Ribs are like Hope - Rubs

When it comes to ribs, there are lots and lots of different opinions about many things. Not just the cut of meat, but the rub to be used.

• What ingredients go into the rub?

• How long does the rub stay on?

• Homemade or store-bought rub?

And there are many different styles of rubs. So far, I’ve found more than 10 different styles of rubs. And there are literally hundreds of recipes for all these rubs.

The purpose of a rub is to add lots of flavor to the meat. A rub does this in two very different wasy;

• First, it raises the natural ribs flavor, and

• Second, it adds other, complementary flavors.

Some people sprinkle rub with a shaker to allow greater control. Some sprinkle with their hands and fingers. It may sound like two ways of doing the same thing. But, for the very serious, highly skilled, and refined ribs aficionado, this is a big deal and can make all the difference in the world.

You don’t just let the rub sit on the meat. Oh no. It must be massaged into the meat. You need to push some of the rub in while removing the excess. Some people even suggest that you need to use your knuckles to thoroughly push the rub into the meat.

There is great and vocal debate about how long you let the rub sit before cooking. Some people say 15 minutes, some say a couple of hours. Others swear that overnight is the only way to go.

No matter what kind of ribs you like, no matter which rub is your favorite, everyone agrees that you need a rub. The salt reduces moisture, making the meat flavor stronger. The seasonings add spice and sweetness too.

Everyone agrees that you need to use rubs.

Everyone also agrees that you need hope. We need hope.

While there is great variety of rubs, there is also great variety of hope. And we need to not only add hope to our lives, but we need to explore different sources of hope. You never know when that new kind of hope might just spark a hope revolution inside you.

Choose to liberally sprinkle hope today. Allow hope to sink into your soul, touching each and every fiber of your being.