Kick up your grilling game with the best BBQ rub mixture. Made from simple pantry spices and sugar, this blend is truly unique and wonderful. It just takes a minute to make up a batch that you can use for several tasty recipes.
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BBQ seasoning rubs are usually made up of 2 different flavor profiles- salty and sweet. This is what makes them so great for so many things. The salt helps to tenderize the meat the mix was rubbed on while the sweet helps to add flavors and caramelization that works well with most meats as well.
This is the Best BBQ Rub Recipe
You’re going to love this BBQ spice rub because it’s got the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and spice that can work with anything from chicken to beef. Add it to your next pork roast, lamb chops, or chicken breasts and it’s going to taste great whether you cook it on the stove, in the oven, or on the grill. Adding your BBQ spice-rubbed meats to a smoker is also a great way to enhance flavors and really make them irresistible.
Homemade BBQ Rub Ingredients
- Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Powder
- Ground Cloves
How to make the Best BBQ Rub Recipe
- In a container or bowl, combine all of the ingredients until the mix is well blended. Taste it and adjust to your own liking. For more spice, increase the cayenne pepper, or for less spice decrease the chili powder or cayenne.
- To use the mix, just rub it into your meats of choice and allow to sit for a few hours or overnight. Cook as usual.
How to use Homemade BBQ Rub
When you’ve selected your cut of meat make sure that it is thawed.
How do you get dry rub to stick?
Pat dry the meat with a paper towel if needed to remove any moisture and make the meat nice and dry. This will help to get the seasonings to stay in place.
Then take your mixture of BBQ rub and add some to the meat. You may not need an entire batch of this spice blend, so make sure to just add it in batches as needed. With your hands rub the BBQ seasoning blend into the meat, working it well into the nooks, crannies, and crevices on the meat.
To keep your hands from getting too messy while applying the dry BBQ rub, try the two-hand method. One hand adds the seasoning to the meat as needed while the other one massages it into place. Now you won’t have to worry about meaty juices and spice-clumped hands holding your container and making a bigger mess to clean up later. Win-win.
While you can cook the meat right away, I recommend letting it sit for a few hours or overnight as it will help to tenderize and flavor the meat the longer that the rub sits there.
BBQ Seasoning Recipe storage
Keep the mixture stored in an airtight container when not in use. I like to keep mine in mason jars with fitted lids and rings. This also makes it easier to spoon out and use when needed.
Best BBQ Seasoning FAQs
BBQ rub is a blend of seasonings, salt, and spices that create a meat tenderizer and flavor enhancer to make any meaty piece taste good. This blend works well with everything from beef or pork ribs to chicken wings and anything in between. If you have a steak or cut of meat you want to be nice and tender, rub this blend on it and let it sit for a few hours before cooking. It should be soft and flavorful with every bite.
If you don’t have brown sugar you can use white granulated sugar in its place. To make your own DIY brown sugar just use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses and blend together. Then use the amount requested in the recipe card.
While you could omit the molasses, you really want the sweetness because it helps to caramelize the meats and give a nice cooked crust to seal in the juices. If you want a wet rub, you could also swap out the sugar for honey or maple syrup but it won’t store as well as a dry rub mixture.
Yes, absolutely! I do this all of the time and recommend it! Season your meats with the rub and let them sit for a few hours to tenderize. Cook as per normal to get a good juicy cut of meat and then finish it off with BBQ sauce towards the end. You can use your favorite sauce whether homemade or storebought and it’s sure to taste fantastic!
For most recipes, it is not necessary to let the dry rub sit on the meat before grilling. If you wanted to let it sit on a larger cut of meat like a tri tip or brisket, overnight would be a good length of time.
A BBQ rub is a mixture of dry spices, herbs, and seasonings that is applied to meat before cooking. The rub is usually rubbed onto the surface of the meat to create a flavorful crust. BBQ seasoning, on the other hand, is a more versatile blend of spices and herbs that can be used both as a dry rub and as a seasoning for sauces, marinades, and other dishes.
BBQ dry rub is used for seasoning and flavoring meat before cooking, grilling, or smoking.
Yes, it is possible to leave dry rub on meat for too long. Dry rubs are an excellent way to add flavor to meat but they also contain salt which can draw out moisture and create dry, tough meat.
It's best to apply dry rubs to meat no more than a few hours before cooking. For larger cuts of meat like brisket or pork shoulder, it's okay to apply the rub the night before, but not much earlier than that.
For the best flavor combination, yes, both sugar and salt should be used in a dry rub.
Sugar is a great way to enhance the other spice flavors in the dry rub. It also caramelizes as the meat cooks which adds an additional layer of flavor to whatever it is you're making.
It depends on the ingredients you buy and what BBQ rub you'd normally purchase. Usually yes, it is cheaper to make your own BBQ rub.
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Homemade BBQ Rub
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to your preference)
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Taste adjust to your liking. For more spice, increase the amount of cayenne pepper. For less spice, decrease the amount of chili powder and/or cayenne pepper.
- Store in an airtight container. I usually make a lot at once and keep it in a couple mason jars.
- To use, rub into meat you want to season. Let sit for a couple hours or overnight. Cook as usual. Pairs great with any BBQ sauce!
Alli
Great gift idea!