Rich’s Rub has been tested by both high end BBQ cooks and weekend warriors alike. Here are some impressions on the rub and the brine.
Vince T from FL
I have been cooking and smoking for over 20 years at the serious level. I have constantly dabbled with many makers of rub, I have no reservations at all stating that the Hunky rub is one of the most tasty, unique, and satisfying products ever. I keep trying the rub on different meats and cooking styles, and it is superb on everything I try. And the poultry brine? Well, my wife will not allow the preparation of any chicken dinner unless the Hunky brine is used, nuff said.
Some comments from Bob Ballentyne, Chef D’ Cuisine for a large professional catering company:
The rub gives off a real interesting chili and cayenne pepper aroma. I really enjoyed testing Richtee’s rub and think it is a well balanced rub with just enough cayenne pepper to kick it up so you know this is not just an off the shelf rub.
http://forums.cooking.com/showthread.php?p=80585
And another from Bob- on catfish this time!
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=32882
Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
Alan D
I started out smoking making my own rubs, and it got cost prohibitive for the amount of spices I went through. I bought a couple of commercial rubs that were highly recommended before I tried Mad Hunky, and yours is my favorite by far. I put it on everything — fish, pork, chicken and its just got a really balanced flavor. I even did a head to head to see what my family thought and they chose Mad Hunky. Great Product!! I just ordered another pound and will be a customer for life.
mikev
This is my “go to” rub now that I’ve found it. It goes great on just about everything. Well, I have to correct that… I haven’t found anything yet I don’t like it on. From brisket, to spare ribs, to scrambled eggs, to pasta salad. Great balance of flavors and really perks up whatever you put it on.
Cheryl in GA
I love this rub. I panic if I run out, which only happened once. I use Mad Hunky on just about everything. It’s awesome for pulled pork, ribs, chops, beef, chicken, fish. I also use it on my veggies too. You can use it as is, or add brown sugar like I do for my pulled pork. My most recent use was a homemade batch of onion rings. Perfect. I recently baked sweet potatoes and added brown sugar and Mad Hunky. My guests told me they were the best ‘taters they ever had! The possibilities are endless, thanks Rich.
Lasse
A very well balanced rub. Just the right amount of heat and not too salty. We have used the general purpose rub for pulled pork, chicken, bb ribs, sauces and even popcorn with great results. Rich shipped it to Denmark (Scandinavia) – received it after a couple of days. Excellent customer service with lightning fast responses! Hi – my name is Lasse and I’m a Mad Hunky addict 😉
erain
Would love to say that I put together my own rub for every smoke. But since I have started using Rich’s Mad Hunky rub it has pretty much become my go to rub. Great flavor, not too much heat for those who like things a little tame. For the pepper heads, this can be easily remedied by adding some extra ground pepper of your choice. Also the convenience of a great rub without having to mix your own and at a reasonable price really makes this a great offer.
dscott
This is a very good rub that I have found many uses for. I used it to kick up crockpot corn the other day, It’s a big hit in my book. I have actually tried all of the offerings and have not been disappointed in any of them.
Tenacious Bee
Rich calls this rub General Purpose. This is highly accurate. Not only is it a top notch rub that crushes anything off the shelf it is great seasoning as well. I have been able to cut my salt intake significantly as it is very good on everything from popcorn to tater tots. The flavor strikes a perfect balance of spicy goodness and just the right amount of oomph. Both my soak everything with Sriracha 19 year old son and my ten year old daughter that thinks Dentyne is too hot are big fans. If you are serious about your cooking you simply have to give this stuff a try.
Dana
I have used a lot of this rub, simply because it is one of the best that I have found. Unlike a lot of rubs, Rich doesn’t load this up with salt. Instead, he uses the best quality ingredients in the rub that are full of flavor…you will definitely taste a difference. The heat level in this is perfect for general purpose use and is kid friendly too. Just ordered another 3 lbs. because I about had a panic attack when I ran out during a bbq for a family reunion. This is my go to rub. Also, Rich has some of the best customer service that I have ever seen…great rub and fantastic service. What a winning combination! D.Y. Kansas
Fishawn/OSC BBQ
Been using the GP rub since it first became available & believe it to be one of the finest rubs/seasonings available on the market today and its versatility is second to none. I have been giving samples to BBQ friends & they have been very impressed as well. I have also used all the other Mad Hunky products and have found them all to be excellent as well. You will not be disappointed with these products. Thanks Rich!
