C-Dub’s BBQ Rub

Naked Interview with the Makers of C-Dub’s BBQ Rub

Yeah, I know. Cheap attempt to get you to open up this blog article by using the word “Naked…” But you DID open it up in your browser! In any case – I’d like to take time out to introduce to you all… for your “Naked BBQ” enjoyment, Charles and Allegra (Alli) Wilson, purveyors of C-Dub’s BBQ Rub out of Graham, Washington.

The Wilson’s, along with their daughters Snubby Dub (12) and Lil Dub (5), also head up C-Dub’s Corruption BBQ Crew, and will be hitting the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA) circuit this year. (Psst… they’re looking for sponsors, so contact C-Dub’s BBQ Rub if you’re interested!)

These fine folks contacted me - as did John Lynch, from Cripple Creek Barbeque – after I “twittered” about the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup in BBQ sauce. C-Dub was quick to inform me that they use only organic ingredients in their rubs, and this got my attention. So much of the Rubs for sale today are crammed with salt as a filler, that it was nice find another kindred “keep the crap out of our food” spirit out there!

Chicken and C-Dub’s BBQ Rub
Two Great Things that Go Great Together!

Therein Lies the Rub… An Interview with Charles and Alli of C-Dub’s BBQ Rub

I posed a few “probing…” (pun) questions to Charles and Alli over at C-Dub’s BBQ Rub, and they were kind enough to answer them for us here at the BBQ Smoker Site. The following is a transcript of this little Q&A session:

Thanks for taking time out to talk with us a bit about the work you’re doing with C-Dub’s BBQ Rub. BBQ Rubs have been in use a long time, but it’s been only in the last several years that many at home barbecue enthusiasts have become familiar with them in all of their varied forms.

Can you tell us a bit about your personal barbecue background and how rubs came to play such a strong role in what you do?

Both of us have been backyard grillers for years, and we have always used rubs over sauce. Charles (C-Dub) was raised in North Carolina and that is how they did it! Naked-no sauce. Allegra (Alli) grew up in Canada and was used to making things with spices and herbs over sauces. Charle’s family has been big on the rubs and Alli’s passion for ethnic cooking has brought the rub to a different level. All of our ingredients are not your ordinary kind!

Photo: HotSauceDaily.com's Review of C-Dub's BBQ Rub

It’s funny how we got started as a BBQ business. Alli had lost her job of 12 years at working for a large Washington based fortune 500 company, and we decided she should go back to school. While in school she met someone who was taking a Veteran-sponsored small business class. With C-Dub being an Army Veteran, we decided to take it for Alli’s side business of making jewelry.

During the drive to class one night, we were joking about how people were always wanting our ribs, pulled pork or baked beans at parties so we thought, why don’t we just bottle the rub! That was the beginning of C-Dub’s BBQ Rub. It wasn’t planned, it just happened.

We sold for the first time at Puyallup Fair and did quite well. We got all of spices and packaging the day the fair started, and we literally bottled and labeled after the fair opened. We had to process in a “clean” kitchen that was actually a few blocks away from the fair.

Your website states that you guys are fans of “naked” barbecue. Can you explain what this means and how the use of BBQ rubs helps to create premium “naked” ‘cue?

Our saying is “Get Naked” (without sauce). Thats they way C-Dub grew up, and Alli grew accustom to it once we were together. I think the use of rubs is more recognized in the South, not so much in the Northwest.

Funny, we had a phone call one time at 5am asking what type of business we were as our business cards have “Get Naked” printed on them! LOL!

To sauce or not usually are fighting words…so we will say why WE like it and prefer it. We find that with the right combination of spices and herbs, rubs accentuate the flavor of the meat. To us, sauce is covering up a mistake! LOL. We do on occasion use sauce for those who want it. We have also been testing in case we choose to use sauce in competitions.

What are the primary rubs you sell and how would you characterize each one of their flavor profiles? How might someone new to rubs put your products to their highest and best use?

Right now we sell two rubs and have tested a third. C-Dub’s Original Rub is a combination of 12 spices and is savory with a touch of sweetness. Our C-Dub’s VooDoo Rub is a BBQ Rub with a Kick! (Not too spicy, but just right) This one has 13 ingredients, and it has a flavor profile that’s similar to the original, but has a lil’ kick to bring some heat.

We have tested a Hot Wing Rub that went out to several people throughout the US and Canada. We had excellent results with that and will be moving forward with the one tested as well as a “milder” version. The majority of our testers really liked the heat – though there were two people who thought it was too hot and one thought it was not hot enough!

