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.

My New Favorite Spice

OK, I know it's not a spice. It's a spice blend or maybe you could call it a rub. Oh, but what spice blend this is.

McCormick Spices Worcestershire Ground Black Pepper Blend.

I've been using this stuff for the past couple of weeks wherever I'd use Worcestershire sauce. I'm very very happy with it.

I bought mine at the local Stop and Shop, but according to the McCormick website, it is available nation wide. Try it out!

BBQ Ingredients: Heffer Dust

Well lookit here. Right of the Columbia Missourian. My ol' friend Jay Curry of Spice Wine Iron Works has the best rub in the world - Heffer Dust. Hell, readers of this blog have known that for years.

Jay's a hell of a guy who's been donating Heffer Dust to Grillin' On The Bay for years. And he makes one of the best cookers out there. So, do yourself a favor, use the link on the right (No, it is not a paid advertisement - I just like his stuff) and buy a bottle or two. Tell ol' Jay that WhiteTrash sent you.


Barbecue sauce creator cooks up national title with Heffer Dust rub

By REBECCA LAYNE

COLUMBIA — Spicewine Ironworks, a Columbia barbecue sauce and spice and meat smoker manufacturer, has won “Best BBQ Rub in the World” at the American Royal BBQ World Championships.

Jay Curry, one of the owners, created the winning rub: Heffer Dust.

The title comes with a prize of $250. Spicewine competed last weekend in the sauce and rub category with 200 participants, which included Food Network cooks and the famous grillmeister, Dr. BBQ.

Last year, Curry placed fifth with his company’s Blue Collar sauce and 12th with its Sweet Heat sauce.

Curry’s Heffer Dust is a multidimensional rub that can be used on various meats.

“It’s a kind of an everything, all-purpose type of rub. It can be used on beef, lamb, pork ... anything,” Curry said.

The award-winning rub took Curry two years to master. Those two years came with heavy sampling and many attempts at perfection.

“It’s a lot of trial-and-error, and a lot of it hit the trash can before it was done,” Curry said.

Curry’s goals for the Spicewine Ironworks in the future include increased focus on his sauces.

“There has been a 180 percent increase on just our cookers,” Curry said. “I have had no time to market sauces. I would really like to expand the sauce to a broader market.”

Spicewine Ironworks products can be found at Schnucks, Buckingham’s Smokehouse BBQ, Hy-Vee and online.

Paul Kirk's Master Barbecue Spice

A couple of posts ago we talked about the basic spices a barbecue master like Paul Kirk, the baron of BBQ would use in putting together a barbecue rub. But we never talked about how he actually did it.

Here's the recipe for a Master Barbecue Spice Rub from the good Baron's book, Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces. Enjoy!

Paul Kirk's Master Barbecue Spice
Makes about 1/3 cup

• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried light brown sugar*
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine all of the ingredients and blend well. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to Use It:
Use Master Barbecue Spice as an all-purpose rub for meat, poultry or fish, or to add spice to a sauce or mop.

*Note: To dry brown sugar, place it on a cookie sheet and air-dry it for 2-3 hours, mixing it every 30 to 45 minutes, until it's dry. Sift before using.

You can't say bomb on an airplane

Man describes "explosive" BBQ rub, booted off plane, arrested

A man traveling through Memphis International Airport found out the hard way. There are some things you don't joke about.

A passenger on a Delta flight to Salt Lake City yesterday was arrested after airport security officials say he described the liquids he was carrying as "explosive."

"He referred to the substance in his bag as being explosive, a BBQ rub. Using the term explosive is not one that is advisable even in a joking manner," said Scott Brockman with the Airport Authority.

The flight was delayed about an hour.

The not-so-funny passenger stayed a little while longer, so police and F.B.I. agents could question him.

He was later released.

BBQ Spices: The Baron's List

A while back, The Hampton Smoker and I brought Paul Kirk, The Baron of BBQ, to NYC to teach his School of Pitmasters to us crazy Yankees.

The Baron taught us his secrets for developing our own rubs, or what he calls a flavorprint. Paul brought a treasure trove of spices for the class to use and Matt and I dove right in. With the Baron's help we created a new rub for use on pork and ribs. I can't tell you what's in it, but I can tell you that after some initial skepticism, we impressed the good Baron.

Paul Kirk's Barbecue Flavorprint

Here's the barbecue flavorprint, as described in Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces:

allspice barbecue spice bay leaf Cajun spice blend cayenne pepper celery seed chili powder cilantro cinnamon cloves coriander crushed chiles cumin seed curry powder dill weed dry mustard fennel seed garlic ginger

lemon MSG nutmeg onion orange oregano paprika parsley pepper poultry seasoning rosemary sage salt seasoned salt sugar sweet basil tenderizers thyme

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!

BBQ Recipes: Dwight Joes St. Louis Ribs

I got some great feedback on the post for Dwight's Cherry Smoked Turkey, so here's another one from Ramin Ganeshram that sounds pretty good. Whomever Dwight is, I want to meet him. It sounds like he's a great cook.

Based on Ramin's directions, she must smoke her ribs on a Weber Kettle, but it shouldn't matter. Use whatever smoker you have, but be sure to use a preponderance of cherry wood (my personal favorite on ribs) in your fire. Enjoy!

Dwight Jones BBQ St. Louis Ribs
Serves 6 to 8 people

BBQ Spice Rub Blend

• 5 tablespoons coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons granulated garlic
• 4 tablespoons onion powder
• 4 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• Mix together and store in an airtight jar or zip top bag.

6-8 lb St. Louis Style pork ribs (about 3 racks)
1/2 Cup BBQ spice blend

• Coat the ribs evenly with the spice blend and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Prepare a BBQ grill for the indirect heat cooking method by placing the coals on one side of the fire grate.
• Sear the ribs over direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
  
• Place the ribs on the side of the grill rack away from the coals. Cover the grill and cook slowly for approximately 3-4 hours total.
  
• Check the progress about once per hour.
  
• Rotate the ribs to ensure even cooking.
  
• The ribs will be fork tender and the meat will pull away from the ends of the bones when done.

Baste with your favorite barbeque sauce during the last 45 minutes of cooking.

Serve with your favorite side dishes like Cole Slaw, Potato Salad and Beans.

Ramin Ganeshram is a chef professionally trained at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. She lives in Stony Brook, NY and her new book "Sweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad and Tobago" is now available. (For an excerpt, please click here.) Ramin can be reached at chef@dfire.org. Ramin is also the editor of the new magazine Canvas.