aye, there's the rub.

if you've been to my house at all in the summer, chances are you've experienced The Rub. i'm talking dry bbq rub here, and i humbly posit that it's the best i've ever had. also, quite versatile. of course anything that starts with a big pile of brown sugar can't go too far wrong, can it? a few years ago my dad and i really got into bbq, we were watching shows and reading books and i wont lie to you, some bad things happened on our family grill. after much research (see also: beer drinking) i've settled on a good method for mixing up rub and i usually mix a whole bag of brown sugar at a time, as you experiment with your own i suggest starting with about 1 cup of packed brown sugar and adding spices from there. the key, i've found, with rub for pork or chicken is to soak the meat in cider vinegar for a while before cooking. for my pork ribs i usually let them soak in straight cider vinegar for a few hours, with the chicken i mix a bit of the rub in with the vinegar. the rub itself? i'm glad you asked! brown sugar, garlic salt, white pepper (or finely ground black pepper), paprika, a bit of poultry seasoning, a touch of cumin, ground cloves, and onion powder. this is a basic mix, and i don't list amounts because you'll just have to follow your nose. i've been threatened by my husband with work as a drug sniffing dog, and i know that not everyone has the same olfactory prowess as me, but you know what your family likes. if you mix a basic batch and try it, well maybe next time you'll add some cayenne, or mustard powder is a good treat but i don't put it in every time. tarragon is also a tasty addition but if i'm going to sauce my ribs at some point i don't add it because it gets buried and detracts rather than adds. the point is this: dry rub is a great way to go. as always i like it when i know exactly what's in the food i'm serving my family and friends and as a method it's simple and effective. back to said method. if your meat is still soaking, drain the excess vinegar and rub thoroughly with your mix. if you're cooking on the grill set yourself up for low, indirect heat. i like to start in the oven on racks, it's just easier for me to make sure little hands don't get burned that way. low and slow is the way to go here, 275 for about 4 hours is best. it sounds like a long time, and it is. flip your ribs or chicken some time in the middle. a note on chicken: if you're cooking breasts, mix the rub with the vinegar to marinate, reserve some marinade for basting, soak the meat in the rest and throw them right on a low grill, baste with the sauce a few times while cooking. leg quarters make excellent bbq meat and can cook for a long time to absorb the flavor without drying out, they come out tender and delicious. marinate them with rub and vinegar, then add extra dry rub when you put them in the oven. i usually start them at 300 for an hour then turn it down to 275. i think the meat is wonderful just with the rub, but you can brush it with your favorite bbq sauce at the very end if you like, or just serve it with sauce on the side so if people want that extra kick they can add it themselves.