CROIX VALLEY: Memphis BBQ Dry Rub | Memphis-Style BBQ Rub | 340g (12oz) Shaker

The rub that placed at the NBGA Awards

Memphis barbecue is a dry-rub town before it's a sauce town, and this blend was built to do the job on its own — no glaze required. It took 2nd place in the All-Purpose Rub category at the 2017 NBGA Awards of Excellence, and it suits the cook who wants pork shoulder and ribs to stand on rub alone. It nails that low-and-slow warmth without ever needing a bottle of sauce to finish the job.

The flavour

Front palate is warm paprika with a touch of brown sugar, middle brings savoury garlic and black pepper, finish is gentle and slow-building rather than fiery — warm spice that lingers without heat.

How to cook with it

• Apply a generous, even coat to a pork shoulder and let it sit for a couple of hours before smoking so the rub forms a proper base bark.
• Smoke low and slow with light hickory or applewood, and resist the urge to sauce it — Memphis dry rub is meant to carry the whole cook.
• For ribs, apply the rub again lightly straight off the smoker while they're still hot, so a second dry layer sticks to the bark.
• Left-field use: rub it onto corn on the cob before grilling for a smoky, savoury side dish.

In the shaker

A shaker of warm reddish-brown rub with fine paprika colouring throughout; a fine, even grind that builds a dry, dark bark rather than a wet glaze.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: Full ingredient statement to be confirmed from the physical label.

Dietary: Vegan and gluten free (brand claim); always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

An award-winning dry rub doesn't need a bottle to prove itself, and Memphis backs that up with nothing but smoke and time. Give it an hour on the meat before it sees heat — the rub needs the head start more than the smoker does. If you want extra shine, Four Monkeys' cherry apple jalapeño rib glaze won't fight the pork.

Questions answered

Why is this rub described as award-winning?

It took 2nd place in the All-Purpose Rub category at the 2017 NBGA Awards of Excellence.

Is it spicy?

No — it's warm spice rather than fiery heat, true to the Memphis dry-rub style.

Do I need a sauce with it?

Not at all — Memphis rubs are built to carry a cook on their own, though a sauce on the side never hurts.