Everything BBQ Rub

This everything BBQ rub goes on, you guessed it, everything. With brown sugar, garlic, onion, paprika, mustard, chili, and cayenne, it’s smoky, sweet, and has a hint of spice! This seasoning takes just 5 minutes to mix up and goes on everything from chicken and pork to burgers and steak. It’s the best seasoning to have on hand for BBQs & casual dinner parties!

Don’t mind me, I’m just currently doing cartwheels because it’s finally BBQ season and I’ve pretty much exclusively been cooking outside lately. I mean, why would I turn on the oven when I can just pop a beer and grill instead?

And with grilling comes, arguably, one of the most important aspects of the matter – seasoning. I know that some purists will say to let the natural flavor of the meat come through but honestly? In most cases, I’m team seasoning lol. And while I absolutely love my tri-tip dry rub, what I really wanted this summer was a one-size-fits-all seasoning for anything I’m cooking up.

After many tests, I’m happy to say that this one fits the bill. I’ve sprinkled this rub on chicken, pork, steak, veggies, and everything in-between. And I’m not kidding, every time I’ve used it for BBQs or family dinners, someone has asked me for the recipe.

Don’t skip the seasoning

As a culinary school graduate, I never skip seasoning meat. Even when I’m cooking a really great cut of steak, like reverse sear filet mignon, I at least add salt and pepper and a compound butter or a rich sauce. But with dry rub specifically, it’s important to add it before cooking so that the flavors get deep into the meat. Adding the seasoning after will leave the meat tasting bland.

• This seasoning takes about 5 minutes to mix up.
• You can batch it ahead of time for grilling all summer long.
• It goes on just about everything. Truly one of the best BBQ rubs ever!
• It makes a lovely gift for holidays or special occasions.

The ingredients you’ll need

• Brown sugar – a bit of brown sugar helps the rub stick to the meat and caramelizes the outside for that gorgeous crust. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. If you like a deeper molasses flavor, use dark!
• Garlic & onion powder – I almost never season meat with fresh onion and garlic, because it usually burns. But powder gives us that nice allium flavor without burning!
• Paprika – for a hint of warmth and sweetness. If you want a smokier flavor, you can used smoked paprika instead. But since I use this rub for grilling and smoking, I usually stick with regular sweet paprika.
• Mustard – you will want to use ground dried mustard, not prepared mustard.
• Chili powder – I usually use ancho chili powder but any chili powder you like will work in this recipe. If you’re a fan of spice, try extra hot for smoky heat!
• Cayenne – a bit of cayenne adds spice that isn’t too overpowering. If you’re sensitive to spice, you can leave this out. Or, add more if you want this rub to be hot.
• Salt & pepper – I always recommend Morton’s Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper for the best consistency and flavor.

Other spices to try

Depending on how I’m using this mix, I like to add different spices for different recipes. For example, if I’m making steak tacos, I will replace the mustard with cumin and add oregano. Or, if I want to add extra seasoning to these bourbon apple pork chops, I will throw in rosemary and a dash of cinnamon. The classic recipe is a great all purpose rub but feel free to make it your own!

• Rosemary, thyme, or oregano
• Cumin or coriander
• Lemon pepper
• Turmeric or curry powder
• Cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg

How to make the rub

This spice mix truly couldn’t be easier to make! No joke, the hardest part is measuring everything out, so it only takes a few minutes to mix up.

1. To make the spice mix, combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Use a whisk to mix everything together really well. Then, carefully pour the spice mix into a jar or airtight container for later.

Salt-free

If you want more control over the saltiness of the rub, feel free to leave the salt out! I honestly think that this recipe has just the right amount of salt and I rarely need to add more. But if you’re planning on using savory sauces on the meat after cooking, you might want to add salt right to the meat instead of the rub.

How to apply dry rub

Once the rub is mixed up, it’s ready to use on chicken, steak, and anything else you like! This is the method that I like to use when I’m adding dry rub to meat. Just keep in mind that these steps are fairly general. Depending on the recipe you’re following, the instructions may vary a bit!

1. Remove the meat from the fridge and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
2. Then, pat the meat all over with paper towels until the outside is dry. Trust me, you don’t want extra moisture or it will mix with the brown sugar and form clumps of spices instead of a crust.
3. Place the meat on a large cutting board or sheet pan. Then, starting on one side, sprinkle a generous amount of rub on the meat. Use clean hands to ‘massage’ the rub into the meat. Repeat on every side.

Marinating

In culinary school, they teach you to season meat well before cooking it to get the best flavor – sometimes up to a couple of days. But honestly, I’ve found that this totally depends on what you’re cooking. Below are my very general recommendations based on testing many, many recipes. But of course, always follow a recipe first and foremost!

• Chicken – whole chickens and smaller cuts both taste so much more flavorful when they’re seasoned in advance. Dry rub the chicken, cover, & refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
• Pork – for some reason, pork seems to dry out if it’s seasoned too far ahead. I don’t recommend seasoning pork more than 1 hour before cooking.
• Steak/Beef – this totally depends on what you’re going for. If you like more of a flavorful, aged steak, season it the night before. If you want the taste to be more beef-forward, season it right before cooking. I also usually add seasoning to burgers right before grilling.
• Lamb – I’ve found that lamb can definitely withstand a longer marinating time. Marinate the lamb for up to 24 hours for a richer, more savory flavor.
• Seafood – since seafood is more delicate, I add the dry rub right before cooking.

The right way to store leftovers

If you have leftovers, pour them into a jar or airtight container. Place the rub in the pantry or a cupboard. It will last up to 6 months but I think it tastes better if it’s used within 2 months!

It’s important to keep the BBQ seasoning in a cool, dry place. If the rub gets too warm, the sugar will get sticky and clump together.

Yield & batching

This recipe makes roughly 3/4 cup of dry rub, give or take a few teaspoons. But it’s so easy to halve, double, or even triple if you want to make a big batch! Just make sure to store it properly and use it within 6 months so it doesn’t lose its flavor.

Ways to use this dry rub

• Smoked Tri-Tip
• Garlic Butter Chicken Wings
• BBQ Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers
• Add it to roasted or grilled veggies
• Use it on pork chops, pulled pork, or pork tenderloin
• Try it on brisket or ribs
• Sprinkle it over popcorn or chips!

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

---

xo Sara Lynn

Song of the day – Pool by Still Woozy & Remi Wolf