BBQ Rub Recipe – How to Make your own Barbecue Rub
Really great bbq starts with a great BBQ Rub Recipe. These combinations of spices build flavor on the outside as it cooks. Think of that wonderful bark on a properly smoked pork butt or slab or ribs…that all comes from the rub. Now there’s plenty of great BBQ Rubs on the market, and all of them start with a basic recipe. It’s safe to bet that almost everyone has the making of a bbq rub in your spice cabinet at home. I brought in my friends Shane and Lawson Linn from Townsend Spice & Supply – https://townsendspice.com/ to share with us a basic BBQ Rub recipe that everyone can use as a jumping off point for making good BBQ. – ½ Cup Paprika – ½ Cup Salt – ½ Cup Sugar – ½ Cup Granulated Garlic – ¼ Cup Granulated Onion – ¼ Cup Chili – ¼ Cup Cumin – 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper – 2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard – 1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper They use 10 common ingredients: Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Chili Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Cayenne, and Mustard to form a BBQ Rub. This combination of spices is the foundation for producing bbq. You could analyze every rub on the market and just about all of them will contain most if not all of these seasonings. What makes each one different is the ratios or amounts of each ingredient used. With a proper foundation you can create your own rub. Add your favorite seasonings or change up the ratios to your taste and you’ll have your very own signature BBQ Rub. Print
BBQ Rub Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Paprika
- ½ Cup Salt
- ½ Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Granulated Garlic
- ¼ Cup Granulated Onion
- ¼ Cup Chili
- ¼ Cup Cumin
- 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Mix together well and store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.
BBQ Rub RecipeHave a Question About This Recipe?
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You had a recipe for St. Louis bbq sauce posted recently and now I can’t find it. Can you send it to me please.
Here is my recipe for St Louis style ribs – https://howtobbqright.com/2014/08/05/kansas-city-spare-ribs/
Hello Malcolm, how can I get pork ribs with that smoke flavor if I only have a conventional oven?
I don’t know of a way to get smoked ribs in the oven…
Your the man Malcolm, keep it up! I`m a super fan of everything you got
★★★★★
I would say try using smoked paprika more then normally you think of using.
Lots of smoked paprika works for me 🙂
★★★★
When my daughter was hospitalized I was condemned to cooking BBQ in the oven. Trim up your ribs,brush with liquid smoke. Lightly salt ribs and place uncovered on a rack overnight. Remove ribs,rub and let sit out about 45 minutes. Cook just like on smoker as far as time,temp and wrapping. The oven is just like your smoker as far as actually cooking the ribs. I then added liquid smoke to sauce. Sauce em up about 15-20 minutes before you take them out. Not smoker good but damn good for oven ribs. Hope this helps.
You might try using a little liquid smoke in your sauce/marinade etc. Or using any smoked dry seasoning (smoked paprika, smoked sea salt) but you won’t be able to get an authentic smoke flavor without cooking over a good hardwood or hardwood lump charcoal.
In your bbq rub recipe should you use brown sugar or white?
Malcolm…I just want to take a moment to extend a huge THANK YOU for sharing all of your great recipes, videos and Killer Hogs products. There are a ton of people offering up advice on smoking and or grilling meats on the internet but you are by far the most proven and respected pitmaster I have seen that is willing to teach us all how to be great too. Thanks to you, I am a successful pitmaster for my family and friends. I can’t tell you how many compliments I get on everything I smoke and it’s all because I follow your instruction to a T. I tell everyone that they can be great too…all you have to do is follow Malcom Reed and his Killer Hogs team and do what they teach. Thanks again man…and keep em comin!
There are several smoked rubs on the market adding smoked salt and smoked. paprika along with maybe some liquid smoke in your glaze would give you a semblance of Smokey flavour
What rub do you recommend to put on a brisket ?
I have a couple recipes for brisket here: https://howtobbqright.com/2019/02/08/smoked-brisket-recipe/
https://howtobbqright.com/2017/05/04/smoked-brisket-tacos/
https://howtobbqright.com/2017/08/31/brisket-burnt-ends/
https://howtobbqright.com/2016/05/23/texas-brisket-recipe/
Hi Malcom, I am a Canadian who follows you religiously. You are my Guru. I have been smoking for just two years now and am having so much fun at it. This may be a stupid question but I am wondering where I can purchase those black latex (rubber?) gloves. I have tried the latex surgical etc. and it doesn.t work well at all. Anyway, keep up the good work and producing the videos. Thanks for all your help.
