Here's my go-to all-purpose BBQ spice rub recipe (aka barbecue rub) that works for a multitude of cooking methods from grilling to smoking, and rotisserie to roasting. Use it with chicken, pork ribs, fish and seafood, potatoes and veggies, you name it! It's a super-versatile all-purpose seasoning. Homemade means you control the ingredients so it's easily customizable. Skip the pre-made rubs and make your own dry rub with classic bbq flavors.
I developed my BBQ spice blend (also called a dry rub) more than a decade ago and finally published it for friends who love to grill, so I hope you'll enjoy it too. It really is all purpose! Sprinkle or rub generously onto whatever is going on the grill, the smoker, into the oven, or air fryer.
This spice blend is your go-to friend. If you (like me) prefer to create your own "stuff" and control the ingredients, making homemade BBQ spice rub is easy and customizable.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- You control the salt, heat level, and sweet level.
- Usable in so many ways.
- Lasts 6 months in an airtight container stored away from light.
- It's similar to blackening seasoning, cajun seasoning, and creole seasoning, easily used interchangeably.
For another homemade spice blend, try my homemade taco seasoning to make ground beef taco filling.
What's a BBQ Rub?
A BBQ rub or dry rub is a seasoning blend of salt, spices, herbs, and sugar. Grill and smoker aficionados swear by bbq rub to add flavor and enhance color. For smoked meats, a BBQ rub helps develop a desirable bark, that lovely, crusty, flavorful outer layer that is so prized among pellet grill and smoker fans.
A wet rub is like a dry rub but it has a wet component such as oil, vinegar, beer, a spirit such as bourbon, orange juice or pineapple juice, mustard or mayo. They're good partners.
BBQ Spice Rub Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this BBQ spice rub. Find spices at most grocery stores and online from online spice stores.
- Smoked paprika: For an earthy, savory, smoky flavor.
- Granulated garlic: Granulated is coarser in texture than garlic powder, but both are made from pure, dehydrated garlic. For great flavor. Look at the bottle to see what the texture is because the names vary.
- Brown sugar: For a little caramelization and sweetness. Use either light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or a coarse brown sugar like turbinado.
- Ground cumin: For it's earthy, slightly spiced flavor common in spice blends.
- Ground coriander: A great partner for cumin, with a lightly lemony flavor.
- Onion powder: Another savory flavor builder.
- Ancho chili powder: This is pure chili powder, not the blend called chili powder.
- Ground black pepper: For some heat. Smoked black pepper is good too.
- Chipotle pepper: For more heat! Made from smoked jalapeno peppers, it adds to the smoky flavor along with the smoked paprika.
But what about the salt? See my notes below, and please see the recipe card for measurements.
Instead of plain paprika on top of creamy deviled eggs, use this BBQ rub. It's a flavorful garnish.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you prefer salt in your BBQ rub, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
- Substitute regular sweet paprika for smoked paprika.
- Use a smoked salt, either in the rub recipe or when you salt your meat.
- To substitute garlic powder (which is finer) for granulated garlic, use ¾ as much.
- Substitute cayenne pepper for chipotle pepper, and for more heat, add more to your liking but be careful.
- Add dried herbs such as dried thyme or dried oregano, try 2-3 teaspoons and crush it in your hands before adding.
- No coriander? Skip it and use a little more cumin.
- Switch coconut sugar or golden monk fruit blend for the brown sugar.
- Want it sweeter? Add more brown sugar.
Use this dry rub in place of plain paprika in this easy, creamy smoked salmon dip.
What About Salt?
The first ingredient in most dry rubs is salt. While salt is critical for flavor in cooking, I leave the salt out of my BBQ spice rub. Why? For more control. I prefer to salt my meat separately or whatever it is I am preparing.
Another reason is that many folks are salt-sensitive or on a medically restrictive diet, so this gives them a great, versatile dry rub option.
What kind of salt should I add if I want to? Most people use kosher salt for it's coarse and crunchy texture in dry rubs or BBQ spice rubs. You can also use fine pink sea salt BUT please read on...
My Preferred Salt and Why
You will find two primary kinds of salt in my kitchen: coarse kosher salt and fine pink salt. The first is a Mediterranean coarse kosher sea salt for it's texture and clean flavor. It's also what I use for brining and salting water for blanching, boiling, brining, and sometimes salting meat. Another great kosher salt is this mined pink kosher salt.