Hawg Heaven
Okay, here’s where I’m at… this stuff ROCKS!!! I compete in BBQ competitions, and have been in the middle of the pack with the results. Since I’ve started using this rub on my ribs, I have been in the top 10… A win is coming up Rich, I know it! Not only is this an excellent rub for pork and ribs, but an excellent rub on chicken and beef. It is an overall great base to start with, if you wish to add your own twist to it… don’t be afraid, it will take it! Try it folks… believe me, it truly ROCKS!!!
Ron Fischer
I used to go to elaborate lengths trying to make my own rub, wasting a lot of time and effort. After trying Mad Hunky, I discovered that Rich has come up with the very authentic barbecue essence I was trying to find. So far, I’ve tried Mad Hunky Rub on pork ribs, pork shoulder (pulled pork), and beef ribs, and the results have been outstanding every time, working WITH the meat in order to bring out the savory flavours that barbecue enthusiasts enjoy. Rich has taken high-quality, authentic ingredients and – adding a little old-world Hunky magic – has managed to turn out a rub that is leaves them all craving for more. I highly recommend it and will continue to use it. Thanks, Rich!
RPMorey
Rich’s Rub is the only rub that I use on pork, poultry or fowl. It truly is the go to rub, no matter what cut of meat you are smoking. It is also the main flavoring spice in my own BBQ sauce. I have tried a lot of rubs, including my own mixtures, Rich’s Rub is my rub now. With slight modification it is excellent on beef too. Rich, thank you for making great BBQ a lot easier to achieve.
SmokinLee
Although I have tried this rub at the Flushing Rib Burn on ribs smoked by pros, I needed to give it a whirl at home. It was just as I remember and even my picky 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed the ribs. This is a real good rub with flavors that I have never added to my rubs, You should just try for yourself if you haven’t already.
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=66348
The Poolguy did a comparison to a commercially available rub by Tone’s:
It was about time I used up the remainder of the seasoning that Rich sent me, so I decided to put ’em to the test, Rich’s VS Tone’s ( my rib favorite) The end result was……I have to say Rich’s rub was fantastic! Very Good, thanks Rich, very good flavor and even an afterburner taste as well!
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=26405
Gunslinger
The rub seems to make a great sausage seasoning as well, with minor
additions. As mentioned before, it IS fairly low in salt content.
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=74401
Also, the rub is excellent on chicken:
I used the complete package on this chicken…adding 1/ 2 to a large baking dish bottom–then using the balance for the top, the inside front and back, and some under the skin. I roll the chicken in this pan to get total coverage or sprinkle on where necessary. Then to get the closest I could to the grilling experience–I placed it on a rack over a low sided pan so that the heat of the oven could get all around the chicken even the bottom as it cooked. Thereby BAKING that rub taste deeper inside the meat.
The taste of the chicken was really good. The rub held its flavor and no pieces of the chicken nor slices of chicken needed any other seasoning whatsoever. Not salt nor pepper! Nothing! it was delicious!!!
http://forums.cooking.com/showthread.php?p=97628
Rich P
I run a kitchen at a local Country Club and have found this brine to be indispensable for preparing multiple chicken dishes. The depth of flavor and moisture is really amazing. Chicken breasts remain tender and moist coming out of oven. Whole roasted or leg quarters it all works. You can apply whatever additional seasonings or rubs and this only adds layers of flavors…. I do use the brine whenever I’m smoking or grilling at home as well. An excellent product and highly recommended.
Alan D
I love this brine, and won’t smoke another bird without it. From no brine, to my own, to Mad Hunky brine for me is night and day. It’s just a great product. Thank you!! I’m a big fan.
