Mustard or No Mustard

gdawgs24

We are doing our 1st barbecue competition this week and wanted some thoughts on if people rub there ribs down with mustard before they put there rub on. Besides the rub sticking better are there any benifts to the mustard?

SmokeyPitt

Some say it helps tenderize the meat.  To be honest I'm not really convinced I can tell a difference, but I don't think it hurts.  Last time I did ribs I loosely followed APL's mustard moisturizer. 

Mustard Moisturizer 
1⁄4 cup prepared yellow mustard 
1⁄4 cup water 
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

http://www.adamperrylang.com/recipes/reliable-pork-spareribs/

500

Agree with Smokey.  Mustard or the Mustard Moisturizer sounds even better.

Carolina Q

I think it's a waste of a perfectly good hot dog condiment. 

SmokeyPitt

Carolina Q said:

I think it's a waste of a perfectly good hot dog condiment. 

On 3 slabs of ribs I think I used about 6 cents worth of mustard :P. 

gdenby

Mustard just helps the rub stick to the meat. Mustard is an emulsifier, and so the oils and water coming from the cooking meat will blend w. the spices. There is a small amount of vinegar in most prepared mustard, which will tenderize the outside a tiny bit.

NervousDad

I know everyone says that you can taste the mustard, but I do. I'm not a fan of mustard.

bettysnephew

I have recently been very lightly coating beef with some Ken's Vidalia Onion salad dressing before applying the rub.  Just enough to make the rub adhere better.  We like the bit of flavor it adds.  Not so sure I would try it for a competition but the wife and I both like it on beef. It did not work as well flavorwise on pork though.

msloan

ive done it with and without and notice very little difference......i lean slightly towards the idea of doing it as it does help the rub hold to the meat a bit better.

lakewade

I do it.  It holds the rub on.

itsmce

Most of the family, including me, is not a fan of mustard, but it is standard on my ribs before the rub goes on.  None of them have ever complained about my ribs.

minniemoh

I have used mustard and I couldn't really pick up the taste. I have since switched to using apple cider vinegar to wet the ribs and then apply the rub and it seems to work good for me. 

Elde

gdenby said:

Mustard just helps the rub stick to the meat. Mustard is an emulsifier, and so the oils and water coming from the cooking meat will blend w. the spices.

Mustard *powder* is an emulsifier, prepared mustard is an emulsion...  and emulsifiers pretty much require significant mechanical agitation to work anyhow.  So all the prepared mustard does is help a dry rub stick to the meat.  (And unless you're building a thick crust of rub isn't strictly necessary.)  You'll get the same blending effect even without the presence of prepared mustard.

I never use it, and never miss it.  If I ever need a thick layer of rub, I just use a thick paste.  (But I rarely do as I prefer natural 'outside brown' to a manufactured bark.)

lilwooty

I have produced the exact same results rubbing my ribs with a mild vinegar like rice wine vinegar.  Prepared mustard is just vinegar and mustard seed.  The rice wine vinegar made the rub adhere the same and produced the same bark.

GalanteNate_OneEa

I vote no http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1166389/pepsi-challenge-mustard-on-the-ribs-yes-or-no#latest

xiphoid007

The meat is kinda sticky already. If you can't taste a difference, seems like a waste of mustard, a waste of time, and a huge mess all for nothing.

I've started going without mustard, things taste great, and I'm going quicker with much less mess.