Here's the RUB - Christmas Gifts For Under $10

Here's some recommendations for some more cheap Christmas presents. Everything on this list is under $10 and available on line.

This time it's RUBs. What's a RUB you ask? Well there's dry rubs and there's wet rubs, but all a rub is is, a spice mixture that is placed on the outside of your meat prior to smoking, grilling, or roasting.

Today I recommend a few of them for your perusal and approval. They're in no particular order as I love all of them and they all have different uses and flavor profiles. Hell, if you can afford it, buy them all! They make great stocking stuffers.

First up is Plowboy's BBQ Yardbird RUB. This RUB was developed for competition, this award winning rub has a balance of sweet and salty with just a little kick. Works well on seafood, pork, but it really shines on chicken.

Next is a rub I discovered on my many trips to the Texas Hill Country; Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Que's Rudy's Regular Rub. Now this rub is a true Texas style rub, primarily salt, pepper and paprika. It's got a nice kick, but nothing this Yankee can't handle. This rub works best of beef, but also shines on pork. Rudy's was my first bbq experience in Austin, Texas and their rubs will always have a place on my spice rack.

Next up is SuckleBusters Competition BBQ Rub. This Rub is made for the competitive cook. This award winning formula is excellent on beef briskets. It has a sweet and savory flavor with an excellent aroma. The rub is mild but flavorful and can be used alone or combined with other ingredients for a more robust flavor profile. The recipe was designed by competition cooks, for competition cooks and has already already won multiple GC and RGC awards at BBQ contests.

And one last recommendation, a sampler pack of rubs from Fred's Music and BBQ. The sampler pack of Tasty Lick's BBQ Company includes one bag of each flavor - approximately 3 tablespoons of rub per bag - Flavors included are: Savory Poultry, Smokin Guitar Player's Original Rub, Mella Yella, Ribit Rib Rub, Redeye Redmeat Rub, Acapulco God, Dixieland Dust, Tree Hugger and Flyin' Swine. I like just about all of these and the folks over at Fred's Music and BBQ are some fine folks.

Nuff said.

Christmas Gifts Under $20

He knows if you've been bad or good....

Ever want to give someone coal for Christmas? Well now's your chance. CoalGram.com, is a site devoted to delivering real-life blocks of coal to anyone who dared cross you this year.

For only $10 you could send that not so loved one a little lump of coal. Coal Gram will attach a note stating whatever you like. Let your "friend" know that the coal came from you and bring on the battle, or better yet, send it anonymously and let them try and figure out who hates them and why. Now that could make some interesting by the fire Christmas morning discussions!


Go to the site and pick one of three packages—the Original (which comes in a box), Snowman Pouch (which comes with a snowman) and the Stocking Surprise (which comes in a stocking and is shown above)

Go ahead. I know there's someone out there that deserves coal in his stocking!

... so be good for goodness sake!

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I haven't. Actually unless a couple of clients come through, we may be celebrating Christmas in July. It's been a very tough last quarter of the year.

But, here in WhiteTrash BBQ world, I have a few last minute Christmas items to recommend. First up is a very beautiful coffee table cookbook by Food Network's own Masaharu Morimoto, called simply Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking.

I'm not a big fan of coffee table cook books, I prefer books that I can prop up and get dirty in my kitchen as I use them. But this is Masaharu Morimoto's first cookbook and it's a beauty. His recipes and story deserve the oversize treatment.

Every recipe and technique here is wonderfully illustrated. But, alas, I found it's recipes a little bit out of my price range. One of the beauties of Japanese cooking is the simplicity of it's recipes and it's reliance on top notch ingredients. That's all well and good, but I can't afford Waygu beef and many of the other ingredients he regularly calls for.

If you have deep pockets, this is definitely the cook book for you. However, Morimoto's story and approach to cooking is a fascinating read. That alone would make think about buying the book.

Up next is Street Food by Tom Kine. This book is subtitled "exploring the world's most authentic taste" and is an interesting contrast to Morimoto. This book takes us from the ultra rich luxury foods of Morimoto to the foods of the street. Hence, Street Food.

This guide to Street Food takes us around the world exploring what is available to the average person in street carts. It amazes and amuses me as I see the same ingredients as interpreted by the different cultures. It seems that anywhere in the world you can find kabobs, dough nuts, chicken and soups ready for working man's meal. All with a local spin.

I like this book a lot and have made a few of its recipes already. (Sorry no pictures) It's nicely done, beautifully photographed and just the right size for use in the kitchen or outside by the grill.

