Having a wonderful Homemade BBQ Dry Rub on hand will give you the flavor of summer all year long! It easily gives you more depth of flavor and turns your dishes into outstanding meals. Make it and have it on hand whenever you are craving the smoky flavors of grilled foods.
There isn’t much that is easier to make than a homemade dry rub. Just gather the ingredients, whisk together, and place in an airtight container. Store in your cool cupboard so they will stay fresh longer.
Perfectly cooked baby back ribs with dry rub, hot from the grill
You can customize this blend to suit your personal tastes. Make substitutions, leave something out, add something new … it is all up to you!
The recipe calls for Ancho chile powder which you may not have heard of. It is made from dried poblano peppers. Not spicy but filled with bold chile flavor, it is a secret weapon in my kitchen arsenal. If you can’t find it, you can use regular chili powder in its place.
Rubbed and glazed BBQ ribs
This Homemade BBQ Dry Rub is really versatile. You can use it on pork, chicken, beef, lamb, burgers, vegetables – just about anything you are grilling or sauteing. My favorite use is with baby back ribs. Oh my, they are so good!!
If you want to add more heat and spiciness, you can add cayenne powder or more chipotle powder. The cayenne is pure heat and chipotle gives you more of the smoky flavor reminiscent of what you get when grilling. Start with small amounts until you know how much of a kick they give your food. You can always add more!
Spices are one of the places that gluten can hide and keeping fresh herbs and spices on hand really boosts your cooking. I like both Penzeys and McCormick brands because they clearly label their ingredients so you see what is included in the mix. For more exotic spices I like a shop in Napa, California called Whole Spice. They have harder-to-find blends and single spices that add tremendous flavor to your meals. All three places offer easy online ordering.
I really hope you give this Homemade BBQ Dry Rub a try for your 4th of July celebrations and other parties throughout the year. The flavors are incredible and they enhance just about anything you put the rub on. And if you are cooking on the stove or in the oven, your guests will swear you cooked your meal on the grill.
Have a wonderful holiday filled with delicious food, amazing friends and family, and fun that never ends! See you back here for Chocolate Monday next week when I’ve got another fun chocolate recipe to share with you!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Homemade BBQ Dry Rub:
- Brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, ancho chile powder (or regular chili powder), chipotle powder (optional), black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, oregano, thyme, cumin
PRO Tip:
Spices are one of the places that gluten can hide. I like both Penzeys and McCormick because they clearly label their ingredients so you see what is included in the mix. For more exotic spices I like a shop in Napa, California called Whole Spice. They have harder-to-find blends and single spices like their Afghan Ribs Blend, that add tremendous flavor to your meals.
PRO Tip:
If you are making large quantities of this rub for gifts to give away, you can buy all the ingredients in bulk from Penzeys saving you money. I always buy packages of the herbs and spices and refill my jars myself; it is much more economical.
How to make Homemade BBQ Dry Rub:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to evenly combine. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in your cabinet for 3 to 4 months.
- You can cut this recipe in half for just over 1/2 cup and halve it again for smaller servings. It also makes wonderful holiday or hostess gifts.
PRO Tip:
Salts vary dramatically by manufacturer. One tablespoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt weighs 8 grams, Morton’s Kosher is 16 grams, and table salt weighs 18 grams. I strongly recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (in the white and red box) for use in your cooking and baking. It is generally considered the industry standard and is my personal favorite.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Salts vary dramatically by manufacturer. 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt weighs 8 grams, Morton’s Kosher is 16 grams, and table salt weighs 18 grams. I strongly recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (in the white and red box) for use in your cooking and baking. It is generally considered the industry standard and is my personal favorite.
Homemade BBQ Dry Rub (GF)
Having a wonderful Homemade BBQ Dry Rub on hand will give you the flavor of summer all year long! It easily gives you more depth of flavor and turns your dishes into outstanding meals. Make it and have it on hand whenever you are craving the flavors of smoky grilled foods. Use this dry rub on chicken, beef, pork, lamb, or turkey and get incredible flavor in a jiffy!
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (80g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1-1/2 tbsp ancho chile powder
- 1/2 tbsp chipotle powder, optional if you don't like spicy heat
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1-1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt * (see Note below for details)
- 1-1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1-1/2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground cumin powder
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly together. Use to lightly coat meats before cooking for great barbecue flavor in every bite! It can also be used in your homemade barbecue sauce. You will be surprised how much flavor it imparts.
This dry rub can be stored in an airtight container, preferably an airtight glass jar with a lid, in your spice cabinet for 3 to 4 months.
You can cut this recipe in half for just over 1/2 cup (118 ml) and halve that again for smaller servings. It also makes wonderful holiday or hostess gifts.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* Salts vary dramatically by manufacturer. 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt weighs 8 grams, Morton’s Kosher is 16 grams, and table salt weighs 18 grams. I strongly recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (in the white and red box) for use in your cooking and baking. It is generally considered the industry standard and is my personal favorite.
Spices are one of the places that gluten can hide. I like both Penzeys and McCormick because they clearly label their ingredients so you see what is included in the mix. For more exotic spices I like a shop in Napa, California called Whole Spice. They have harder-to-find blends and single spices like their Afghan Ribs Blend, that add tremendous flavor to your meals.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 207mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gProtein: 1g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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