Recipe For Meat Rubs

Memphis-style pulled pork a hit

Many of you will be celebrating July Fourth with a barbecue. Not long ago, I spent a wonderful weekend in Memphis and had the opportunity to sample authentic Memphis-style barbecue.

There are several famous barbecue regions in the U.S., each with its own flavors and cooking styles.

Memphis style features a spicy rub that covers the meat, usually pork, and then it is smoked and served with a tomato-based barbecue sauce that has just a touch of heat.

Pork shoulder, or butt as it is often called, and ribs are wonderful when prepared this way.

It takes a little time to combine the seasonings for the rub mixture, but once the meat has been rubbed, the rest is very easy.

Recently, I taught a class featuring Memphis cuisine. I will share the pulled-pork recipe with you as it was a hit in the cooking class.

Once the meat was rubbed, I smoked it over hickory chips in a stove-top smoker, then popped it in an oven and cooked it slowly for several hours. The meat was succulent, tender and juicy and easily shredded.

Combined with a little Memphis-style barbecue sauce, it tasted just like what I had at a restaurant on Beale Street.

MEMPHIS DRY RUB

1/4cup paprika

1/4cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon celery salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

The Wichita Eagle—06/29/11

Serves 10.

1 boneless pork butt (about 5-6 pounds)

2 tablespoons wood chips

Memphis Rub (See recipe above)

Memphis Barbecue Sauce (see recipe above)

Buns

Coat pork shoulder with rub, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.

Place wood chips in bottom of stove-top smoker. Place tray on top with rack. Place pork shoulder on rack. Since the meat is too large for the lid to fit, place a double layer of heavy aluminum foil over meat, sealing tightly around edges of the pan, leaving a small area open so you can see when it starts smoking.

Place over medium-high heat until smoke appears out of the opening. Then seal the foil tightly and turn heat to medium low. Smoke for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place smoker in oven and cook pork slowly for 6 hours or until very tender and pork reaches 185 degrees. Once pork is cooked, remove from smoker. Wrap tightly in foil and allow to rest for an hour. Then shred, discarding bone and fat. Combine pork with enough of Memphis Barbecue Sauce to moisten. Keep warm and serve on buns with remaining sauce on the side.

Gastronomer's Guide: Tamarind-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Ribs are undoubtedly a cornerstone of American summer barbecues, especially in the South where it's practically an art form. Die-hard 'cue masters will argue there's a difference between barbecue and grilling. And there is: Barbecue is a low and slow process of cooking meat in a smoky humid environment. Grilling is about quick contact-cooking. Steaks and burgers are grilling. Ribs and pork shoulder are barbecue. Barbecue can be broken down further into wet and dry versions. It's pretty self-explanatory but the debate as to which is better is one that will never be decided upon. The secret is in the sauce—or is it the rub? What most Americans know as barbecue is based on the wet barbecue technique that originated in Kansas City. Large food brands further popularized wet barbecue with their lines of sauces. Wet barbecue is all about the sauce whereas dry barbecue is all about the rub. No thick sauce is used to baste the meat except for a mop sauce (typically made with vinegar, which helps keep the meat moist). You'll find dry barbecue in Memphis, where they serve sauce on the side for dipping, but you will never see it slathered on the meat. Most at-home barbecue includes a combination of both dry and wet methods. This Asian fusion barbecue ribs recipe I've developed begins its flavoring with a paprika rub that imparts smoky flavor during an overnight stay in the fridge. The next day the ribs are roasted in the oven for just over 2 hours and then braised in tamarind-flavored soda for another hour or so. After being slathered with my homemade sweet-and-spicy tamarind BBQ sauce, the ribs are grilled until sticky and blackened a bit. This step gives the ribs an authentic barbecue flavor. The ribs are moist and succulent, spicy and flavorful. They're just the right item to add to your summer grilling menu this Fourth of July. I promise you'll make your family's mouths water with this recipe. Warm oil in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add paste and sauté until almost dry, about 3 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce off from the heat. Yield: 4 cups. Keep sauce in a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks if not using immediately.

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