Barbecue - Going Against Convention Adds Layers of Flavor

There are many styles of barbecue across the country. I am from Southern Indiana and most of the barbecue around here uses a tomato based sauce. I have also run across some who prefer to use a dry rub. Those who swear by one of these two distinct styles typically will not have anything to do with the other method of cooking. I like both, so I began using them together and it is fantastic!

Simply rub your choice of meat - Boston butt, ribs, etc. - with a generous amount of your favorite rub. (Mine has 16 ingredients.) Wrap the prepared meat tightly and refrigerate for a day or two. When it comes time to smoke the meat, apply your sauce while cooking.* The result will be an initial taste of that sweet - spicy - tangy sauce, followed by the distinctly separate flavors of the seasonings in the dry rub.

*Notice I said to apply your sauce while cooking. Every big time barbecue "expert" I have heard uses the terms, "low and slow with indirect heat," to describe the temperature and cooking technique. They will also tell you that you don't want to baste your meat until the finish because the sugar in the sauce will burn. Since you will be using a low, indirect heat (about 225°), the sauce won't burn on the meat and the smoking process will add another dimension to the flavor of your sauce.

I just shot down two barbecue standards, but for my taste, this method combines the best of both worlds.