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ddog27
07-01-2005, 05:51 PM
I have read several posts about sugar in rubs. While there are a lot of people who like and put sugar in their rubs, I have also read where some people do not like sugar in rubs at all. One of the main complaints I have read is that it burns when you are cooking. Sugar will burn at 220 degrees, so if you are cooking with a sugar rub and keep the temp under 220 this shouldn’t be an issue. So what am I missing? Are there other pros and cons to putting sugar in a rub that I am missing? Does a non-sugar rub just taste better? I guess I am just confused since I am a sugar rub user. Please educate me!
StPeteBBQ
07-01-2005, 06:21 PM
You're pretty safe under 300* with regular sugar. I do most of my smoking below 250*. If you're concerned with the sugar burning, you can use turbinado sugar which has a higher carmelization temperature. Turbinado is great stuff. You get the molasses flavor of brown sugar and it doesn't clump. See www.sugarintheraw.com

See the chart here (http://www.baking911.com/candy/chart.htm) about sugar temps and candy-making... It talks about carmelization starting to happen around 320*.

Most of the stuff I cook at high temps (steak & yardbird) I don't use a rub with sugar on anyway. Some people like it, but my preference is to not use it for that stuff.
Deuce
07-06-2005, 02:57 PM
I agree with St.Pete. I use turbinado sugar for most of my rubs for smoking. When grilling or searing I stay away from sugar unless I'm using a sauce in which case it doesn't go on until the end.
SeanB
07-06-2005, 06:52 PM
Also, most of the time that you are using a rub that contains sugar you are going to be cooking indirect. When you are cooking indirect you are going to have a much harder time caramelizing the sugar even at slightly higher temps. Think about baking a ham in the oven with a honey glaze...you have to crank the temp up pretty high to get it to caramelize.

One type of rub that comes to mind that I do not generally cook indirect is a jerk rub or something along those lines, but there is only a small amount of sugar. Sweet marinades are a bigger problem than rubs. :)