The Secrets to a Great Dry Rub Recipes

The "Cookin' Cousins" believe that a rub is one of the six secrets to a great barbecue! Here are some of our favorites, gleaned from a collection of recipes written on scraps of paper, passed down from goodness knows who, and years of trial and error.

You want a rub with nothing more than a couple of spices, or a grand mixture of complimentary flavors? We like to keep it simple, and share these proven dry rub recipes, to ensure your backyard barbecue notoriety!

You want a wet or dry rub? We normally use a dry rub, as there is less mess. If you want the rub to stick better to a dryer meat, just use good ol' inexpensive table mustard, slathered liberally on the meat, then sprinkle plenty of dry rub all over and around the meat. The mustard does not impart a flavor (as it cooks out) and leaves a nice, tasty coating.

NOTE: You can start with one of these great dry rub recipes, but do not let the simplicity of these basic dry rubs fool you. They are classic recipes that work wonderfully, and you can adjust the ingredients (as the "pros" do) to make it "yours".

Brisket Rubs Texas-Style

Bob's Killer Pork Dry Rub

Rick's Dry Rub for ribs

Tony's Chicken Rub

Barbecue Dry Rub Recipe Secrets

1. You need fresh spices and herbs. Buy the best quality, fresh spices you can find. Many of our barbecue recipes call for a dry rub, and we've learned to use the best, and freshest, spices available. There is a huge difference between the old, been-in-the-cupboard-way-to-long, "buck a bottle" spices, and the better, fresh stuff (one important difference between a "tenderfoot", and top competitors).

   As an example, and for award winning results, we like to use fresh ground, dry chili pods vs. "chili powder" for many of our special recipes, however, fresh chili powder works very well.

   You can review our "6 Secrets for Smoking Meat" in detail at our "The 6 Secrets" page.

2. You want to grind your own spices? Why not? You can't get any fresher than that, and hey, it's your reputation! Use a manual spice grinder, or mortar and pestle, for best results. We prefer to "coarse" grind spices, as this imparts more flavor during cooking. Electric grinders are OK, if there is a good "coarse" grind feature, to prevent over-processing of the spice.

3. You can use a proven ratio of ingredients; at first, anyway. Dry rub recipes, used by top competitors, often start with two basic ingredients, sugar and salt. You then add spices at a ratio known as the 8, 2, 1, 1, rub. It works! Like this: 8 tbsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. salt, 1 tbsp. ground pepper, etc. We use little or no sugar in our poultry rub recipes, but that's our taste.

4. You should use darker sugars, and course (kosher) salt for the best dry rub recipes. This is a competitor's edge.

5. A rub must be worked in (absorbed), and this does not mean it needs to be rubbed into the meat. Rubs are applied liberally to moist, thawed meat (and under the skin of fowl) at least an hour, and preferably up to a day or two, before hitting the fire. This allows the rub's ingredients to mix with the meat's natural juices, effectively marinading without the muss!

   Wrap the meat in plastic wrap (or place in a sealed, non-reactive container), and put it back into the refrigerator; pull meat out about an hour before cooking to allow it to warm up prior to cooking. No sense in wasting fuel!

6. You have dry meat (little or no fat)? Use any brand of yellow table mustard, slather it all over the meat and then apply the rub. The mustard imparts no flavor (cooks out), but holds your barbecue rub against the meat for exceptional results!

You can add or subtract spices/herbs to your liking, and if you stay with just the "competitor's ratio" for rubs, you'll always have a winner! Experiment, have fun.

Sometimes when time is a factor, or we feel just a little lazy, we'll use nothing more than lemon pepper as a rub for our birds. It's great!

Barbecue rubs are generally used when "barbecuing" vs. "grilling". Barbecuing is the traditional method of roasting meat over a low temperature heat source, with hardwood smoke. Grilling uses high, smokeless heat, and renders most sugar based dry rubs ineffective! It burns. Period.

We barbecue using the indirect cooking method to attain that incredible smoked, moist, cooked to perfection result that alludes so many! The heat is kept low and the meat is cooked slow. Patience pays big dividends!

Barbecue Rib Rub Recipe

NOTE: This recipe works for any beef or pork you wish to barbecue.

Mix together thoroughly the following:

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed). We prefer "turbinado" sugar for ease of use, but either works fine.
• 1/4 cup paprika (Hungarian)
• 3 tblsp ground pepper (fresh peppercorns recently ground)
• 1 tblsp cup coarse kosher or sea salt.
• 1 tblsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1 tblsp dried onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Barbecue Chicken Rub Recipe

Mix together thoroughly the following:

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed). Use "turbinado" sugar for ease of use, but either works fine.
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika (Hungarian, if you can get it)
• 3 tblsp kosher (or sea) salt
• 1 tblsp ground pepper (fresh peppercorns recently ground!)
• 1 tblsp garlic powder or 2 tblsp granulated (not garlic salt)
• 1 tblsp onion powder
• 1 tblsp chili powder (no, it will not be "hot")
• 1 tblsp cayenne pepper

For more fun, experiment with adding one or more of the following:

• Cumin
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Coriander
• Tellicherry black, Muntok white, Green and Pink peppercorns
• Rosemary
• Sage

Using a barbecue pork recipe? Try this sure-fire winner!

Barbecue Pork Rub Recipe

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Paprika
• 2 tblsp coarse Salt (sea or kosher)
• 2 tblsp Black Pepper
• 1 tblsp Cayenne Pepper
• 4 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp Onion Powder
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Thyme Powder
• 2 tsp Sage
• 2 tsp Coriander Powder

Mix well. Apply liberally.

Remember, for great barbecue rubs, use fresh ingredients!

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