10 BBQ Dry Rubs You Can Make at Home

Store-bought rubs are good for emergencies or when your pantry is running low (we recommend stocking up on our Smoke Kitchen Rubs for exactly such an occasion).

Nothing beats a decent handmade dry rub if you have a well-stocked pantry.

We’ve got a recipe for you whether you want pulled pork, smoked chicken, or beef brisket. You’d be astonished at how many different barbecue rubs you can make using things you probably already have on hand.

So keep reading, and we guarantee you’ll discover the ideal dry rub to create at home the next time you grill.

1. Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Pork Rub

This perfectly balanced pork rub includes the appropriate amount of sweet, spice, and salt.

We intended it for pork, but it would also work well on chicken.

But what we truly enjoy about this rub is how customizable it is. Adjust the proportions to make a rub with the exact tastes you want.

Check out the pork rub recipe.

2. Classic BBQ Turkey and Chicken Rub

We created this rub to be used on smoked turkey, but after extensive testing, we can assure it also works well on chicken.

Smoked paprika, brown sugar, cumin, mustard, and onion powders, as well as salt and black pepper, are all typical barbecue spices.

This rub has been meticulously adjusted to ensure that everyone is satisfied. Because there isn’t too much heat, you may safely offer this to children (or picky eaters).

If you want a bit extra heat, add a little of cayenne pepper.

The whole rub and recommendations for how to tweak it may be found here.

3. Coffee Dry Rub (Amazing on beef, surprisingly great on chicken and pork)

Because of its strong tastes, this coffee rub complements steak well. The coffee tenderizes the meat, improves the delicious tastes, and aids in the formation of a fantastic bark on the exterior of the meat.

For optimum results, grind your own coffee from scratch, although the sort of coffee isn’t critical.

Check out the full recipe.

4. The Ultimate Dry Rub for Ribs

This rib rub incorporates traditional barbecue tastes and strikes the right blend of sweet, savory, and fire.

While this rub screams pork, it’s equally delicious on chicken and turkey.

With a wonderful paprika flavor, this rub will also give a spicy kick if that’s what you’re looking for. If you prefer a little heat, try hot paprika.

Because it is so flexible, you may find that creating a large batch is a smart idea so that it is ready to go when you decide to fire up the grill.

Click here for the recipe.

5. The Best Prime Rib Rub

Any Christmas feast would be incomplete without a nicely cooked prime rib. While you may stick to the fundamentals and use a simple salt and pepper rub, I prefer our prime rib rub, which includes smoky paprika, mustard, garlic powder, and fresh herbs.

You will find the recipe here.

6. Meathead Goldwyn’s Memphis Dust Rub (Formulated for Ultimate Flavor, Color and Crust Formation)

Meats that have been grilled or smoked engage all of our senses, not just our taste receptors. The look of the black, gleaming surface, as well as the texture of the perfectly formed bark, are all part of the experience.

This rub has been designed to ensure the creation of bark that not only tastes wonderful but also looks beautiful and has a great texture.

This rub was initially designed for ribs, but it’s also delicious on pig butt.

This rub does not contain salt, but you can read more about why and when to use it on your meat here.

Grab the full recipe here.

7. Rib Rub (this one has scored some awards too!)

We’ve all heard someone say they have the finest rib rub recipe. However, this dish has received honors for its author, so you may take his word for it.

While this is referred to be a rib rub, it may also be used on fish, pork, and even vegetables! Because this rub is so beautifully balanced, there are no hard and fast rules for how to apply it.

Have a look for yourself by following this link.

8. Memphis Style Baby Back Ribs Rub

If you want easy-to-eat, dry-rubbed Memphis-style ribs, this is the rub for you.

There is no need for sauce with this rub since it is so flavorful. If you want to amp up the flavor of your ribs, use a vinegar wash and an additional dusting of rub.

This rub forms a delicious savory crust on the meat.

Make a big quantity to keep on hand with this recipe, and enjoy some Memphis-style ribs on warm summer nights.

 9. Beef Rub (with a healthy dose of pepper)

Pepper enhances the flavor of beef. So slathering a pig rub on your beef isn’t going to provide the best results. You definitely need a meat rub.

Many barbecue restaurants may employ a simple salt and pepper rub. While this tastes fantastic, there are times when you want a bit more.

This rub is developed particularly for beef and goes beyond the standard salt and pepper.

Check out the recipe here.

10. Steven Raichlen’s Memphis Style Rub for Ribs

This recipe contains the components for a rub as well as a mopping sauce.

Use Stevens’ years of grilling expertise to produce some amazing Memphis style ribs with terrific step-by-step directions that you can follow whether using a gas grill, charcoal grill, mopping sauce, or the rub alone.

Get the recipe and all the instructions here.

Wrapping it up

There’s no need to scour the grocery aisles for a nice rub the next time you want to make some ribs. Everything you need is most likely in your pantry.

Why not go through your cabinets and check what you have on hand, then start making arrangements with your family and friends?

We hope you liked this collection of homemade barbecue rubs. Please share your thoughts on the list in the comments area below. Please spread the word if you find this list useful.