Deceivingly Delicious Dry Rub and Mop Sauce

Get put the grill, smoker or broiler pan.  This dry rub and mop sauce was nearly life changing.  In my naive youth, my concept of BBQ was a rack of ribs or half a chicken served slightly charred, a little smokey and slathered in a heavy sweet red sauce.  Now I still enjoy a good squirt of Sweet Baby Rays at a family BBQ, but I've since learned that you needed smoother a good piece of meat...but you do need to compliment it.

the recipe is my own

yields enough rub and mob for 2 racks of ribs

Ingredients:
dry rub
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp parika
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar

mop sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon style mustard
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger


The Process:
For the rub, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined.  Apply the rub to chicken, beef or pork prior to grilling or broiling.

For the mop, in a medium bowl, whisk together all six ingredients until well combined.  Brush over the meat periodically while grilling or broiling.  Serve remaining mop on the side.

The Review:
Easy peasey.  Mix, rub, grill, mop, flip, grill, mop, serve.  Almost any cut of meat will work with this rub and mop combination.  Though I crafted it with lighter meat, particularly pork ribs and split chicken in mind.  I fear the mop may be a tad sweet for some beef cuts.  I'll rise to that challenge when I come to it.

In the rub, the cumin was the dominating flavor, but not too overpowering.  I personally adore cumin and prefer it over the go-to cayenne and chili powder...adds more depth without the heat.  But maybe that's not your cup of tea.  Maybe you need more chili powder.  Or perhaps turmeric is you thing.  Go for it.

While the rub laid an amazingly flavorful groundwork for the ribs, the mop elevated to mouth watering heights.  The brown sugar and apple cider was just sweet enough to cut through the dripping fat, and caramelize into was can only be described as meat candy.  Usually those charred little bits on the end are long ignored.  Not so here.  Meat candy I tell you.  The ginger warmed it up and complimented the sweetness.  And who doesn't love a bit of garlic.

With a mob and dry rub as flavorful as these, who needs to use BBQ sauce.  Not a single condiment was added to the dinner plates as we devoured the ribs and licked our fingers clean.   Baby back ribs were a huge success.  Next time around the chicken comes up to bat...