Pork Rub (Ribs Or Butt) Recipe

How to make it

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• Mix all the ingredients together in a covered container and shake to mix. Be sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar so the whole mix is granular.
• Coat all sides of your pork with the rub and then let sit out for an hour before cooking.
• I smoke my pork in a Weber Rocky Mountain smoker @ 225 degrees F with a fruit wood (cherry or apple) laced bed of natural charcoal (not briquettes). If you want the full rundown of my proven techniques, drop me a message.
• Ribs cook for about 4 to 4 1/2 hours and butts take more like 10 to 11 hours until the internal temperature is 190 to 195 degrees F. Be forewarned that when smoking/cooking butts there is a long multi-hour plateau around 160 where the temp will not rise. Be patient, I promise it is worth it.
• If you don't have a smoker or some other indirect grill method you can do them very nicely in the oven.
• For ribs, wrap them in a sealed foil bundle (2 layers usually) and place on/in something that will catch anything that may leak out. You can wrap multiple racks in the same foil packet all stacked on top of one another.
• Your call on the temp, I have not seen much difference in cooking at 225 for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or 300 for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. After that time you have a couple of options.
• One, take them (carefully - lots of rendered fat in the packet) out of the foil and place them under the broiler briefly to crisp up the outside. Watch this step carefully you want the sizzle to start and a bit of brown, but do not burn them. Flip and do the same to the other side.
• Two, you can finish them on the grill until they have a bit of that grilled color. I don't sauce mine at all, but if you want a wet rib, just put the sauce on with a brush (not too thick) as soon as you take them out of the broiler or off the grill and let sit for 10 minutes or so.
• For butts, just put in a covered roaster and cook at 300 degrees F for lots of hours until an instant read thermometer shows 190-195 degrees F deep inside and not touching a bone. For those who like a bit of fat mixed into their pulled pork, just pull it all apart after you rest long enough so you can handle it. Maybe 30 minutes. If you like less fat in your pulled pork. You can carefully peel back the layers of meat from the fat and then use two forks to shred the meat. Don't overdo the pulling, some chunks are nice.
• If you are feeling particularly adventurous you can pour the braising liquid from the roasting pan into a big bowl and let the fat separate (takes about as long as it takes to cool the meat so that you can handle it). Use your favorite method for separating the fat from the juices. Then pour some or all of the not fat part of the separation back into the shredded meat. Another option, and I often do this, is to reduce the separated liquid a bit while I shred the meat. Be careful to not reduce too far, the salt can over concentrate. Just keep tasting as you reduce.