If there were official Barbecue Pitmaster titles like MW, Ray “Dr. BBQ” Lampe would be a 
prime contender. The Chicago native and seasoned competition griller has authored four cookbooks (Dr. BBQ’s Big Time Barbecue Cookbook, Dr. BBQ’s Barbecue All Year Long! Cookbook, Dr. BBQ’s Big Time Barbecue Road Trip and The NFL Gameday Cookbook), teaches BBQ classes all over the country and serves as executive chef at Southern Hospitality, a Memphis-style barbecue joint in NYC (claim to fame: Tennessee native Justin Timberlake is a co-owner). With Fourth of July approaching, the grill guru offers up some of the restaurant’s summer rub recipes—some sweet, some savory—as well as tips on budgeting, keeping it healthy and barbecuing in the city.
Three Summer Rub Recipes
All recipes and tips courtesy of Ray Lampe.
Typical BBQ Rub
“This is a typical BBQ Rub. It works well on any food for smoking or grilling.”
½ cup salt
½ cup Sugar In The Raw (Turbinado Sugar)
¼ cup granulated brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients, mix well, and store in an airtight container.
Yields 1½ cups.
Coffee and Chili Rub
“This is a unique rub that’s great on grilled pork chops, pork tenderloin, and steak.”
¼ cup ground coffee
¼ cup Sugar In The Raw (turbinado sugar)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and store in an airtight container.
Yields about ¾ cup.
Dr. BBQ’s Dessert Rub
“This rub is perfect for grilled pineapple, peaches, or thick sliced kiwi. Try splashing the fruit with a little Rum before applying.”
½ cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and store in an airtight container.
Yields about ¾ cup.
Suggested Wine Pairings
Wine need not take a back seat to beer on the 4th. Here are some of Ray’s favorite pairings:
“Brancott Sauvignon Blanc with our hot wings. With the Southern Hospitality Rib Sampler, a big Zinfandel from California. And with BBQ chicken a smoky Fume’ Blanc or an Esser Pinot Noir.”
Healthier Grilling
1. “Include grilled veggies. Marinate yellow squash, zucchini, pepper rings and portabellas in Italian dressing and grill quickly to make a tasty and healthy side dish.”
2. “Use leaner cuts. When you choose the meats for the barbecue skip the ribs and burgers and go for the pork tenderloin or seafood for a delicious but healthier main course.”
3. “Combine. When your family just has to have that steak or sausage at their barbecue, make it a mixed grill and add in a leaner choice like chicken breast to cut the fat.”
4. “Add a salad. A simple salad is always a great addition and allows you to serve the less healthy things in smaller portions.”
5. “Grill fresh fruit. Skip the pie and ice cream and grill fresh fruit for dessert and use yogurt for dipping. Pineapple and peaches do very well on the grill.”
Budget Barbecues
1. “Cook what’s on sale. Choose your menu using what’s on sale that week instead of the high priced items. If chicken legs are on sale, grill them up and everyone will enjoy your bargain.”
2. “Make it from scratch. Instead of buying expensive pre-made coleslaw or potato salad, get the cookbook out and make that old favorite.”
3. “Use real plates and silverware. Use the real plates instead of paper and the guests will be impressed while you’re saving money on paper goods.”
4. “Keep it in your backyard. We all love to go to the beach but you can save gas and other costs by inviting everyone to your house instead.”
5. “Use those coupons. There are always coupons for condiments, hot dogs and sodas available so clip them and save some money.”
And If You’re Stuck in the City
1. “Of course if you can use charcoal your food will taste better but the 10-foot rule and the garden hose are always a good idea wherever you are. There are some very good new electric grills coming out that are specifically aimed at city dwellers living with these types of restrictions.”
2. “Look for one with a high heat output and you should be OK for grilling steaks and burgers. If you want to get serious about cooking some real slow smoked BBQ there are electric options too that work very well.”
3. “Look for the Cookshack Smokette for a great little city-friendly smoker that really cooks great ribs, pork shoulders and beef brisket. These are the little brothers to the smokers we use at Southern Hospitality.”
4. “A good BBQ rub always enhances the flavor of the grilled food and it helps brown the meat if your little balcony-safe grill doesn’t get as hot as you’d like. An interesting marinade can make any dish special in the absence of that hot grilled char.”
5. “Check out all the exciting private label BBQ sauces that are now available everywhere. A great sauce can make any grilled or smoked meal special.”