Since we’re only in the testing phase, we have not finalized all of the ingredients. However, we do know that this Hot Wing Rub will have NO SUGAR at all, and it will have a way different flavor profile than our other two rubs. We won’t let the actual spice combination out of the bag, but this Hot Wing Rub provides a really good wing combo. Depending on how much you REALLY like heat, this one has flavor followed by a punch. One of our testers called it Flamethrower!

But if you really like heat and can handle it, you will taste the flavor first and enjoy it. It is really good with Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing to follow up the heat. We tried it two ways when we tested it, in the oven and fried. We even had a couple of testers put it on steak and loved it, and several testers actually grilled and smoked with it.

Here is a review on the Hot Wing rub on a blog called Big Wayner BBQ. Another review of the Hot Wing Rub can be found over at Cyndi Allison’s Barbecue Master Blog, which found the rub to be too spicy! LOL!

For someone new to rubs, hmmmm… I’d probably recommend they try our Original C-Dub’s rub on ribs for the first time. We find the majority of those who buy the rub use it on ribs, both the VooDoo and Original Rub. The preparation is minimal… just rub in the spices and let the meat “sweat” before you put it on the grill. This should render the best results for a newbie!

Are there any “unconventional” recipes you suggest folks try when using your rubs?

All of our “unconventional” recipes come mostly from our fans! On our Facebook page, we have a Reviews Tab and we get a lot of posts there and on our wall of what people use it on. Alli uses it on everything!

We make really good baked beans with the rub – and eggs, too: fried, scrambled, deviled-doesn’t matter which way, as they’re all really good! Some have added it to spaghetti, and we have fans who use it for Taco mix, in Tuna Salad sandwiches, on fries, pot roasts, sweet potatoes, soups and more! For vegetarians, our rubs are excellent on veggies, especially asparagus! Thats all Alli cooks sometimes! Baked or grilled doesn’t matter!

One thing we have to admit, the combination we have come up with for our rubs pretty much compliments all that they’re used on.

The first thing I notice in many store bought rubs is that they pack them full of salt as a main ingredient. Is this true with the rubs that you sell as well?

No, definitely not. Of all the 12-13 spices/herbs that we use, salt and sugar fall in among the bottom 4 ingredients. The Hot Wing rub is sugar free and is actually low in salt. All the salt we use is a type of sea salt. As a principle, we DO NOT use salt as a filler in our products. It is only used to “activate” the other ingredients.

You responded to a blog post I put out there about the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup in BBQ sauce – stating that you guys use only natural ingredients in your rubs. Can you talk to this point, and do you find that there are rubs out there that stray away from a natural ingredient combination?

We are not really sure how we started going All Natural and Organic, but we find that it makes a huge difference in the flavor profile of our products. In our rubs, we only use premium spices that are all natural and organic, so we are a little more pricey than most. The reason for the higher price is that we pay for the finest spices you can buy. We do not use MSG, preservatives, or anti-caking agencies (which are poisonous), and our rubs are gluten free. Our ingredients are purchased from an Organic Certified farm and are sold within 3 months of harvest. As such, our spices do not sit in a warehouse for months waiting to be sold.

I think some manufacturers stray away from natural ingredients due to their cost. It is hard to compete with rubs that sell for a fraction of the price, but we stand by our quality and freshness. Availability could be a reason as well, as some of our ingredients are hard to come by at certain times. We’re fortunate to have a merchant who makes sure she only buys the best for us, and it makes a huge difference. Once people taste and use our rubs, they are willing to pay for the premium spices.

Are you guys involved in sponsoring any BBQ cook teams at this point? If not, do you participate as part of a cook team yourselves?

Right now we are not sponsoring any BBQ teams at this point, as we are going to compete this year ourselves in the Northwest. Our C-Dub’s Corruption BBQ Crew – which includes our two daughters Snubby Dub (12) and Lil Dub (5) - will be competing through the Pacific Northwest BBQ Assoiation. (PNWBA) We actually are looking for sponsors ourselves! : )

Last but not least, how can folks interested in buying C-Dub’s Rub get their hands on some of your fine products?

Right now we have them on our C-Dub’s BBQ Rub website and on our C-Dub’s BBQ Rub Page on Facebook. We have a Buy Now tab on Facebook. We also sell our products to people who contact us through email, phone, etc., as well as during local vending and networking opportunities. We are looking at opportunities to get into retail stores and sell wholesale as well.

Wow – this was a great interview, and I can tell you that C-Dub’s BBQ Rub is worthy of your support by the way they manufacture their products alone! Be sure to check out these additional reviews of C-Dub’s products.

If you’ve used C-Dub’s rub, comment below and tell us what you think of it!