FOOD NEWS
The Reason Using Old Brown Sugar In Rubs Will Ruin Your Grilled Meats
BY SHARYN FLANAGAN
According to veteran pitmaster and cookbook author Elizabeth Karmel, you should never add old, hard brown sugar to a rub for barbecued meats, or you'll ruin the texture.
As Karmel told Better Homes & Gardens, "[Old sugar] will not mix well and will have the texture of hard pebbles, which will ruin the rub." Using fresh, moist sugar is crucial.
Fresh brown sugar ensures an even consistency and distribution of flavor. It blends well with other ingredients and applies smoothly to meat, so you don't end up mangling it.
Ideally, a dry rub should be composed of about ⅓ of each main ingredient, such as salt, sugar, or chile powder, with additional smaller quantities of spices or other flavorings.
A ⅓ portion of brown sugar in your rub is plenty to balance out savory, spicy flavors and create a delicious caramelized crust on the meat. Just make sure to use the fresh stuff.