After using the rub a couple of times I found that I wasn’t less conflicted at all.  Many of my readers know that Neil Strawder is one of my all-time favorite BBQ community people.  As my dad used to say, “He’s just good people.”  So when I make a statement like Bigmista’s Perfect Pork Rub might possibly be one of the best rubs ever to hit the market I didn’t want people to think I was just saying that because Neil and I are friends.

At the same time I didn’t think it was fair to Neil that I didn’t tell people how fantastic this stuff was.  So yes, Neil Strawder is my friend, yes Neil sent me the rub for free and yes…Bigmista’s Barbecue’s Perfect Pork Rub is some of the best rub I’ve ever used.  This stuff rocks and if you have not tried it you really should.

“It took me over five years to perfect our pork rub,” Neil told me recently when I had a chance to ask him a few questions about his rub. “There were lots of trials and error that went into developing this unique blend of spices,” he explained about the time it took him to master the flavor profile.

And as soon as you open the package you realize, with the first whiff, that it is a unique blend of spices.  “The special thing about this rub is that it uses some spices that aren’t usually associated with pork. There is a bit of cinnamon in there and that is usually used in sweet dishes and desserts. The brain usually associates cinnamon with sweets but it isn’t sweet on its own. It’s a great addition for meat,” Neil continued.  I have to admit I smelled the the cinnamon immediately and my first thought was that Neil could be nuts.  But the flavor it adds to this rub along with the other spices is amazing.

Bigmista’s Barbecue is the King of Los Angeles area BBQ since this is the same pork rub they use on their pork and ribs you can get a bit of the taste that has people all over Southern California raving about his food.

I’ve used the rub on pork chops that were just simply grilled on my Weber kettle and now I can’t wait use the rub as a base for a pork brine.  But the best use was the recent chopped rib meat sandwiches that I made recently.  The flavor of the rub changes when it’s on the smoker for an extended period of time.  It doesn’t really lose any flavor but it doesn’t mellow a little and when you’re going to add a little sauce to the meat the mellow flavor really works to enhance everything, both the meat taste and the sauce profile.

For the most part, I’ve learned over the years that almost any rub designed for pork should also work for chicken and sometimes even fish.  I can’t wait to try this rub on a whole roasted chicken and also on some salmon.  I’m thinking it’s going to be good.

Bigmista’s Perfect Pork Rub can be ordered from the man himself at Bigmista’s Barbecue.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Larry Gaian

Another advantage of getting BBQ stories in my email everyday is finding great blogs to read.  This story comes from the website 29-95.com and is written by J.C. Reid who has a great blog, simply called, J.C. Reid, Texas.  If you love Texas culture, even a little bit, you’ll enjoy his blog.  You can also follow him on Twitter (@houston_foodie).

Neil Strawder sells his goods at farmers markets throughout Southern California. Inevitably, his booth is one of the most popular at any given time. But he’s not selling broccoli rabe or Swiss chard. He’s selling Texas barbecue.

Strawder is a native of Galveston – BOI, or born on the island – and graduated from Galveston Ball High School in 1982. A series of careers eventually led him to Southern California and while working a conventional job in the banking industry he started reading blogs and online forums about barbecue. Starting with a small grill on his patio, he began working on his technique. Eventually he became a member of a competitive barbecue team, and also began catering. He opened Bigmista’s Barbecue in 2008.

I visited Strawder at a farmers market in El Segundo, California (near the Los Angeles International Airport) back in May. For a visiting barbecue aficionado, the sweet smell of burning post oak wafting through the throngs of tanned Californians milling about produce stalls was the ultimate welcome. The barbecue is legit. And indeed Strawder has racked up quite a few prizes over the last few years. Most recently, Bigmista’s was named as one of the 5 Best Barbecue Joints in Los Angeles by LA Weekly. Previously, he was listed in food writer Jonathan Gold’s 99 Essential Restaurants [2] in LA. He also appeared in TLC’s reality show BBQ Pitmasters [3].

Fortunately, for those Houstonians who want to get a taste of Strawder’s barbecue, he still has family in Galveston and will be visiting for a charity event on Saturday, March 17th. Strawder’s mom, Pat Tate, still lives in Galveston and is a member of the St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church, the oldest African-American Episcopal Church in Texas. Strawder will be rolling his barbecue rig into Galveston to cook up brisket, chicken and sausage. All proceeds will go to church repairs.

But Strawder won’t be alone in his meat-smoking activities. Other barbecue brethren who are expected to join include several veterans of the Houston Livestock Show BBQ Cook-offs as well as pitmaster John Mueller from Austin (who was recently profiled in a Texas Monthly feature. Additionally there will be a zydeco band playing, and a bouncing house and face painting for the kids.

Barbecue will go on sale at 11am Saturday, March 17th. The cost is $10 for a one-meat plate and $13 for a two-meat plate. Whole briskets will be available for $75. You can also call ahead before March 14th to reserve a brisket. Contact info below.

IMPORTANT: There will only be so much barbecue available and they will run out sooner or later. If you’re driving from Houston, make sure and get there are early as possible. If you’re coming later, it is highly recommended to call ahead and check availability.

Take a look! This really demonstrates to me what BBQ is all about. It’s more about an attitude of giving and sharing. And this group of fellow Q fanatics are what it’s all about.

Watch The Video Here!

(Photo Courtesy of The Survival Gourmet)

Check out this fantastic meal from Bigmista at The Survival Gourmet.  I’ll be giving this recipe a try just as soon as I can get me some smoked chicken and fatties on hand.

Great job Mista!

Real BBQ is about cooking cuts of meat at lower temperatures for long periods of time. This isn’t about throwing a hamburger or ballpark frank on the gas grill.

I first learned about real BBQ while spending time in Texas during the 1970′s at the garden spot of central Texas…Fort Hood. I’ve been interested in great BBQ ever since.

Bigmista, a fellow BBQ Brethren, demonstrates how to cook a brisket at: http://blip.tv/file/502634.

Check out Bigmista’s blog at Survival Gourmet.

This is BBQ!

Thanks Big!