Choice of sugar for shoulder rub

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ron eb

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Mar 22, 2012
173
12
Baltimore
Does anyone use turbinado sugar? Got some today at the store instead of brown sugar.

Thought I would give it a try due to my final product turning black.
 
My rub calls for a cup of sugar but I was thinking of cutting it to a half a cup of turbinado.

When I do the texas crunch I can introduce the other portion of the sugar along with some butter.
 
Hey Ron,

Some theory... Unless you are completely sure you're buying a natural brown sugar, do take into a consideration that brown sugar is often made by adding molasses to a fully refined white sugar. It's done to have a more precise control over how much molasses there is in the brown sugar. However, the turbinado sugar (often called demerara) is a crystallized raw sugar cane juice, i.e. the really natural brown sugar. It's also much drier and to my taste - much better for rubs.

Enjoy :).

Ed 
 
you think I should just replace all the rub sugar with turbinado?

I love bark. I'm trying to minimize dark. I think I have been over smoking.

Going for the TBS this time. I have good temp control. Using apple wood and chunk charcoal.
 
To prevent it from oversmoking, you need to cut down on the wood chunks.

And yeah, I do think you need to replace all the rub sugar with turbinado.

By the way, apple is a very gentle smoke, so I don't think you'll be oversmoking it.

Ed
 
I'm using the Big Bald rub out of Jeff's book.

This is my first attempt at using turbinado instead of BS.

Yes I think I'm going to use equal amount.

I'm trying to get a mahogany type color. My stuff has been almost coming

out black. It could be the brown sugar has something to do with it.

Is Jeff's rub good?
 
I was brought up in a cane field by the sugar mill. I like raw sugar, I use it daily in my coffee. I don't know all the fancy names for it but..... there are like 7 different process available to change cane juice to sugar. Each basically involves the chemicals. I find raw sugar although unreliable in strength, for the most part to be of a lower sweetening ability than refined sugar. Which I like. So I would not reduce the quantity used without a taste test for sure.

BTW I have asked forever and no one, even industry professionals, can tell me why raw sugar costs twice as much as refined sugar when its a pre-stage to the refined? LOL.... course nearly all my sugar is free, I take a shovel to the mill's whse. and load Ziplocs.....LOL

Of course it behooves me to always shake it thru a screen. See there are rats all over that whse. and those ain't goobers in that sugar....LOL 

Light brown sugar is supposed to have vanilla added and dark brown sugar molasses. HUGE difference when making pecan pies!
 
I'm trying to get a mahogany type color. My stuff has been almost coming

out black. It could be the brown sugar has something to do with it.
Ron, try changing a wood. The best mahogany I got was when I smoked on cherry chunks. I believe that the type of the sugar used has very little to do with the almost black color... But may be more experienced smokers here will disagree... 

Ed
 
 
Ron, try changing a wood. The best mahogany I got was when I smoked on cherry chunks. I believe that the type of the sugar used has very little to do with the almost black color... But may be more experienced smokers here will disagree... 

Ed
Sugar does caramelize, but normally I agree. Try less smoke or a different wood. If you are happy with your smoke taste, the color is fine. Color is only appearance. You get darker meats from heavier smokes like hickory, mesquite, possibly oak and some say pecan (although I think they are just silly about pecan). LOL. Some might also ask about your ventilation thru your smoker. But not me.

Try mixing it up with your smokes and see what happens, I am guessing that Edward is spot on about your black color.
 
Butts have a long cook time but your going for temp not time.

I have done a few butts over the past year. I'm trying tweak things

to get my Q to the next level. I'll be watching for your posts.

I'll post to this thread as well along with some Q views.

I'm hoping to put the meat to the heat real early an Saturday.

This site is the place to be. A lot of knowledge here.
 
Turbinado sugar does not burn as easy as brown sugar
I use turbinado instead of brown sugar in rubs. The only thing I still use brown sugar for is beans
Jeff's rub is great and is about all I use.
 
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