Living in a divided household regarding barbecue preference, my husband swears by Kansas City joints where he grew up giving his patronage, such as Arthur Bryant's and Joe's Kansas City. In the name of research, I've partaken of the famous burnt ends and ribs, but I have to say that I still prefer my Texas "cue. It's less about the sauce and more about the meat. These Texas-made rubs come from the professionals and will enhance just about anything destined for the smoker.
John Henry's Smokey Bourbon Rub
John Henry was influenced by his experiences at summer picnics and county fairs with great barbecue during his upbringing in East Texas. For those who love good bourbon and a smoky aroma, the Smokey Bourbon Rub fits the bill. Perfect for pork, poultry or fish, the main ingredients include sugar, salt, brown sugar, paprika, natural smoke flavoring, garlic powder, onion powder and lemon juice.
Suckle Busters Texas GunPowder
Not for the faint of heart, Suckle Busters Texas GunPowder packs a powerful jalapeño punch. Its spicy-sweet flavor is good on most meats as well as on Tex-Mex favorites and chili. The only ingredient for this rub, ranked at 5,000 Scoville units (the scale for spicy heat), is ground jalapeño powder. Caution advised.
Angelo's Beef Bar-B-Que Seasoning
Fans of the legendary Angelo's in Fort Worth can attempt to get the same great flavors at home. In 1958 Angelo George created a dry rub with a unique blend of spices and herbs. The Beef Bar-B-Que Seasoning is hearty and works well with no basting needed in meat preparation. It works perfectly on briskets, but may be used on any other cut of beef.
Stubb's Bar-B-QSpice Rub
C.B. Stubblefield, known simply as Stubb, is famous for his sauces, marinades and rubs. At the urging of friends, Stubb started bottling his creations using jam jars and whiskey bottles corked with jalapeños. Stubb crafted this rub at his original Texas Bar-B-Q joint in Lubbock, Texas and continues serving his creations at the famous Austin location. The concoction includes sea salt, paprika, garlic, ground turmeric, natural smoke flavor and black pepper.
Texas Rib RangersRosemary andHerb Rub
Texas Rib Rangers, out of Denton, has won more than 500 major awards and competitions since its creation in 1993. Among its products of sauces and rubs is the Rosemary and Herb Rub that is perfect on pork. This innovative blend of sugar, salt, garlic, onion, basil, rosemary, oregano, crushed red pepper, turmeric, marjoram and bay leaves is the ideal complement to ribs, but it tastes great on just about anything.
Kent RathbunElements FamilyBarbecue Rub
Local restaurant creator, "Iron Chef America" winner and James Beard-nominated chef Kent Rathbun has made it possible for home cooks to bring his signature blend of flavors to their kitchens. While Rathbun is a Kansas City native, that won't be held against him. His Barbeque Rub is great for the purist because of its classic flavors.
Method for Meat
Choose your favorite liquid (Coke, Dr. Pepper, beer, fruit juice, Worcestershire sauce, etc.) and apply ½ cup to help stick the rub to the meat.
Apply your rub of choice liberally.
Cook the meat in a smoker, pit or oven at a low temperature over several hours.