We're getting ready for our first smoke, and we've chosen a
Boston Butt for our first try. DH thinks we shouldn't do a rub
for the first one. Should we go without or try a rub?

Any feedback on the rub or any other pointers you can offer will
be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Karen C.

On Jul 27, 7:31 am, Steve Wertz wrote:
On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 09:40:48 -0400, Karen C. wrote:
We're getting ready for our first smoke, and we've chosen a
Boston Butt for our first try. DH thinks we shouldn't do a rub
for the first one. Should we go without or try a rub?

Always rub it with something - salt and pepper at the very least.
Garlic and onion powders and a little, not much paprika are
common as well.

-sw

I could be full of it, but I think brown sugar really helps crust to
develop and attracts and holds smoke, so in addition to what Steve
mentioned we put on a light rub of brown sugar. Can't hurt, Pork
+heated smoked brown sugar go well together in any case.

Have never done side by side comparisons. Hmmm, I'll do that next
time.

"Karen C." wrote in message
...
We're getting ready for our first smoke, and we've chosen a
Boston Butt for our first try. DH thinks we shouldn't do a rub
for the first one. Should we go without or try a rub?

Any feedback on the rub or any other pointers you can offer will
be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Karen C.



Karen,
I have always recommended (for beginners) To learn to cook the meat (to
your liking) first, then add rubs. Once you can cook a given piece of meat
to perfection, you can then start adding whatever to improve the taste, if
needed. Salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder may be all that is
needed.
Keep it simple.
Don't worry too much about cooking temps. But do try to keep the temp hot
enough to cook the meat.
I recommend at least 250°. I prefer 325°.
Ain't no need to sit around hungry for 12 hours waiting for something the
can be done in 7.
There are many ways to know when the meat is done. But a thermometer is
easiest for beginners.
If you want to slice it, 165° to 180° will
work. For pullable 195°-205° is good.
Good luck.
--
James A. "Big Jim" Whitten

www.lazyq.com

Google "Renowned Mr. Brown"...it is a fine rub for pork shoulder, have
used it often, I usually substitute chili powder for the cayenne
pepper to give it a little less "bite."

Good luck!

lownslow

Also, a serving suggestion----

Many people "pull" the meat into strands and serve on hamburger buns.
This is a great way to eat pulled pork!

However, you might try another way sometime----

Put the pulled pork into a big serving bowl or several strands on your
plate. In a separate bowl squirt two or three tablespoons of your
favorite dipping sauce on one side of the bowl and a few teaspoons of
your favorite dry rub on the other side. Then have fun eating the
barbecue with your fingers, first dipping the strands into the rub
then into the dipping sauce and then into your mouth! Heaven!

I far prefer eating it this way than with hamburger buns.

Hope your barbecue is a success!

low-n-slow

low-n-slow wrote:
Google "Renowned Mr. Brown"...it is a fine rub for pork shoulder,

It is also an old-time nickname for the bark.
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

"Karen C." wrote in message
...
We're getting ready for our first smoke, and we've chosen a
Boston Butt for our first try. DH thinks we shouldn't do a rub
for the first one. Should we go without or try a rub?

Any feedback on the rub or any other pointers you can offer will
be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Karen C.

Rubs can be a complex subject. My preference is a simple salt, pepper,
garlic rub. IMO, you just don't need anything else.

While it can be fun to experiment with seasonings, too much can overpower
the flavor of the meat. The wrong combination can be more of a distraction
than an enhancement. Why not rub one end, leave the other end plain? See
what you think and experiment from there.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

"Steve Wertz" wrote in message
...
Always rub it with something - salt and pepper at the very
least.
Garlic and onion powders and a little, not much paprika are
common as well.

Sounds like a good start. Thanks!

Karen C.

"Tutall" wrote in message
oups.com...
I could be full of it, but I think brown sugar really helps
crust to
develop and attracts and holds smoke, so in addition to what
Steve
mentioned we put on a light rub of brown sugar. Can't hurt,
Pork
+heated smoked brown sugar go well together in any case.

Does it not make the pork too sweet?

Thanks!

Karen C.

"Big Jim" wrote in message
...
I have always recommended (for beginners) To learn to cook
the meat (to
your liking) first, then add rubs. Once you can cook a given
piece of meat
to perfection, you can then start adding whatever to improve
the taste, if
needed. Salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder may be
all that is
needed.
Keep it simple.

That's along the lines of what DH was thinking. He was afraid
that, if we didn't like it, it would be because of the rub and
not the pork meat itself.

Don't worry too much about cooking temps. But do try to keep
the temp hot
enough to cook the meat.
I recommend at least 250°. I prefer 325°.

Will do.

There are many ways to know when the meat is done. But a
thermometer is
easiest for beginners.

UPS just delivered a Maverick ET-73 today. I hope it's a good
one.

If you want to slice it, 165° to 180° will
work. For pullable 195°-205° is good.
Good luck.

Pullable is what we're after. Thanks a bunch!

Karen C.

"low-n-slow" wrote in message
ps.com...
Google "Renowned Mr. Brown"...it is a fine rub for pork
shoulder, have
used it often, I usually substitute chili powder for the
cayenne
pepper to give it a little less "bite."
Good luck!

Will do. Thanks!

Karen C.

"low-n-slow" wrote in message
ups.com...
Many people "pull" the meat into strands and serve on hamburger
buns.
This is a great way to eat pulled pork!

However, you might try another way sometime----

Put the pulled pork into a big serving bowl or several strands
on your
plate. In a separate bowl squirt two or three tablespoons of
your . . .

I'll go for the buns, but DD and DH will probably like your
"dipping" method better. Thanks for the tip!

Hope your barbecue is a success!

Thanks!

Karen C.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
et...
While it can be fun to experiment with seasonings, too much can
overpower
the flavor of the meat. The wrong combination can be more of a
distraction
than an enhancement. Why not rub one end, leave the other end
plain? See
what you think and experiment from there.

That's a great idea! I think we'll start out with the simple
salt/pepper/garlic first, though. We're going to have enough to
test with the first one, as it is; no need in throwing extra
variables into the mix just yet. The way DD and DH love pork,
I'm sure there will be plenty of time for experiementing g.

Thanks for your feedback!

Karen C.

Big Jim wrote:
Karen,
I have always recommended (for beginners) To learn to cook the meat
(to your liking) first, then add rubs. Once you can cook a given
piece of meat to perfection, you can then start adding whatever to
improve the taste, if needed. Salt and pepper and maybe a little
garlic powder may be all that is needed.
Keep it simple.
Don't worry too much about cooking temps. But do try to keep the
temp hot enough to cook the meat.
I recommend at least 250°. I prefer 325°.
Ain't no need to sit around hungry for 12 hours waiting for
something the can be done in 7.
There are many ways to know when the meat is done. But a thermometer
is easiest for beginners.
If you want to slice it, 165° to 180° will
work. For pullable 195°-205° is good.
Good luck.

Karen: Big Jim's advice is right on. Keep things simple.

-frohe

"frohe" wrote in message
...
Karen: Big Jim's advice is right on. Keep things simple.

Will do! I'm all for simple! Thanks!

Karen C.