A fantastic homemade dry rub that’s great on Pork and Chicken. We use this dry rub for ribs all the time and is great for other low and slow cooking like chicken or any pork cut.
This homemade dry rub builds upon our our basic rub and adds more complexity and flavors to really provide a wow factor to your next BBQ pork recipe.
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How to Make a Homemade Dry Rub
We’ve posted pretty extensively on dry rubs before. One of our favorites is our Homemade Basic Dry Rub recipe.
If you’re new to making dry rubs, I suggest you start there, then come here for this, more advanced, recipe.
In that post we lay out the fundamentals of a good simple dry rub. If you want the basics, check out that post as it details the components of a great dry rub and how you can develop your own flavors, and why those work the way they do.
In that article we emphasize the components of a good dry rub for pork. Now EVERY single BBQ pro, chef, home cook, writer, grill master, pit master, you name it… will have their own take on a good dry rub. What it comes down to is finding a flavor profile that works for YOU.
Ingredients For a Dry Rub
- Brown Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Coarse Black Pepper
- Cumin
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
We use a 1:1 ratio of Sugar to Everything Else.
What do I mean by that?
- We take one part sugar (in this case use one cup to keep it simple).
- Then take one part (one cup) and fill it with the other spices.
Here’s a quick recap of what I mean and an explanation of other spices we use.
To summarize our previous article on dry rubs we always keep the three S’s in mind: Sweet, Savory, Spice (aka heat)
- Sweet: what we start with. Brown sugar (dark brown or light brown), cane or turbinado. This will help to create a caramelized crusty exterior (bark). To balance the sugar, this is where the savory comes in.
- Savory: things like salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, chili powder (which is simply a blend of dried chilies), cumin, paprika, celery salt, and more.
- Spice: cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or dried chipotle. Add these slowly (like 1 teaspoon or tablespoon at a time).
Don’t be nervous about adding spice! This will help balance the sugar (I promise!).
Our basic dry rub recipe is quite simple (there’s only 4 ingredients in it). If you’re ready to do something with a little more flavor and punch we’ve got this one for you.
Ultimate Dry Rub for Pork and Chicken
I call it “The Ultimate” because it’s truly the rub we use on most pork dishes. It’s also incredibly popular recipe on the internet with millions of views. This recipe also works great for chicken too (as long as you’re cooking your chicken low and slow. Note that sugar will start to burn when you cook at a high temperature).
A Note About Salt
We get feedback across the board about salt. Salt is a very subjective taste. Also, the salt in your pantry matters when making dry rubs. We use Diamond Crystal or Jacobsen kosher salt. We do not use iodized table salt. Salt will be different weights, even among kosher variety. So no two salt companies will measure the same. You have permission to adjust based upon the type of salt you have, and we encourage kosher salt.
Pro Tip – You cannot remove salt, so go light on the salt portions first then add based upon your taste. If you added too much, the best offset to salt is sugar.
How to Store Homemade Dry Rub
This will yield just over 2 cups of dry rub. Keep this stored in an air tight container in the pantry and use throughout the summer on your favorite pork recipes.
Try this Ultimate Homemade Dry Rub on:
- Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Smoked 321 Ribs
- Smoked Pork Butt (and Pulled Pork Sandwiches)
- BBQ Spare Ribs
- Smoked Whole Chicken
- … and more.
Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.
Tried this recipe? Give us a star rating and we would love to see! Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge on all the social media handles. And consider subscribing to our newsletter where we drop all our favorite ideas and inspirations every week.
This recipe was originally published in June 2018, and republished in 2023 with updated photos. The original recipe remains the same.
If you like this recipe we’d truly appreciate it if you would give this recipe a star review! And if you share any of your pics on Instagram use the hashtag #vindulge. We LOVE to see it when you cook our recipes.
David S Pyle says
Great rub! Thanks.
Sean Martin says
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!!! 🙂
JD says
I am not the biggest fan of adding sugar into the rubs. I think it makes the meat taste more “cured”- if that makes sense … instead with the Apple cider vinegar I put some cola, and spritz with the sugar, instead of having it in the rub itself.
