If Your Seasoning Isn't Sticking To Ribs, Here's The Tasty Fix

If you want to make fall-off-the-bone ribs, but haven't smoked or grilled your own rack, you are probably experiencing information overload. There are so many ways you can prepare ribs: Spritzing, cutting off the membrane, wet rub, dry rub, wrapped in tinfoil, pre-cooked in a pressure cooker, and the 3-2-1 method. There's also a whole lot of opinions on what the "right way" or "wrong way" to prepare your ribs for cooking is.

One point of contention that comes up in pitmaster and BBQ circles is the application of a dry rub. When applying a dry rub, the goal is to keep the rub on the meat throughout the cooking process, allowing the outer layer to develop a satisfying crunchy texture and a flavor explosion from the rub. However, depending on how you cook your ribs, sometimes handling them or placing them in foil to finish can leave the rub smudged or flaked off by the time you're done flipping and cooking. 

This is where a "binder" comes in, and many BBQ enthusiasts have a strong preference for a simple yellow mustard as the most flavorful and dependable binder for their rib dry rub. One of the best reasons for using mustard as a binder comes from TikToker @HowToBBQRight, who mentions that the yellow color of the mustard allows you to spread the dry rub across the rib rack evenly and stands out if you miss a spot. That's honestly kind of genius, since the reddish colors of most dry rubs and the ribs themselves can blend easily. 

And let it be known that mustard isn't the only binder in town. Countless YouTube channels and BBQ enthusiasts have gotten scientific about the argument over which binder is best, with many claiming that just a little water is enough to make the dry rub stick — and that's all you ever need. Meanwhile, others dislike the flavor the mustard adds to the ribs and prefer a more neutral option, such as extra-virgin olive oil. Some pitmasters claim Worcestershire sauce as the best binder, bringing out that deep umami flavor. It ultimately comes down to personal preference.

So whichever binding option you choose, feel free to experiment. No rule says you have to cook up ribs only once, and ribs can be cooked in so many different ways and with so many variations that you're bound to land on one that you'll fall in love with. Mustard is a great sauce that can help kickstart your passion for preparing ribs, and you probably have a big bottle in your fridge already. So have at it and get out that dry rub!