All-Purpose BBQ Rub
A competition-style dry rub that works on pork, chicken, and beef. Sweet, savory, smoky, with just enough heat to build bark.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- N/A
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Airtight glass jar or shaker bottle
- Kitchen scale (optional, for exact ratios)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 cup 16-mesh coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder (ancho preferred)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
Method
- 01
BREAK UP THE SUGAR: Dump the brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Use your fingers or a fork to break up any hard lumps — lumps become burnt spots on the meat.
- 02
MEASURE THE SPICES: Add the smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne, dry mustard, and celery salt.
- 03
MIX THOROUGHLY: Whisk for 60 seconds, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. The color should be uniform with no streaks of paprika or sugar.
- 04
TASTE TEST: Dip a clean finger and taste. It should be sweet first, then savory, then a slow back-of-the-throat heat. Add more cayenne for heat, more brown sugar for sweet, or more salt if it tastes flat.
- 05
STORE: Funnel into an airtight jar or shaker. Label with the date. Let it sit 24 hours before first use so the flavors marry.
For a Texas-style beef rub, drop the brown sugar and chili powder and go 50/50 kosher salt and coarse black pepper. Same technique, different result.
How to serve
- Use as a base layer on ribs, pork shoulder, chicken thighs, and turkey breast.
- Mix 2 tablespoons into a stick of softened butter for a compound butter finish on steaks.
- Stir into mayo for a quick smoky sandwich spread.
Keeps 6 months in an airtight container at room temperature. If it clumps, shake or sift before using.