Dry rub vs wet rub

A dry rub pulls moisture from the outside of the meat, which UF Extension says leads to crispier grilling and a crust. Because nothing wet sits between the meat and the heat, the surface browns fast. That crust is where most of a rub's flavor ends up.

A wet rub solves a sticking problem. UF Extension notes that dry rubs "do not always adhere well to dry cuts," and suggests a binder such as mayonnaise, mustard or oil. Mix a binder into the rub first and you have a paste. That is the whole dry rub vs wet rub distinction: same spices, different carrier.

The binder is there to hold spice in place. Without one, UF Extension warns, some spots on the cut can end up over-seasoned. Each common choice brings something slightly different:

Salt changes how meat holds water. In a classic 1983 Meat Science paper, Offer and Trinick watched myofibrils, the contractile strands inside muscle fibers, swell to about twice their original volume in salt solutions like those used in meat processing. Their hypothesis is that meat gains or loses water as those myofibrils swell or shrink, which is the idea behind brining a lean cut to keep it juicy.

Acid works differently. UF Extension says acid can break down proteins, so marinades need hours to work, but too long a soak can leave meat "soft and mushy." Utah State University Extension adds that over-marinating can also make meat tough.

The marinade vs rub choice gets easier once you know the cook. Wikipedia's seasoning rub background page notes that cooking with a spice rub is almost always done with dry heat, grilling most of all, with baking and pan roasting among the other options.

Sugar is the line to watch. Sugar goes into a spice rub for flavor and caramelization, which builds a dark crust over gentle heat. Over a hot fire, UF Extension says, rubs high in sugar "can char and taste bitter." Grill sweet rubs over medium heat, or start indirect and finish over the coals.

Utah State University Extension gives the marinating times UF Extension repeats: seafood 15 to 60 minutes, chicken 2 to 24 hours, and pork or steak up to 24 hours or longer for dense cuts. Plan on about half a cup of marinade per pound of meat, USU says. Red meat marinades often skip oil because the meat brings its own fat, while chicken and fish benefit from it. Pat the meat dry before it hits the grill, UF adds, because oil and sugar dripping into the fire cause flare-ups.

The temperatures are USDA safe minimums as listed by University of Illinois Extension. Rest time counts: the meat keeps cooking for those 3 minutes after it leaves the grill.

A good bbq rub is mostly a ratio of salt, sugar and heat. Reading a small maker's label tells you which cooks it suits before you open the jar.

Vesta Kitchen in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, calls its Sugar & Spice blend "our signature spice rub" and suggests it for pork, chicken and grilled vegetables, for blackening fish for tacos, or for mixing into guacamole. The label lists brown sugar, onion powder, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. It is a 2.5 oz jar for $10.00, labeled gluten free and vegan.

Brown sugar comes first on that list, and US labels must list ingredients by weight, largest first, so sugar is the biggest single ingredient. Treat it as a medium-heat grilling seasoning: good on chicken thighs over indirect heat, riskier on a steak seared over a roaring fire.

1. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
2. Add a thin binder if the surface is very dry: oil, mustard or mayonnaise all work, per UF Extension.
3. Sprinkle the rub from above so it lands evenly, then press it in.
4. Rest it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to a few hours.
5. Cook over heat that suits the sugar level: medium for sweet rubs, hotter for salt-and-pepper blends.

That is the short answer to how to use dry rub. Do not skip the rest: UF Extension says 30 minutes to a few hours in the refrigerator is what lets the flavor develop.

Mustard is the classic wet rub base, and Caulfield Provision Company's #60 Fiery Habanero Mustard Sauce brings its own heat. The habanero mustard sauce lists carrots, garlic, water, onion, distilled vinegar, habanero, honey, mustard powder, sea salt and natural gum, so it can work as a binder: brush it on pork or chicken and press a dry rub on top. The honey means the same medium-heat rule applies. Caulfield, a woman-owned family business in Potomac, Maryland, suggests it for egg salad, burgers and dipping pretzels, and calls it one of its top sellers.

For a true marinade, Caulfield's #68 Szechuan Style Red Pepper Sauce says on its own page that it "works equally well as a marinade." Its label starts with water, diced tomatoes, onion, cider vinegar and red jalapenos, and the maker describes the heat as subtle, with garlic and onion accents.

Goodlands Food Co. in New Jersey suggests its Carrot Habanero Hot Sauce as a base for buffalo sauce, a finishing glaze for dry-rubbed wings.

If you would rather write your own rub recipe, UF/IFAS Extension's 4-H tailgate series breaks a dry rub into four parts: spicy, salty, sweet and savory. The sugar you pick matters on the grill. White sugar will scorch at high temperatures, the publication notes, while turbinado has a higher burn point, which makes it the better sweetener for grilling.

The same publication matches the blend to the protein: pork likes sweet and smoky, beef stands up to bold flavors, chicken takes almost anything, and shrimp benefits from a touch of spice. Taste before you season the whole cut. UF Extension warns that a rub that is too salty or too spicy can overpower the meat.