This all purpose BBQ rub is a blend of barbecue spices that pairs perfectly with chicken, pork and beef. It’s great for grilled, roasted or smoked meats and you can even use it on vegetables and potatoes.
Barbecue spice rub is my to-go seasoning blend for meats, especially when it comes to grilling and smoking. I make a big batch and it lasts for months. You can even package up your spice blend and give it as gifts to the foodies in your life!
I do a lot of grilling and smoking during the warmer months, and I decided it was high time I create an all purpose BBQ rub to season my meat. This spice rub is a little sweet, a little smoky, and loaded with aromatic spices to create a seasoning blend that can be used in so many ways.
How do you make BBQ Rub?
This recipe literally takes about 3 minutes to put together. The rub is a blend of brown sugar, regular paprika, smoked paprika, dry mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir everything together and you’re ready to get grilling.
This barbecue rub will keep for months if stored in a cool, dry place, so make a double or triple batch and you’ll have enough to get you through the spring and summer.
How do you use a BBQ rub?
I use this barbecue rub on so many different foods including
- chicken thighs
- steaks
- chicken wings
- burgers
- pork tenderloin
- chicken breasts
- pork chops
- roasted potatoes
- roasted cauliflower
- tofu
The only thing to keep in mind is that this rub does contain sugar, which means you want to take caution to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn if you’re grilling over high heat or broiling your meat. If you’re cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, be sure to check out my smoked turkey rub recipe.
BBQ Rub Variations
- Spicy BBQ Rub: Add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or ground chipotle pepper to the mix.
- Garlic Lovers Rub: Double the amount of garlic in the recipe.
- Mexican Rub: Add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon ground coriander to the mix.
Since this BBQ rub is shelf stable, it also makes a great gift for someone who loves to cook! Simply package the rub in small jars and add a homemade gift tag.
I use this BBQ rub at least once a week, it’s my favorite way to add a little zest to ordinary foods. This is also my go-to rub for smoking meat, simply rub your meat with the spices, smoke until a thermometer registers as done, and brush on a little BBQ sauce. You’re sure to get rave reviews!
More great grilling recipes
BBQ Rub Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Spice rub keeps for up to 3 months when stored in a cool, dry place.
I rubbed this all over a well-dried whole chicken and put it on a foil-lined broiler pan in the fridge, uncovered, overnight. I let it sit out at room temp for about an hour, rubbed it with 4 tbsp butter, roasted at 425 for 15min, then turned the temp down to 350 for a little more than an hour. The rub must have acted as kind of a dry brine because that was the best chicken I’ve ever made! It was seasoned to the bone, super juicy with the crispiest skin ever. I’ve roasted so many chickens over the years but THIS is my go to now. Thank you for sharing!!!
This rub has become our go-to! We absolutely love it – chicken, pork, wings — whatever!! Love having this as a staple in the spice cabinet.
Perfect blend of seasonings! My chicken came out wonderful!
I have to say that I never leave reviews, but I felt like I needed to with this rub. I used this on chicken wings tonight and they were delicious! I even had to take a photo of them lol! Definitely keeping this recipe.
If I make these for a party on Saturday. Should I cook them on Friday night. Thank you
Just made baked chicken wings using this rub. Best wings ever.!! I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of the onion powder as I did not have any.
Lots of rub for next time
Thank you
I use this alot and love it. The first time I did a day ahead and took a whole 15 lbs precooked ham to a big Thanksgiving in baja ca and compliments from all over, calls from cousins saying it was the best ham they ever had, in fact one was mad his wife had finished the left overs I sent. Now I just home cured a 18 lbs pork leg for 9 days and just put the rub on sans salt and in the oven, the apple juice basting and maple glaze is going to take it over the top.
Will never fry wings again!!! Super
I use this alot and love it. The first time I did a day ahead and took a whole 15 lbs precooked ham to a big Thanksgiving in baja ca and compliments from all over, calls from cousins saying it was the best ham they ever had, in fact one was mad his wife had finished the left overs I sent. Now I just home cured a 18 lbs pork leg for 9 days and just put the rub on and in the oven, the apple juice basting and maple glaze is going to take it over the top.
Meant FRY, not try. They were the best.
I used this today on chickens we smoked. I just left out the Cheyenne Pepper. It was great and I cannot wait to use it on a butt!!
Thanks for sharing. If I don’t have smoked paprika on hand, could I substitute Spanish paprika or Hungarian paprika? Thanks!
Spanish paprika would work!
Two thumbs up. Chicken breasts rubbed with this, bbqed and then finished with a little sauce – such an easy delicious dinner.
Absolutely delicious, I brined a whole chicken using your chicken brine recipe, used this rub and then smoked the chicken.
BEST chicken I have ever tasted!! I did the chicken in a foil tray in the smoker. Whilst the chicken was resting I poured the juice from the tray into a small pan and reduced it on high heat to make the most delicious gravy ever!!
Our new go to! It’s great. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome recipe, paired with the BBQ from your site we had the most amazing meal.
I made this recipe tonight for dinner and all I can say is WOW. The flavor is absolutely incredible. I only added a fraction of the barbecue sauce after it was done cooking because the rub for the chicken tasted so go by itself. What a hit this was. I paired it with mashed potatoes and corn. Will be doing this again
Super quick to prep and very easy. My family loved this flavor and will be making it a part of our regular meals! It is a delicious flavor. Thanks for saving dinner tonight and helping me discover a quick prep meal that makes life easier and bellies happy!
Made beef ribs and pork ribs with this recipe and my family declared it the best ribs they have ever had. We love heat so I went heavy on the cayenne. I will make a quadruple batch for regular use! Thanks for sharing you fabulous recipe!
I have used baking powder, Not baking soda, in place of brown sugar when I bake chicken wings. The baking powder makes the wings crisp up nicely. I add as much baking powder as the amount of wings suggests. The Mexican spice rub variant is just as good as the BBQ standard rub. Well done with this rub, all around!
I just made this….going gung-ho on using the TBSP and put a tbsp of cayenne pepper in…lol!! Oh well….
Can I use mustard instead of its powder?
You can but you’d want to apply the mustard directly to your meat, don’t mix it into the spice blend!
We liked this! When my husband first bit into the chicken he asked me if I used BBQ potato chips on it. 🙂 I told him that it was just spices and he said “good job”. Which tells me he liked it.
I substituted some Stevia for about half the brown sugar. I’m on a no sugar diet but caved a little and added some of the brown sugar. It was tasty.
Thanks !
Omg the aroma in my kitchen from this run should be made into an air freshener!
I used this run on a whole apple wood smoked chicken. It was really delicious and juicy!!!!! Thank you!!!