First Timer/Rub Questions

[wabbq101]

So I am doing some 'bonless country style' pork I got from Costco.
Yeah, I know, should have gone to my local butcher, but the price was right, and it is the first time.
For the rub I used the following:

1/3c Smoked parprika
3T dry mustard
2 T onion powder
2T garlic powder
2T Basil
1T cayenne
1T Black Pepper
1/2T Ancho powder
1/2T Chipotle powder
3T Brown Sugar
1/8T Cumin (shy)
and a bit of this and that.........

I did not use any salt, and rubbed the meat (about 7 lbs) and let sit overnight in the fridge. Brought it out, let it sit out for about 2 hours, and am halfway through my first smoke.

Do I need to use salt?
I would prefer not to, as I watch that sort of thing in my diet.

Thanks  for any suggestions about either the salt, or the rub in general.
Total newbie with the Bradley, but know my way around a kitchen fairly well.
Crossing my fingers, it's noon here finally............. 8)

[West Coast Kansan]

I try to minimize salt as well for blood pressure...nothing special about salt beyond taste for food your going to cook and then eat today.

[wabbq101]

Thanks, I was hoping to hear that.
I probably won't eat anything I smoked today, just FTC then vacuum seal for a fishing trip later this month.

[West Coast Kansan]

Longer term storage questions requires better advice than I can provide.

[Habanero Smoker]

Salt is a flavor enhancer, and is not required in rubs, though it is useful is carrying flavors into the meat. Capsaicin the chemical in hot peppers, also heightens flavors. From looking at your recipe with cayenne, black Pepper, ancho powder, and chipotle powder; it looks very flavorful to me. It just different type of taste.

Also there is nothing wrong with Costco or Sam's Club meat.

[wabbq101]

Thanks, I do like Costco meat, but still prefer my local guy.
I figured for a first time, I'd save the moneyif it all went south on me.
Meats out of the smoker now, looks good, but not quite up to temp, so in the oven.
Lots of questions I had already have been answered by reading the forum over the past few weeks, a nice resource for sure.
This is gonn be fun.............. ;D
I'll try some salt with tomorrows batch, and see what it does for the meat.

[Wildcat]

I personally need my salt, but unless I am mistaken, it is not absolutely required unless you want to cure in a cold smoke environment.  There are experts on this forum that will probably advise you if I am wrong.  Salt helps in the smoking process (hot or cold), but like in your kitchen, if you fully cook to the proper internal temp all should be just fine. ;)

[wabbq101]

Well I put them in the oven for a bit, set at 200, and they got to temp fine in just over an hour.
Sort of windy here today, and even sheltered it seemed like a was a bit cool in the box at times.
Thermometer said it was up to temp, but I sort of had my doubts.  ;)
I'll be getting a Maverick ET73 and ihopefully that will help make sure on the box temps.
Tomorrow another run through.........  ;D

[Gizmo]

I would agree with all the other posts, no salt is fine, costco meat is quite palitable (it's where I usually pick up my ribs and pork butts - gotta ask them behind the counter to get a big butt), and the recipe you posted is similar to many that I have used including the bit of this and that. ;) ;)

I also finish may of my ventures in the oven.  The thermometer on the Bradley is not very accurate (digital) and the use of an external is a must.  Most here use the Maverick so that would be a good choice.  I will have to pick one up some day as well.  For now, I have a dual temp probe polan that does an internal and air temp in one probe.  I really like it other than it is not remote.  The advantage is the air temp is sampled right above the surface of the meat.  I also have a Thermopen that I used to double check.  It is extremely accurate (comes with a calibration certificate) and the sensor (better version than what is found in the standard digitals) is in the very tip so you know when you insert the probe, exactly where the temp is being taken from.

Welcome and Enjoy.  Keep us up to date.

[owrstrich]

you will got to he11 for that wabbq101...

smoking the pig and not eating it straight away...

15 for taunting on this offense... the next offense will be the hot rails...

you have been warned...

owrstrich

[wabbq101]

 ;D(Walks back 15) ;D

I will make sure to eat it next time......... did try a bit of course.
I mean, it's not like have discipline or anything when it comes to food.

Am doing a different rub tomorrow, after I get my Maverick.
It is fun, and they came out pretty damn good for a first time newbie , IMHO........ ;D
Of course, I got lots of good info here on the forum to help make come out it that way though.

Thanks.......... :)

[iceman]

What O said. Shame on you for teasing us. Hope you saved some low salt spam for me O. I'm hungry, stuck at work, and then I read stuff like this. I feel like the poor starving pigmy the the cable guy talks about. :D Sounds like a good rub wabbq101. ;)

[wabbq101]

Well the wind and heavy rain delayed my second smoke today, and if this keeps up, may even delay my weekend fishing trip to the coast............ >:(
Oh well, there is always work I guess, a poor alternative to fishing though.

Try again tomorrow, that's my plan.
Either that or go to work.................. ;)

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

Yes, work is always a poor alternative.......

[West Coast Kansan]

speaking of poor alternatives, have you seen the 'smoke flavor' SPAM? I have not tried it but understand that if you are trapped in winter weather it is good for either food OR fuel.