of these for rubs and seasonings. I like them because it has different size lids to choose from based on the coarseness of the spices in the rub..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZQG7VDM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[jasonwilliams14]

awesome...thank you very much!