The Lowdown on Barbecue Rubs

Looking at the phrase “barbecue rub,” you’ll think that there has been a typo somewhere, which made the I in the word rib a U instead. But hey, there really is such a word as a barbecue rub. In fact, it is actually a by-word in the world of barbecuing.

Barbecue rubs are seasoning and spices that barbecue enthusiasts use to add flavor, texture and color to the dishes that they prepare and grill. There are two kinds of barbecue rubs, one is the wet rub and the other is the dry rub.

A wet rub, as the name suggests, is made of a liquid ingredient, oil to be exact,

that is used to coat the meat when barbecuing. The dry rub, on the other hand, is made of herbs much like your ordinary pepper and paprika. The dry rub can be sprinkled on the meat or rubbed on.

Still applying a barbecue rub is more complex than that. You don’t just sprinkle the rub on the meat, you have to make sure that the rub is absorbed and actually coats the meat. When grilling poultry, it is good to apply the rub not only on the skin but also on the inside. You can also try to put rubs early on, perhaps an hour before the cooking to give time for the meat to absorb the flavor. This way, the flavor can be tasted not only from the outside but also from the inside.

Dry rubs are actually made from a combination of different spices that people already use to add flavor to their dishes. Herbs like chili powder, garlic, paprika, cayenne are just some of the usual ingredients that can be found in a dry rub. Some even try making their own dry rubs by mixing different herbs. One tip that you can definitely use is to mix a strong flavoring with a subtle one. This will make for a truly unbeatable combination.

Because it is wet, meat absorbs wet rubs better as compared to dry rubs. If you are cooking meat that are already dry or those that easily dry up, wet rubs are good options because it can add to the moisture of the meat. Using dry rubs on an already dry surface will only lead to waste as the meat will not be able to absorb the flavor. Wet rubs, especially those that are oil-based can also be used so that the meat will not stick on the grill. This way, you don’t have to use separate oils.