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When do you rub your meat?

Jcl5150
Jcl5150 Posts: 287
in EggHead Forum
I’m going to do my first brisket cook this Sunday, and it got me wondering about when to apply the rub.  One post I read said  apply the rub12 hours before, one said to apply it as the Egg is coming up to temp.  Anyone have any advice as to the best time to apply the rub?  I’m using Hard Core Carnivore Black.

In addition to brisket, when do you apply rub to a Boston butt?  Ribs?  Chicken?  Steak?  Is there any great advantage to applying rub early?
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Comments

  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    I typically do an hour or two in advance. My experience with pork is that if you use a salt heavy rub to early it can change the flavor of the meat to a hammy taste
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    ColtsFan said:
    I typically do an hour or two in advance. My experience with pork is that if you use a salt heavy rub to early it can change the flavor of the meat to a hammy taste
    Interesting.  I usually use Dizzy Dust on butts and apply it just before I light the Egg.  I didn’t know if I was missing anything by not letting the rub sit on longer.
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,176
    In all seriousness, I apply rub while the egg is heating up. I’m lazy like that. 
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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    DoubleEgger said:
    In all seriousness, I apply rub while the egg is heating up. I’m lazy like that. 
    Even for brisket?
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Light the lump. Let temp stabilize. Say to self, "Oh, crap, I forgot the rub!"

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    edited August 2019
    I hear @mrcookingnurse is fond of KY jelly on his meat the night before. 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • TEXASBGE2018
    TEXASBGE2018 Posts: 3,831
    I have tried all different times and ways and have settled on this. For Briskets/Beef Ribs I apply rub while the egg is getting to temp. For Butts/Ribs, sometimes I do the night before, sometimes while the egg is getting to temp. I have not noticed any difference in bark formation. For steak and chicken it is also while the egg is getting to temp.


    Rockwall, Tx    LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.

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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,176
    Jcl5150 said:
    DoubleEgger said:
    In all seriousness, I apply rub while the egg is heating up. I’m lazy like that. 
    Even for brisket?
    Yes. 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,800
    I am lazy the other way.  I normally apply the rub the day/night before the cook.  Leave it tightly wrapped in the fridge.  Then It's fire up the cooker, get stabilized at temp and toss on the protein.  Oh, enjoy the house-rules adult supervisory beverage while the cooker is coming up to temp, time of day independent.   B)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    lousubcap said:
    I am lazy the other way.  I normally apply the rub the day/night before the cook.  Leave it tightly wrapped in the fridge.  Then It's fire up the cooker, get stabilized at temp and toss on the protein.  Oh, enjoy the house-rules adult supervisory beverage while the cooker is coming up to temp, time of day independent.   B)
    Wrapped in foil?
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  • Spillin
    Spillin Posts: 75
     What he says..  I'm pretty much in the while the egg is coming to temp camp.  Have never really noticed a difference myself.


    LG BGE
    36" Blackstone
    Weber Genisis
    Cold IPA on tap!
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  • lentsboy007
    lentsboy007 Posts: 416

    1 Large Egg, Blackstone griddle

    Belgium...........The Netherlands??

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,800
    @Jcl5150 - I wrap in shrink wrap to minimize the exposure to the drying effects of the air in the fridge. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    lousubcap said:
    @Jcl5150 - I wrap in shrink wrap to minimize the exposure to the drying effects of the air in the fridge. 
    Ah.  Thanks!  I’m actually going to use all the information you messaged me a while ago to try my first brisket Sunday.  I got a Prime packer from Sam’s Club that is just over ten pounds.  I’m going to light up the Egg at five in the morning as I’d like to serve at six in the evening.  I’m excited but nervous about screwing up!
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,800
    @Jcl5150 - You have got this.  Manage your cook temp and make sure nothing is exposed to the direct fire.  Then trust the feel as you close in on the finish-line.  Patience is the watch-word.  I'm around most of Sunday so shoot me a PM if you have questions. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    lousubcap said:
    @Jcl5150 - You have got this.  Manage your cook temp and make sure nothing is exposed to the direct fire.  Then trust the feel as you close in on the finish-line.  Patience is the watch-word.  I'm around most of Sunday so shoot me a PM if you have questions. 
    Thank you, sir!  I bought the Hard Core Carnivore Black rub because I read that’s your commercial go-to rub.  You think 5 AM is okay as a start time for a 6 PM dinner on a 10.3 pound packer?  I’m also hoping to trim properly before throwing it on.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,800
    Here's the cook target that is all I aim for:  Finish inside the FTC window which I consider 2-6 hours wide.  I feel brisket can really benefit from the FTC and for me 2 hours is my desired (key word) minimum.  There are some cooks where I didn't get the two hour window but that's the challenge and fun.  However, there have been some where I needed more than 6 hours.  In simple words, "the friggin cow drives the cook."
    If you are at 10+ lbs prior to trim then you are likely somewhere in the 8-9 lb cook weight.  The start time is when the BGE is stable and you load the brisket-not when you fire it up.  (Obviously cook temp is the driver here.)
    As I mentioned it all that stuff I included in that email, You have some options to influence the rate of the cook. As it progresses, foil to speed it up, butcher paper to preserve the bark or dial up the temp to punch it home.   FWIW-

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,376
    I apply salt to my proteins the night before, or 48 hours (or more for specialty meats).  Apply the rubs while Mr. Egg is heating up.  Everything I've read, the rubs just don't "sink" into the meat; it is, or becomes, a crust and its application time is irrelevant.  
    Commercial rubs that already have salt in them (I bought an 8-pack of Dizzy seasonings over a year ago, and most haven't even been opened!) I apply for the salt, according to thickness, as I said in the first paragraph.  
    I have NOT done any side-by-side comparison testing for the above, but I need something to do when I retire.   ;)

    "Dumplings are just noodles that have already eaten"   - Jon Kung

    Ogden, UT, USA


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  • JethroVA
    JethroVA Posts: 1,251
    While my wife is out shopping. 
    Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here.  Very Extremely Stable Genius. 
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  • JethroVA
    JethroVA Posts: 1,251
    Because she doesn't like me to dirty up the kitchen. 
    Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here.  Very Extremely Stable Genius. 
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  • Jcl5150
    Jcl5150 Posts: 287
    lousubcap said:
    Here's the cook target that is all I aim for:  Finish inside the FTC window which I consider 2-6 hours wide.  I feel brisket can really benefit from the FTC and for me 2 hours is my desired (key word) minimum.  There are some cooks where I didn't get the two hour window but that's the challenge and fun.  However, there have been some where I needed more than 6 hours.  In simple words, "the friggin cow drives the cook."
    If you are at 10+ lbs prior to trim then you are likely somewhere in the 8-9 lb cook weight.  The start time is when the BGE is stable and you load the brisket-not when you fire it up.  (Obviously cook temp is the driver here.)
    As I mentioned it all that stuff I included in that email, You have some options to influence the rate of the cook. As it progresses, foil to speed it up, butcher paper to preserve the bark or dial up the temp to punch it home.   FWIW-

    Got it!  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Thanks again!
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    Mattman3969 said:
    I hear @mrcookingnurse is fond of KY jelly on his meat the night before. 
    I rub it early... and often 

    I’ve actually got a new contract with astroglide


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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