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attaining that nice dark bark without using sugar???

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Kinger
Kinger Posts: 147
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I would love to have some input on how to attain that beautiful dark "bark" I see in a lot of the pictures on this forum. The one tricky thing is that I would prefer not to use sugar. I have been working hard for a little over two years to loose some weight and have lost 70lbs exercising and using an "atkins" type diet. Do I need to generate more smoke or are there some alternate marinades that I can try? I like to do pork butts and briskets so ideas for either would be appreciated. Merry Christmas.[p]J "thinner but not skinny" NK
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  • QBabe
    QBabe Posts: 2,275
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    JNK,[p]Congratulations on your weight loss! I'm a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and lost 59 lbs in about a year and a half.[p]My personal opinion is that there isn't really enough sugar in the rub to make that big a difference, especially when you consider the distribution on a good size piece of meat like a butt or brisket. But if you really don't want to include it, what about using Splenda, the sugar/Splenda blend, or the Splenda brown sugar? Unlike Sweet and Low or Equal, I find that Splenda doesn't have that icky after taste that most other substitutes do.[p]Happy Holidays,
    Tonia
    :~)
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  • Kinger
    Kinger Posts: 147
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    QBabe,[p]I prefer Splenda as well and use it in beverages. Do you think that it will produce similar results as sugar with respect to texture and appearance?[p]JNK
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  • Squeeze
    Squeeze Posts: 717
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    JNK,
    I think a lot of the commercial rubs designed for things like butts are pretty low in sugar in relationship to the size of meat that you plan on cooking. I am not sure if that littl bit that may (or may not) be in the rub will have any ill affect on your diet. I say if you are doing a butt, lather that bad boy up with yellow mustard, shake some rub on there and after a little time, you should be nice and dark with a beautiful (and tasty) bark. [p]I have also seen some people just use salt and pepper on their butts and have had a great color to them that way. It is not as black, but the taste and texture was still pretty good.[p]HTH
    Kevin Jacques
    The University of Que L.L.C. ®
    Killen, AL
    www.uofque.com

    Take Your Taste Buds to School!
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  • Chrispy Bob
    Chrispy Bob Posts: 93
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    JNK,
    You may want to consider the Splenda for Baking..it has some real sugar in it. I don't think pure Splenda will caramelize(sp?)and give the color you are looking for.[p]Just my $0.02[p]CB
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  • QBabe
    QBabe Posts: 2,275
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    JNK,[p]I agree with Crispy Bob. The Splenda for baking would be my choice, since it's part Splenda and part real sugar, which would give the carmelization you're after. [p]Tonia
    :~)

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