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bbq rub
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4.75 from 8 votes

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Rub Recipe

A great barbecue rub has three primary components. Sweet, heat and salty are the three primary flavors we look for in a great bbq rub, and this dry bbq rub recipe has all three components and is ready for the smoker or grill.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: sauce and marinades
Cuisine: Barbecue
Keyword: barbecue, rub, seasoning
Servings: 384
Calories: 2kcal
Author: David Gafford

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup sea salt
  • ¼ cup turbinado sugar
  • ¼ cup garlic powder
  • ¼ cup onion powder
  • ¼ cup Hungarian paprika
  • 3 Tb. black pepper
  • 2 Tb. brown sugar
  • 2 Tb. cumin
  • 1 Tb. chili powder
  • 1 Tb. chipotle chili powder
  • 1 Tb. ground mustard
  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend thoroughly.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to a year.

Video

Notes

This recipe is designed to be a great all around barbeque rub. It goes great as a pork or chicken barbecue rub. We wouldn’t recommend this as a brisket rub primarily because it has two kinds of sugars in it, and sugars can easily burn in a 12-14 hour cook. 
This rub is great for almost anything else you’d throw on the grill or smoker though, and we use it for everything from meatloaf to dips and sauces besides the traditional competition meats of pork shoulder, pork ribs and chicken thighs or chicken legs. 
If veggies are more your style, this bbq dry rub is perfect for everything from asparagus, zucchini, onion, peppers and more. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25tsp | Calories: 2kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg