Here's The Rub

If you're looking for a quick and easy all purpose rub this is it. It's simple... and once you make it you'll want to keep it on hand to sprinkle on everything from chicken to ribs. I even like the sweet heat on popcorn! It qualifies as a trick because of the super simple secret ingredient: Tony Chachere's seasoning available in most grocery stores.

Barbecue Tricks "Anytime" Rub

• 2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning


• 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar


• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper


• 2 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika

Mix thoughouly with fork and store any remaining rub in and airtight container or jar for up to one month.

Removing That Membrane

BBQ aficiandos will argue if you really NEED to remove the membrane on the backside of a good slab of ribs.

I say it's a nice thing to do if only to make it easier to pull apart and eat each individual rib. Some like a bit of a chew. The additional benefit is that it allows for a deeper penetration of your favorite rub or marinade.

The simple trick to removing the membrane is to use a clean paper towel to grip the slippery tissue. I haven't met a cook that has a grip tight enough to grasp the membrane firmly enough to pull it off the slab! Simply use a butter knife to begin the peel on one end. Then grasp what you can of the tissue (the membrane is on the boney side of the rib). If you're lucky you should be able to peel off a nice clean sheet.

It often times takes a few peels to get it all. If you can't get every fragment - don't sweat it. You're guest will likely not notice smaller amounts remaining.

The Meatiest Ribs You've Ever Served

When presenting your championship ribs to your cookout guests you want to make a good impression. One way to do that is to offer them the MEATIEST rib they've ever seen. Here's how:

Cut the ribs off in a manner that will force you to discard every other bone. You will essentially scalp the "middle" rib to allow the bones on each side to showcase the meat. You'll NEVER see them offered this way in restaurants because there is some waste involved.

As the cook - you can reserve the "discarded" and skinny middle bones as a snack for later. They'll still have SOME meat... but NOTHING compared to the monsters you'll have on the serving tray.