Cheryl in GA
Another great Mad Hunky product. I make and sell smoked chicken salad and have always used the traditional salt/sugar brine for my chicken breasts. I found that a few times they were too salty or just not very tender. After using Rich’s poultry brine I don’t have to worry about oversalting, and the tender, juicy chicken breasts really shine in my end product. I’ve been selling more chicken salad than I can make. Thanks Rich!
Ron Fischer
I tried this for the first time on a large batch of chicken leg quarters. I brined them overnight, then barbecued them over hickory in my charcoal smoker. The next day I smoked the chicken “nekkid” without rub or other seasoning, because i wanted a no-BS evaluation of the brine, and i got it. Outstanding brine, sir! I loved the chicken and the juicy, savory flavor bursting from it. Not a single bit of dryness and, importantly, not a single bit of mushiness from over-brining – if I would have been using a salt-based brine rather than Mad Hunky, the texture would have been soft and unappealing, but thanks to Rich, the texture was just as it should be and juicy as can be. This was easily the best smoked chicken I’ve ever made, and that is entirely thanks to Rich’s brine, with all the awesome flavours that are in it. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Mad Hunky has captured the flavours that bring out the best in poultry here!
Ronnie
I use this for all of my roasted and grilled poultry. My spouse insists that I use this every time–and he asks for my home rotisserie chicken often. For a guy that didn’t used to like chicken much, that is amazing. It is almost impossible to over-brine with this mixture. I put game hens in brine and did not cook them until 18 hours late; they were wonderful, not overly salty, no weird texture or taste, just superb juicy flavor. I must admit, I’ve also overcooked a chick now and again–again, the brine saved the day. What should have been a dry, tasteless bird was still moist and flavorful. I highly recommend this brine.
ED”Q’CATORS BBQ
OK, Rich … Now, I’m a believer! Heard about your amazing poultry brine and bought some from you to fool around with in competition. Well, it IS exactly as advertised…amazing! The ED-‘Q’-CATORS Comp BBQ Team just took 4th place in the incredibly difficult “chicken breast” category out of 107 teams competing at the Roc City Rib Fest / 2012 Empire State BBQ Championships. Your brine is simply stellar…those wonderful Thanksgiving-like flavor profiles (can you say, sage?) truly came through in the chicken breast meat. Normally, I don’t even want to think about chicken breasts in competition because they invariably dry out quickly and frankly, white meat has very little taste. Well, after a 2hr. pre-soak in your brine (skin on) I then employed my regular competition chicken cooking techniques and voila…the most succulent, juicy and flavorful chicken breasts I’ve ever cooked! Thanks for a wonderful product, Rich! I’m going to have to try all your products, now.
pyroman175
This stuff is amazing!!! Made my Thanksgiving turkey the juiciest and most flavorful bird I have ever had!!!
Brian
Love the pork brine. Have you ever cooked a loin and had it be a bit dry?? I am sure we all have…this product will make sure that never happens again!! The flavors of the brine can stand on their own or you can add your own glaze/sauce!! I love the sage and peppery taste that comes through! Say goodbye to dry pork with this product!!
ronnie
I had a few pork steaks, just over 1/2″ thick, that needed cooking (okay, I bought them just to do this, but they still needed cooking). I put my five pork steaks in the brine for 20-30 minutes–I probably should have brined it for longer, say an hour or so, but I was in a hurry. I pulled them out and patted them dry (no other seasoning), then seared them and added a bit of water to get a good braise to get them nice and tender (DH has teeth issues). I planned a gravy with the pan juices, but I decided to try a bit before gravy-making–I wanted the unadulterated flavor of the brined and braised pork. Dang. Oh, man. Talk about tender-melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The brine isn’t over-seasoned, and it will lend itself to adding other seasonings as well, but it is also good enough to stand on its own, without the addition of other herbs and spices. Good stuff, folks, really good stuff. I’d wager it’s the best pork brine I’ve had, and I always brine my chops and steaks. Try it.
D.Y. – Kansas
Love the pork brine. Made some of the best loin chops that I have ever had. My wife almost felt bad in telling me that this made my usually delicious chops significantly moister and better tasting in a head to head challenge. Back to stock up and send some to my brother. This brine made enough of a difference that I want to share it with my family. Dana