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The other salt I use is this fine, clean, pink mined ancient sea salt. These are my workhorse salts.
If you want to add salt to the rub versus using it separately, you can use them in equal amounts as they weight almost the same, gram for gram (I weighed a tablespoon of each).
Recipe Instructions
Add all of the spices to a jar and shake well, label and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 6 months.
Where not to store spices? In full light, on top of your stove, beside the stove, or above the range. Heat and light makes the flavors and strength of the spices degrade more quickly.
How to Use BBQ Spice Rub
Use BBQ rub on raw proteins, such as chicken, turkey, ribs, pork tenderloin and chops, seafood, burgers and beef. Use them as a finishing seasoning for vegetables, potatoes, and flavoring vinaigrettes, dressings, and marinades. They are multi-purpose and versatile.
Try out these recipes with my BBQ rub recipe:
- Baby back ribs. Rub the ribs both top and under sides with a generous amount of dry rub. I start the night before to allow the flavors to develop (but you don't have to). I'm trying to get my 3-2-1 pellet grill baby back ribs recipe out this summer.
- Grilled shrimp tacos.
- Blackened air fryer mahi mahi (recipe out soon!).
- Baked bone-in chicken breasts (or pellet grill).
- Air fryer roasted red potatoes.
- It's wonderful on buttered popcorn!
- Use it just about any where you would use paprika.
- Add it to a marinade with olive oil and citrus juices.
- Use BBQ spice rub for rotisserie chicken.
- A jar makes a great gift for your grilling and pellet grill friends!
The photo below is a dry rub coated whole chicken I put on the rotisserie. Comes out fantastic! The trick to getting the rub to stick is smearing the bird with just a little mayonnaise to start, then coating well with the dry rub.
Serving Suggestions
Need some side dishes? Depending on what you've made with BBQ rub, try this cool, refreshing tropical pineapple mango salsa or a creamy avocado dip that doubles as a sauce.
For a classic summer side for grilled chicken and ribs, try these made from scratch Boston Baked Beans and a side of lightly creamy homemade coleslaw. Mediterranean potato salad is always a hit too.
Since dry rub is often used for grilled foods, make your own gluten-free BBQ sauce too. Delicious and made in minutes!
Recipe FAQs
A dry rub is a blend of dry spices, herbs, sugar, and usually salt used to flavor foods. There is no liquids and no oil like marinades and sauces. You can leave out the salt to control the amount of salt used in a recipe and instead, salt the meat or seafood separately. Dry rubs are super versatile, fun to use, easy to create at home, and give recipes lots of flavor.
One of the main concern with purchased dry rubs is the level of salt. Many are mostly salt with little else. You've got to read labels. The first few ingredients listed are what the rub is mainly made of, and it often starts with salt. Another concern is preservatives, gluten or other allergens, and ingredients to make rubs flow and not clump. Making dry rubs at home eliminates these challenges.
You can use dry rubs on vegetables too. Use them to season the vegetables after cooking as you would salt or toss, spray, or lightly coat the vegetables with a little oil and toss with the dry rub before cooking. Be careful with high heat as you don't want to burn the spices.
Watch the salt levels in rubs so your food is not overly salty. Making dry rubs at home allows you to control or eliminate the amount salt. Also, spices can burn with too high heat. Watch your cooking and grilling temperatures and timing so dry rubbed food does not burn, especially with a direct contact method of cooking.
Recipes To Try With Dry Rub
Dry rubs are fun to play with to bring a new dimension of flavors to recipes. Wherever you use a spice blend, experiment with a dry rub.
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📖 Recipe
BBQ Spice Rub Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons granulated garlic or 1 ½ T. of garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar or golden monk fruit blend
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper or smoked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
Optional: Salt
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
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Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into a jar with a tight lid and shake hard until well combined. Label and date when you made it and store in a cool dark pantry or cabinet. Will last 4-6 months.
Notes
- Like it spicier? Add more chipotle powder, cayenne pepper, or some sharp (hot) paprika.
- If you use garlic powder instead of granulated garlic, start with half the amount as it is finer.
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