And speaking of grills, since this is a blog about BBQ after all, my last last minute Christmas gift recommendation is for the griller who has everything, Grill Charms. Yup, Grill Charms. These cute little stainless steel buttons allow the grill master to mark each piece of meat with label for degree of "doneness" (rare, medium, or well done) or degree of spice.

Also coming soon: The Signature "Charmed Life Collection". This collection will have 6 individual and unique designs such as a sailboat, a tropical vacation and other items associated with living a "Charmed Life". Personalize your food prior to cooking to distinguish spices and flavors, to avoid health or allergy issues or any other OPTION you can dream up!

A few of the subsequent collections we have in the works are The Sports Collection and The Pink Collection. (Just to name a few) The Pink Collection will be geared towards the lady grillers of the world.

They're an interesting concept but I caution you, be very careful when using these charms as they do constitute a choking hazard for small children and are hot after use. If you host parties with a lot of drinkers, I wouldn't recommend them either.

But with a little caution and care, and we all know that the best cooks exercise both in every cook, the grill charms add a very unique touch to your cook. Your guests will be impressed.

BBQ Music

Here's a couple of music recommendations to keep you dancing while you stoke your barbecue fires during this holiday season. I know that most of these aren't new, and you may or may not have heard them before, but take a listen. If you're like me, you'll enjoy them.

First up is the Alligator Records Christmas Album. I love this blues inspired Christmas album. It's fun, not sappy and a different take on the traditional holiday music.

Artists include: Charlie Musselwhite, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, The Uppity Blues Women, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, Kenny Neal, Koko Taylor and many others.


Next - let's switch to the totally other end of the spectrum, take a listen to The Little Drummer Boy by the Harry Simeone Chorale. Here's the version of the Little Drummer Boy you remember. Listen to the soaring vocals and choirs. Listen to the white guys trying to put soul into Go Tell It On the Mountain.

This is the Christmas album I grew up listening to. Very slick, very well produced and to me, just drips with Christmas and sentimentality. But it's still the album I listen to after the kids are in bed and it's just me, a beer and watching the lights of the Christmas tree.

And what's Christmas without a new Beatles CD? This year it's Love. The remix and mashup of just about every Beatles song for the new Circus De Solie act in Las Vegas. I don't know how I feel about this CD. On one hand, it's great to have some new Beatles music. On the other, it reminds me a lot of the old "Stars on 45" remix of the Beatles hits which always bothered me.

I wish the Beatles would get off their royal asses and just remix and reissue the original CDs. There's snippets in the Love album where you hear the cleaned up version of a song and just marvel at it's clarity, beauty and strength. Listening to George singing Something is a new and moving experience. Apple has promised digital versions of the whole Beatle catalog. How long do we have to wait?

BBQ Gifts

Are you done Christmas shopping yet? Or are you like me and haven't even begun? Yup. It's getting late but I have a few recommendations for the person who loves to cook outside.

First up is one of the best cookbooks out there for getting started in the world of barbecue and grilling: Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue . This is a great book to get you started. It explains cookers, fires and meats. This is my go to book whenever a beginner is looking to get started.

For the more seasoned pitmaster or the person who likes to mess around with creating sauces and seasonings, take a look at Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces: 175 Make-Your-Own Sauces, Marinades, Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs, Mops, and Salsas. Out of all my cookbooks, I find myself returning to this one the most. It isn't just a follow the recipe book, it teaches you how to create your own recipes.

Looking for a great line of hot sauces? Try out Manny and Lisa's Pitbull Hot Sauce. I love this stuff and use it all the time. Be sure to buy a bottle of their Jalapeno Peach BBQ Sauce while you're there. You won't regret it.

How about some rub? Try out John Henry's Wild Cherry Chipolte. It's one of my favorites, but a bit pricey. Or take a look at the folks over at Home BBQ or Spice Wine Iron Works. Both companies make a great line of products. Another great line of rubs which I've mentioned in the past is Dizzy Pig. All right, enough rub recommendations. You'll do great with anyone of these.

Or, do you want to just forget the whole cooking process and buy your barbeque already done? Shame on you. But if you just don't have time to cook, believe me I understand. One of my favorite on-line BBQ stores is Cooper's BBQ in Llano, Texas. You can't go wrong with any of their meat packages.

But no matter how good the barbecue is, it looses something in shipping, so if you're in NYC stop by RUB - Righteous Urban Barbecue or Daisy May's BBQ for some great eating or take out. If you're out on Long Island, stop in at Willie B's in Bay Shore. And finally if you're across the Hudson in New Jersey, be sure to visit the Front Street Smoke House in Elizabeth.

Man, I just got very very hungry!