BBQ Spice Rub
This homemade BBQ spice rub is a versatile blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika and a few other spice cabinet staples. It's easy to make, keeps for months, and perfect for adding rich barbecue flavor to pork and chicken, fish, seafood, and beef.
Servings: 36 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Instructions
Makes 3/4 cup
- Thoroughly break up any clumps in the brown sugar with your fingers, then sift it through a strainer for an even, granular texture. Doing this will ensure it blends evenly with the other ingredients.
- Add the salt, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, dry mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Combine thoroughly and transfer to a tightly covered container until ready to use.
How to use this rub:
- Whether you're cooking pork, chicken, steak, or seafood, you'll want to coat each piece on all sides with the rub and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to massage it in a bit. Set your meat aside for 30 minutes after applying the rub to allow the flavor to infuse the meat before cooking.
Notes
Yield: This rub recipe makes approximately 2/3 cup.
STORAGE TIPS: Provided the individual ingredients are fresh when you make your rub, this rub (and most other spice rubs) can be stored for up to six months before they begin to lose their flavor. Just pack them in a tightly sealed jar and store them in a cool, dry pantry or cabinet, away from bright light.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ideas for switching up the flavor profile of our BBQ spice rub. Each one replaces the smoked paprika with a blend of other herbs and spices. SOUTHWEST SPICE RUB: For pork, chicken, and beef. Replace the smoked paprika with: 1 teaspoon of chipotle chile powder (or more to taste), 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin & coriander, and oregano, and a pinch of ground allspice. ZESTY HERB RUB: For poultry, pork, fish, and seafood. Replace the smoked paprika with: 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary, and a 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander. CARIBBEAN SPICE RUB: For pork, chicken, and fish. Replace the smoked paprika with: 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg and ground ginger.Nutrition
Serving: 1teaspoon | Calories: 8 | Sodium: 101mg | Carbohydrates: 2g | Sugar: 1g