A Simple BBQ Rub Recipe for Beginners
Monday, November 8th, 2010
I totally enjoy trying out new BBQ rubs as well as making my own homemade ones. There’s something inspiring about mixing fresh spices to make a seasoning and to taste it on your finished meat.
There are hundreds of different BBQ rub recipes out there. Many competition teams have their own sauces and rubs. Barbecue stores showcase rows of different sauces and rubs. It’s easy to feel intimidated to think of making your own.
I would like to change that for you. First of all, here are some common ingredients in barbecue rubs:
- salt (table, kosher, or seasoned salt)
- black pepper*
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- paprika
*Peppercorn side-note: Get whole peppercorns at the grocery store and grind them in a coffee grinder if you’re making a big batch or in a hand-held pepper grinder. If you’ve never tried freshly-ground black pepper, you are in for an *exciting* surprise. The flavor and smell is amazing!
To make a rub, all you have to do is measure equal amounts of the above and stir it well. And you’ve made a delicious, all-purpose barbecue rub! This seasoning is scrumptious on grilled and smoked meats. Use it on burgers and steaks or even smoked pork butts.
Disclaimer: Of course, this is *far* from the ultimate BBQ rub recipe. There are lots of ways to make a more complex and better tasting rub. But it is a simple and delicious dry rub to get you started.
Now, it’s time to build on what I’ve given you to add more flavor and the accents that you like. You can tweak the proportions, remove ingredients, or add a handful of other spices to kick it up a bit.
Here is a list of other ingredients I’ve seen in rubs:
- brown sugar
- cumin
- cayenne (red pepper)
- chipotle powder
- chili powder
- cinnamon
- mustard powder
- oregano
- thyme
A few tips:
- Add brown sugar for a sweeter rub, making sure to work out all the lumps.
- The cumin will add a smokey flavor. Make sure you get whole cumin and grind it in a coffee grinder just before you use it. Between that and the freshly-ground black pepper, you will be entranced.
- A little bit of cayenne pepper gives your dry rub some fire. You can choose your favorite hot pepper ingredient here. As a general guideline, I would use 1 teaspoon in a cup of rub unless you especially like heat.
I am sure there are other ingredients that are delicious in barbecue dry rubs. And you could experiment for days with the ingredients I have listed. If you have any questions or ideas to share, please do leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!
Now go dig into the spices.
Lavern
I totally enjoy trying out new BBQ rubs as well as making my own homemade ones. There’s something inspiring about mixing fresh spices to make a seasoning and to taste it on your finished meat.
There are hundreds of different BBQ rub recipes out there. Many competition teams have their own sauces and rubs. Barbecue stores showcase rows of different sauces and rubs. It’s easy to feel intimidated to think of making your own.
I would like to change that for you. First of all, here are some common ingredients in barbecue rubs:
- salt (table, kosher, or seasoned salt)
- black pepper*
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- paprika
*Peppercorn side-note: Get whole peppercorns at the grocery store and grind them in a coffee grinder if you’re making a big batch or in a hand-held pepper grinder. If you’ve never tried freshly-ground black pepper, you are in for an *exciting* surprise. The flavor and smell is amazing!
To make a rub, all you have to do is measure equal amounts of the above and stir it well. And you’ve made a delicious, all-purpose barbecue rub! This seasoning is scrumptious on grilled and smoked meats. Use it on burgers and steaks or even smoked pork butts.
Disclaimer: Of course, this is *far* from the ultimate BBQ rub recipe. There are lots of ways to make a more complex and better tasting rub. But it is a simple and delicious dry rub to get you started.
Now, it’s time to build on what I’ve given you to add more flavor and the accents that you like. You can tweak the proportions, remove ingredients, or add a handful of other spices to kick it up a bit.
Here is a list of other ingredients I’ve seen in rubs:
- brown sugar
- cumin
- cayenne (red pepper)
- chipotle powder
- chili powder
- cinnamon
- mustard powder
- oregano
- thyme
A few tips:
- Add brown sugar for a sweeter rub, making sure to work out all the lumps.
- The cumin will add a smokey flavor. Make sure you get whole cumin and grind it in a coffee grinder just before you use it. Between that and the freshly-ground black pepper, you will be entranced.
- A little bit of cayenne pepper gives your dry rub some fire. You can choose your favorite hot pepper ingredient here. As a general guideline, I would use 1 teaspoon in a cup of rub unless you especially like heat.
I am sure there are other ingredients that are delicious in barbecue dry rubs. And you could experiment for days with the ingredients I have listed. If you have any questions or ideas to share, please do leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!
Now go dig into the spices.
Lavern
