My Bark Has Too Much Bite!

Judy Mayberry · August 2009

Within the last few weeks, someone posted advice to prepare a pork butt with a really heavy layer of rub for a good bark outcome. So I did it--grabbed Bad Byron's Butt Rub, lots of mustard, overnight chill. Cooked it yesterday (8 lbs. with a little bone in it, took 12.5 hours).

The butt had a terrific bark, and while I was shredding it I kept tasting it and ended up with a really salty taste in my mouth. Is it just Bad Byron's rub that must be overloaded with salt? Will any of Dizzy Pig's rubs (I have an assortment) be salty too if piled on?

The idea is great for getting that great bark, but I wonder if there's a tipping point here.

Judy
San Diego

Celtic Wolf · August 2009

You do not need to leave the rub on overnight. Couple hours is all you need.

In fact most of the butts I cook get rubbed and put in the Egg immediately.. Never used mustard either. Lots of great back on the butts I cook.

hornhonk · August 2009

Try Dizzy Dust Coarse . I used Bad Byrons on butts and found it a little too salty, also. I use the Dizzy Dust now, exclusively. It's great!

Mainegg · August 2009

hey Judy, I go very light on salt and Dizzy does some of his salt free

I love them. tried Bad Byrons and it was just to salty for me.

CBBQ · August 2009

I use absolutely no rub for the cook. I use it when I pull the butt.

Panhandle Smoker · August 2009

I agree with the Wolf, By rubbing it the night before the salt seems to get soaked up by the meat. I apply the rub and on to the grid. Bad Byrons does have a good bit of salt in it.

gdenby · August 2009

That's interesting. Is the surface "barkey" without rub? That is, sort of crispy, and pretty dark. I'd suppose the unrubbed meat would be a little less sweet, and maybe a little less complex in flavor. On the other hand, I suppose the rub flavors might be very clear.

Any reason you do it the way you do?

Bordello · August 2009

Miss Judy,

I have not read the other replies as of yet, but for "me" to much rub (any rub that has salt) will result in too much.

I've never had trouble getting good bark just using the prepared mustard, a moderate amount of rub (brand no matter)

I salt my beer and apples slices,melons,avocodo's and such but very lite on anything else.

I'm thinking too much of the rub, but???

Regards,
Bordello

Judy Mayberry · August 2009

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions. I will go Dizzy Pig next time, have to get the Coarse.

Does anyone know if Dizzy Pig sells their rubs at Eggtoberfest? I'll be there and would like to know what kinds of accessories will be for sale there. So I can plan the suitcase thing flying home.

Judy

Desert Oasis Woman · August 2009

Hi Judy,
too much salt makes me

,too
When I pull my pork, I set the large bark pieces off to one side. I also scrape off all the loose fat.
I pull the pork apart, then bag some bark with pulled pork.
You could chop some bark and mix in with some pulled pork, too.
Whe I reheat the pulled pork, I make sure to get some bark distributed throughout. Sometimes I add some more dry rub (usually use Dr. BBQ's Sweeter Dry Rub -- it's really not sweet).
If the pulled pork with some bark mixed in is still way too salty, add some brown sugar and, if listed, some of the herbs.
I like to serve/reheat with a vinegar finishing sauce like this I found on the web:
http://ramblekatz.com/Blog??p=106
bottom line: though the bark may be too salty, when mixed with the rest of the pork it may be A-OK

BobinFla · August 2009

Like they said above, don't rub the night before.

A very light slather of cheap yellow mustard does help with the bark formation.

Also, if you mix Bad Byron'd Butt Rub 50:50 with Turbinado sugar, it is still a great rub, and it's not too salty.

BOB

Panhandle Smoker · August 2009

Bob makes a good point, a lot of the rubs like Bad Byron's is that the #1 ingredient is salt. I often mix my rubs with other ingredients or rubs. A good example is I did some pit beef today and used 50/50 Cow Lick and Raising the Steaks. I like using Tony's seasoning a lot but I have to scale back a bit because of the high salt content.

Judy Mayberry · August 2009

That link was a very interesting blog; but I didn't see the vinegar finishing sauce you mentioned. Did I miss it? Thanks for your reply--it is very helpful.

Judy

TXTriker · August 2009

Ms. Judy,

Like one or two of the others have said, I use mustard but I go light on the coat. I don't slather it on thick. See if that helps too.

CBBQ · August 2009

There are a couple of reasons I do it the way I do. The first thing is that I have a BBQ business with no set flavor profile on the meat. If someone wants it "Memphis" or "Kansas City" style I will use different rubs and sauces. The same with the woods I use to cook. It gives me the ability to go in different directions with the same chunk of meat.

I spent 3 days this spring with bbq legend Mike Mills at his 17th St Bar & Grill in S. Illinois. He puts different rubs and seasonings on his meats except a butt which had nothing on it. His reasons were that over a long cook salt would draw moisture out of the meat. He felt it was much more important to get the smoke flavor in the meat. Once the bark was formed he felt there was very little gained as far as penetration goes and a lot of it would wash off from all of the butts dripping on each other. Something that disolves like salt would run off and change the flavor of what's left on it.

The last reason is that here in St Louis customers can be very picky. I am one of the few around here that sells a true North Carolina sauce. Mike Mills and others will tell you that St Louisans want, for the most part a sauce that is red. They have to see it. And you'd be amazed how many people think bark is burnt meat.
Bill

Desert Oasis Woman · August 2009

Had to dig a bit into the site! Here it is:

Lexington BBQ Sauce

This is a thin, vinegar-based sauce that’s most commonly served as a finishing sauce with pulled pork.

1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk together all ingredients until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Pull pork into thin shreds and toss with half of the sauce. Save the remaining sauce to serve at the table. Makes about 2 cups.

Judy Mayberry · August 2009

Thanks! I'm going to make a mini-version of the recipe and try it tonight with dinner.

Then going to vacuum-seal and freeze the rest. Do you mix the sauce with the pork that's going to be sealed and frozen, or do you add it just before eating it?

Desert Oasis Woman · August 2009

I add some while reheating.

Charleston Dave · August 2009

Great topic! I also find the Byron's to be a bit on the salty side. I will try your suggestion of cutting in 50/50 with turbinado. Thanks!

fishlessman · August 2009

i think im the one that mentioned rub, mustard, more rub for the bark, im a dizzy dust fan, never tried the badbyrons. the mustard might be enough salt for you, maybe pick up the dizzy dust salt free and try that along with the regular stuff. i also do this last second when lighting the egg, never the night before for me.

My Bark Has Too Much Bite!

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