Meathead’s Memphis Dust Dry Rub (July 2021 – Issue 4)
Source: Meathead’s AmazingRibs.com
Prep + Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds (approx. 1 kg) Baby Back Ribs
- ¾ cup firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup White Sugar
- ½ cup American Paprika
- ¼ cup Garlic Powder
- 2 tablespoons Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Ground Ginger Powder
- 2 tablespoons Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoons Rosemary Powder
METHOD:
- Mix Prep: Mix dry ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. If the ingredients lump together, crumble the mixture by hand to break apart. The rub will keep for months if stored in an airtight jar.
- Meat Prep: All pork ribs have a thin layer of Silver Skin (membrane) on the bottom side. I highly recommend taking additional time in removing the skin. Take a small sharp knife, and sharpen it some more. Start with any corner you can easily access but lift the Silver Skin and slide your knife underneath. Once you get going, you’ll be able to slide the skin back whilst lightly slicing between the meat and the skin. Whilst this can be time-consuming, it does ensure an even covering of dry rub on the ribs.
- Serve: For best results, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat up to 12 hours in advance. For most ribs, wet the surface of the meat with water and sprinkle just enough Meathead’s Memphis Dust on to colour it. Memphis style ribs are served without a sauce. Apply the rub thick enough to make a crunchy crust, perhaps 2 tablespoons per slab of St. Louis Cut (Center Cut) and a bit less for baby backs. To prevent contaminating your rub with raw meat juices, spoon out the proper amount before starting and seal the bottle for future use. Keep your powder dry as the old expression goes. To prevent cross-contamination, one hand sprinkles on the rub, and the other hand does the rubbing. Don’t put the hand that is rubbing into the powder or use it to hold the bottle.
“Rub Me Tender, Rub Me True.”
Meathead Presley
Since there is no salt in this BBQ dry rub recipe, salting the meat first is a must. Salt will penetrate deep into meat so you should get it on in advance, perhaps overnight. The general rule of thumb is 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat (don’t include bone, and ribs are about half bone).