There are thousands of BBQ rubs on the market, and I’ve bought more of them than I care to admit. This homemade BBQ rub recipe is the one that made me mostly stop. It’s built on a simple balance of salt, sugar, and two kinds of paprika, and it works on pork shoulder, ribs, poultry, and even fish.
The best part is how easy it is to adjust. Want it sweeter? Bump the brown sugar. Like more heat? The cayenne is your dial. I’ll show you exactly how below.
What Are BBQ Rubs Made Of?
Homemade BBQ dry rub recipes have three main components, the first being salt. Salt is by far and away the most important seasoning in this rub. More to come on that.
The next component for this homemade BBQ rub recipe is a sweet element. This is achieved by using sugar. You’ll notice I use two different types of sugar — I’ll explain why later.
Finally, color. I use two different paprikas in this rub. Sweet paprika adds very little flavor, its inclusion is all about the brilliant color it adds. Smoked paprika on the other hand, adds a really nice flavor to the rub.
Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own BBQ Rub?
Absolutely! I’ll be honest, there are some really good pre-made rubs on the market. Some I would even say are exceptional. But the price is ridiculous.
It’s not uncommon to see some of the “big name” rubs go for $10 to $14 per bottle. Too rich for my blood in most cases, so following this homemade BBQ dry rub recipe is infinitely cheaper.
In full disclosure, there are a few pre-made rubs that I pony up the asking price for, but not many. I enjoy the process of making and sampling my own.
In fact, if you’re looking for a fun evening, try mixing up a few different versions of your favorite spice blends. Add them to small pieces of meat and do a tasting event with friends.
I’d recommend getting the ingredients at one of the wholesale suppliers, Costco, Sam’s Club, etc. They’re much cheaper that way.
Homemade BBQ Rub Ingredients
- Salt: Be sure you’re using Kosher salt, and not table salt. Kosher salt is much less “salty” than table salt. It’s also important to know which brand of salt you’re using. Morton’s for example, is much more salty than Diamond Crystal, so be aware.
- Sugar: I use both brown sugar and standard granulated white sugar in this rub. You could also use turbinado sugar in place of the granulated sugar. The reason I use both is for flavor and appearance. Both sugars add sweetness; but the brown also adds flavor given its molasses content. I don’t use all brown sugar (I’ve tried it that way) but find it throws off the flavor profile of the sweet / savory mix.
- Paprika: Like the sugars, I use two different types of paprika. The sweet paprika is really just for color (like on the pork shoulder below) and doesn’t add much flavor at all. The smoked paprika adds both color and flavor. I don’t use all smoked paprika for reasons similar to not using all brown sugar; it’s too overpowering.
How Much BBQ Rub to Use
A good starting point is about one tablespoon of rub per pound of meat. That’s enough to build a flavorful crust without turning the surface into a salt lick.
For larger cuts like a pork shoulder, be generous. All that surface area needs coverage, and a lot of the rub renders off during a long cook. For thinner cuts like chicken thighs or fish, go lighter. There’s less meat under the surface to balance the seasoning.
Apply the rub to a dry surface, pat the meat down with a paper towel first, then coat evenly on all sides. You don’t need a binder like mustard or oil, but a thin layer won’t hurt anything if that’s your habit.
For ribs and pork shoulder, I like to apply the rub 30 minutes to an hour before cooking so the salt can start working its way in. For poultry and fish, right before they hit the grill is fine.
Homemade BBQ Rub FAQs
Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, this rub is safe to use for months. I recommend using it within 6 weeks because that’s when the flavor is at its peak. After that the spices start to fade, and you made this rub for the flavor.
No, and this one matters. Table salt is much denser than kosher salt, so a half cup of it will make this rub way too salty. This recipe is built on Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using Morton’s, cut the salt in half. You can read more about the difference in my Diamond Crystal vs Morton’s breakdown.
Not much, honestly. A rub is just a seasoning blend applied generously to the surface of meat before cooking, usually with enough sugar and salt to build a crust, or bark, during a long cook. Seasonings tend to be finer and used in smaller amounts.
You can, but it changes what the rub does. The sugar is what caramelizes into that bark on ribs and pork shoulder. If you’re cutting sugar, leave everything else the same and expect more of a savory crust than a sweet one. Skip the sugar-free version on anything cooked hot and fast, since there’s nothing to balance the salt and heat.
Coat both sides evenly, about one tablespoon per pound. A full rack of spare ribs usually takes 3 to 4 tablespoons. Don’t cake it on. If you can’t see any meat through the rub after it sweats in, you’ve used too much.
How To Make Homemade BBQ Rub
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: N/A | Serves: N/A
Ingredients
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ cup sweet paprika
2 ½ tbsp garlic powder
2 ½ tbsp onion powder
2 ½ tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but recommended)
Step 1: Add all ingredients for the rub into a medium sized mixing bowl or food processor.
Step 2: Pulse the food processor several times to mix and ensure no clumps of brown sugar remain. Using a whisk in a mixing bowl is also fine, but the brown sugar might be challenging to break up if it’s clumpy.
Step 3: Pour the ingredients into an airtight container, and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks for maximum flavor.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup kosher salt Diamond Crystal
- ½ cup sweet paprika
- 2½ tbsp garlic powder
- 2½ tbsp onion powder
- 2½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl or food processor.
- Mix ingredients by pulsing food processor several times, or with a whisk in a mixing bowl. Ensure there are no clumps of brown sugar in the rub.
- Transfer the rub to an airtight container, and store in a cool, dark place for up to six weeks.
Great flavor!!
Thanks Larry, I keep this on hand at all times!
-M
Am i the only one to find this WAY too salty? I put this on two racks of ribs and it was just so salty. I could have made do with 1/4 cup, or even 1/8 cup. The rest of this rub is spot on. Perfect amount of spice.
Hey Jason – thanks for checking this out. I haven’t received any “too satly” feedback on this rub but of course, taste is subjective. I’m curious what salt you used? All of my recipes are built using Diamond Crystal kosher which is about half as “salty” as a standard table salt or Morton’s salt, you can read more about those salts here. Let me know, I’m genuionly curious and appreciate the feedback!
-M