Sweetmom's BBQ Rubs

BBQ RUB

When Elaine Wood Leeper moved to Texas from Buffalo, NY, she knew very little about Barbecue, Chili or the understanding of Texas lingo. Her Dad moved the family to the Lone Star State in the late 1970's. Soon, they became involved with the many weekend Texas Chili cook offs held across the state. Elaine, at her Daddy's side became intrigued with flavors and spices for making the perfect blend.  The Chili Fever was on as she explored with her Dad  the many different blends that are use to create a great bowl of Chili.

Chili and Barbecue share several common denominators. Spices being one of perhaps the most important followed by flavors created through smoked aromas coming from outdoor cooking using various wood blends. Like politics, many can argue and debate every step creating either, but the end results must always lead to great taste.  In time, Elaine was mastering the flavor toward preparing a great bowl of chili. Expanding her groove, she began conquering the techniques and spices for making superb barbecue.

In 1989, working as a property manager on the west side of Houston, Texas, she met the native born Texan, Andrew "Andy" Leeper.   Andy,  born in San Antonio had grown up in there Houston, Texas area.  Andy was a resident at the apartments where Elaine managed and soon, their relationship blossom.   Andy states "She fell for the handsome charming resident," confessing that Elaine likely would say she fell for the guy who always paid his rent two weeks early.


As a property manager working many weekends, she hung out with her father-in-law during the week. "Elaine got the barbecue bug from my dad, Allen "Big Al" Leeper who now is retired living in Leaky, Texas," states Andy.  "In Texas, barbecue is a tradition.  Big Al lived in Missouri City, Texas back then which edges the Houston west side city limits. He was a member of a distinguished competition Barbecue Cook-Off Team where Elaine redirected her interest from Chili towards barbecue. Even when they were not cooking, the aroma of fire wood was burning.  Big  Al would say,  'Just smelling the smoke.'

As time past, the family grew finding Big Al taking time to be grandpa, (PAW PAW) as the grand kids called him. Elaine adopted Paw Paw's methods with her new learned skills. Perfecting the flavor of great tasting mouth watering barbecue. During those years, she tried many different rubs sold by local super markets. Unhappy with the offerings of those off the shelf blends from the local grocery stores, she decided to make her own building the perfect ingredients, all through trail and error until she reached perfection.

Like the days of Big Al's regime in the social network of Texas best barbecue, she too developed the reputation as Mom's barbecue creating the formulated blends of rubs for beef, pork, poultry and seafood. Soon, friends of friends came asking for her special blends and recipes. One friend took her blends to a major Texas Barbecue Competition winning 1st place with his ribs and 3rd place with the brisket entry. The demand for her rubs grew as well many others were placing in the major league of BBQ competitions with pork and chicken included.

One friend told her "You should sell this stuff" after several years of making it solely for her friends who kept placing amongst the win, place and show of the barbecue competitive circle. So she did, today marketing four special blends. Her great selection of spicy blends each sold in one pound bags.

Sweetmom's Famous BBQ Rub - Enjoy the BIG Taste of Texas with Sweetmom's Prize-Winning BBQ Rub. This rub goes great on Ribs, Brisket, Burgers, Pork Butts/Roasts, Chicken, and even Seafood! Sprinkle some on shrimp for a tasty treat!

Sweetmom's Duck Creek Poultry Rub - It gives Chicken, Turkey and even Duck that great Texas flavor. Add and apply a good amount of Sweetmom's to your bird. Work it in under the skin as much as possible for the best flavor.

Brisket Rub - When you have to have the BEST brisket possible, use Sweetmom's South Texas Brisket Rub! This Rub has the perfect balance of flavor and tenderizers to give you a Blue Ribbon brisket. It also goes great on fajitas, hamburgers, and steaks!

Citrus Rub - Want something that's different? The Sweetmom's Padre Island Citrus rub packs a punch? It's great on anything! Packed with citrus peppers, natural juices, and tangy sweetness, this one is great on just about anything you can think of!

Texas Barbecue Cowboy and Chuck Wagon Cooking

We tried Sweetmom's South Texas Brisket Rub preparing brisket sides beef cuts. Our first step is having the beef cuts at room temperature resting. Next taking a terry cloth towel and damp dry any excess juice from the meat. I never trim any fats as this aids in keeping a prime cut juicy. I then rub down the whole beef cut with olive oil followed by the spice rub provided by Sweetmom's. I gave it a healthy rub on each side.

With our Grill ready for the meat, we quickly sear each side at 350 degrees (F) then laying each piece on aluminum wrap sealing the beef cuts. Yes we can begin to argue this point saying the best barbecue brisket requires to cook very slow and will take over 12 hours to do so. However, not if it's wrapped cooking in its own natural juices sealed in along with the perfect blended rub. It's a household trick that my wife has done for years ending with the same results of tender juicy BBQ. We then slowed cooked each cut for about two hours with the temperature reduced to about 250 to 275 degrees (F) and moved the meat to cook using indirect heat. The searing is important to help lock in the juices of the meat while the final slow cooking technique allows the meat to cook while using its natural juices to assist keeping the meat tender.

Once cooked, we removed the meat unwrapping the foil and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Each piece was juicy, savvying the mouth watering full flavor barbecue taste that Sweetmom's promise with their perfect blend of rubs. The results were better than hopeful earning our joy of award winning taste.

Perhaps the nations largest barbecue cook off is held at the Houston, Texas during the Stock Show and Rodeo. I asked Andy if he had any entries in the world championship cook off, where he stated he wasn't aware of any but did know that in eleven of twelve entries this year, their rub has won something in the entered events. Their next cook-off is on the 26th of March in Rosenberg, Texas benefiting the Rosenberg Masonic Lodge. Elaine may not have been born in Texas to learn the qualities of great brisket or Texas lingo but we're glad she got here as fast as she has making her Texas blends of quality Barbecue rubs. Her quest found when perfecting her Sweetmom blends. For more information on Sweetmom's BBQ Rubs visit there web site or order on line at http://www.sweetmomsbbqrub.com/

Cowboy Cooking   Texas BBQ Brisket