Even without a BBQ dry rub, a lot can go into preparing a barbecue. You have to choose and clean the meats. Make the sauce. Prepare the grill. Pick out the apron that best flatters your body shape. It's a lot of work.

So you might be thinking about skipping a dry rub. After all, the flavor all comes from the barbecue sauce, right? Nope. While barbecue sauce is, IMO, the ambrosia of the gods (were they from the American South), it just coats the outside of the meat. To perfect the texture and get lots of flavor deep down into the meat, you need a rub. And since making up a BBQ rub spice mix takes about... oh, I dunno... 3 minutes, you really have no excuse.

Tips for the Perfect BBQ Rub

Many die-hard barbecuers (is this a word?) consider the rub to be even more important than the sauce. And a far better option that a bbq marinade. Why? Because rubs penetrate the meat better, and create a nice crust of flavor on the outside. But how your bbq chicken or turkey leg comes out also depends on the quality of the rub. Want the best barbecue rub? Here are some things you should look for in a BBQ rub recipe:

• A rub recipe should have a sufficient amount of salt-- this affects texture and tenderness.
• A bbq dry rub should have a moderate amount of sugar. Too much and it may over-carmaelize and burn. Too little, and the texture won't be right.
• Your bbq rub recipe should contain spices that harmonize with your sauce.

A dry rub is especially good for larger pieces of meat, such as briskets or roasts. As fat within the meat helps to keep it moist while cooking, a dry rub that draws some moisture away from the surface of the meat tends to improve its texture.

Applying BBQ Rubs to your Meat

Store it in a shaker. Storing your BBQ rub in a shaker makes applying it super easy. This also keeps bacteria-y raw-meat-fingers out of your rub, so you can use it again another time. A little-known secret? It's just wonderful on popcorn.

Don't over-rub. Don't be rough on your meat. There's no need to apply your bbq rub with force. A gentle coating is fine.

Give it two coats. When applying a bbq dry rub to your meat, you'll want to do an even coating the first time around. Then, after the moisture from the meat begins to liquefy the rub a bit, apply another coat of spice mix.

Plan ahead. BBQ rubs work best when you allow them plenty of time. Apply your rub at least 24 hours before you plan to barbecue your meat. Especially for larger pieces of meat, the longer the better. (Within reason, of course. Don't let mold grow on it or anything.) Two to three days is ideal.

Wrap it up. When finished applying the rub, wrap the meat in plastic wrap (not too tight, though), and pop it in the fridge.

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