Peter
Not sure where to find them in Canada – but the key is to have the white hand savers under your gloves: https://howtobbqright.com/2017/05/24/bbq-gloves-best-heat-resistant-bbq-gloves/
Hello, fellow Canadian. The black latex gloves are more of an industrial level glove than the thinner blue or white ones you get from medical supply places. You should be able to find the black ones at a hardware or auto parts store. I know for sure Canadian Tire carries them.
Hey from Canada, I got a pack of black nitrile gloves (iron grip brand) from Canadian Tire or Princess Auto.
The salt in this run, is it kosher salt or regular table salt? Also is this pretty much an all purpose run I could use on pork, chicken, beef, or do you recommend a different run for each meat?
This is just table salt but you could use whatever salt you like. This is a basic rub recipe that would work for just about anything – and you can modify it according to your taste.
Sorry just posted another question, but thought also why does this use white sugar vs brown? I usually smoke about 225-235, and notice I don’t get a great bark, does the white help with better bark at lower temps? Or is just preference?
You can use any sugar you like – the point is to make a rub recipe you like
Just bought a brand new smoker and where know which food you recommend for barbecuing because I used to go out and eat all the time
I would start with chicken – it’s inexpensive, shorter cook times and it’s just a great protein to learn your pit
Malcom – Would you recommend using the same rub for Chicken?
Yeah, this recipe would work for chicken.
I love this recipe. I use it as a base for everything from burnt ends to grilled rotisserie chicken.
It is a great starting point and by just tweaking the recipe to what I am smoking or grilling it always gets great reviews.
Thank you Sir
I love this recipe. I use it as a base for everything from burnt ends to grilled rotisserie chicken.
It is a great starting point and by just tweaking the recipe to what I am smoking or grilling it always gets great reviews.
Thank you Sir
Thanks Malcom, love your rubs and recipes.
this was my first visit to your website.
Hey Malcolm! Love your inspiration buddy I am from Australia! My question is would you have a good solid rub recipe for a an all purpose rub? I am looking for something versatile that can be used on anything from chicken to smoked vegetables regards dylan
Yeah – 4 parts salt, 2 parts black pepper and 1 part granulated garlic. Then you can add whatever spices and seasonings you like from there.
Thank you so much malcom!
What kind of salt do you use for the ap rub?
Hey Malcom, I love How to BBQ right and the Killer Hogs products! Using what I have learned from your site and some Killer Hogs products for a Super Bowl party tomorrow! What would you recommend to add heat to this rub? Cayenne…? Chipotle…? Something else?
Cayenne is the easiest choice, but jalapeno, chipotle, white pepper, etc… are good options.
Hey Malcom,
Thanks for all of your efforts. I you’ve taught me so much!
My question has to do with the sugar component. I have diabetes and need to avoid the sweet stuff where I can. That’s going to be the sugars, honey, agave nectar, etc.
Is there a different direction I can take that won’t rely on the sugar?
So far my best bet for sauce has been something along the lines of a Carolina mustard sauce.
Any other suggestions?
Yeah – we do texas style BBQ with just salt and pepper!
https://howtobbqright.com/2016/05/06/texas-style-ribs/
https://howtobbqright.com/2018/06/28/texas-style-pulled-pork/
Malcolm,
I have watched quite a few of your instructional videos, downloaded the Howtobbqright app and even purchased some items from your website. Thank you for everything that you do and will continue to do. Following your style has given me a great appreciation for the art of smoking great BBQ. Not to mention that the family really enjoys my cooking now. Once again thank you and keep doing what you do. I wish you were on BBQ Pitmasters.
Hey Malcom,
I remember seeing one of your videos smoking a chicken on the Red Box smoker and you had made some white bbq sauce. Do you have that recipe posted somewhere, I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks,
Bob
https://howtobbqright.com/2018/05/03/herb-smoked-chicken/
Hey Malcom,
Just mixed up a batch of the dry rub. Getting ready to hit it up on some chicken wings with 50/50 Killer Hog BBQ Sauce & Killer Hog Vinegar Sauce on the smoker, 45 min. Flip 45 min. Internal temp 170°
Forgot to put the cook temp on them wings . 250° to 275° keep that temp right in between.
Hey Malcolm,
I just won first place in the chicken category using your Killer Hogs rub combined, with my own bbq sauce.
Thank you for such a great product.
Malcolm,
Love your channel and love the recipes! Amazing. Do you happen to have the recipe for your hot bbq rub? Thanks
Though we can’t share the recipes, you can use any hot bbq rub as a replacement!