Daniel Seger says
I smoked a pork shoulder for 11hrs with this rub recipe but I added 1/2 tbsp of ground mustard, I then shredded the pork and put it on kings Hawaiian rolls and realized I didn’t have bbq sauce so, I made bbq sauce out of the rub. I used about a quarter of the total amount of rub put it in a pint Mason jar filled the Mason jar 3/4 with apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of ketchup, 4-5 tbsp of Goldens spicy mustard, 3-4 tbsp of tomatoes paste, 3 tsps of granulated sugar and blended till smooth and thick. Yum
Adjust to taste.
Mike says
Can you use thIs rub to cook a pork shoulder ( not smoked) in a crock pot?
Sean Martin says
Mike, yes you sure can and it will taste similar to smoked less the bark. It will run sweet. If you want something more savory try our poultry seasoning for more herbal flavors. https://www.vindulge.com/grilled-chicken-seasoning/
David says
I have just made this dry rub for a pair of pork butts in a slow cooker. Spice tastes great on the finger so I am sure it will work out on the pork. Only one drawback … there was no *** BEWARE *** the table salt warning on the label :(. Though I bet if I went back to basics link it would be like !!! BAM !!! don’t use too much salt.
In the list they said CRYSTAL salt 1/2 cup… betting table salt is more like 1/4 to 1/3 cup due to the granular density of the two salts. Maybe it is supposed to weigh in on the salty side in the beginning … after all meat and fat will sweat grease washing off a bit of the seasoning.
Thank you for this great starting point.
Sincerely, Pork Butt
Larry Yianakopulos says
This is a great starting point, I’ve added and I’ve subtracted to my own liking smoked jalapeño pepper powder half the amount of kosher salt but added my own flavored salt to make up the difference I used a smoked mesquite Kosher salt for the other half and a tad bit of smoked mustered powder and this turned out amazing thank you so much
Sincerely …..The hot smoking truth!!!
Tim says
This one is my go to for smoking chicken wings, then I do use them in sweet baby rays bbq and finish on the grill. Always have very happy campers
Sean Martin says
Tim that sounds awesome and thanks for the feedback! Sweet Baby Ray’s is a great sauce.
Ron says
This is a great dry rub, but I modified it a little by adding 3 tablespoons of ground coffee and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Preparing to smoke a pork shoulder, I injected the shoulder with 14 oz of vegetable broth and a tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, then generously covered the shoulder with the dry rub. I then placed the shoulder in a plastic bag and left it in the refrigerator overnight. I smoked the shoulder for 4 hours at 250 degrees, then double wrapped it in foil with crushed pineapple top & bottom. I finished smoking the shoulder at 300 degrees for 5 hours. After 9 hours on the smoker it was fall apart delicious. Thank you for the great dry rub recipe.
Laura says
@Ron – How many pounds was your pork shoulder? Your additions to the dry rub and your method sound great and I’d love to try it, but for some reason I get the feeling you used a pretty big shoulder.
Sean Martin says
Laura – not sure how big Ron’s pork shoulder was – but in our pork shoulder recipe on the smoker – we use just over 1/2 a cup of rub for an 8 pound shoulder. A 4 pound shoulder we would use 1/4 cup of rub.
Wanda Collins says
I followed the recipe to the letter! It was GREAT on my pork chops. I marinated the chops with the rub for about 2 hrs and broiled them in the oven. My husband loved it! I wish I could post a picture of my chops.
Sean Martin says
Love it! Thanks for sharing! You’ll have to do them again and tag us in the photo!!!
Lisa says
Great rub – thank you for the recipe. I brined a whole chicken overnight and then used this rub and smoked it for 5 hours. It was GREAT! My husband said it was the best chicken he’s had! I adjusted the recipe a bit by reducing the salt to about half to start, tasted it, and then added another tablespoon. Looking forward to trying it on pork! Excellent flavors!
Sean Martin says
Awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback!!
Scott says
I’m a newbie to Traeger Grilling and Pork is my favorite so far. This rub looks fab and I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for sharing.
Sean Martin says
Thanks Scott! And hopefully you can modify and experiment with your own rubs too!
Andrew pocowatchit says
Used on baked chicken breast. Soaked in water for 15-20 min with kosher salt, seasoned bottom. Spread butter on breasts and seasoned top. Baked at 375 for 22-25 min. Let rest covered and was super tender. The pre cook brine did it and this seasoning is the flavor i have been looking for!!!!! Smells almost like a chili seasoning but tastes much better than it smells!
Sean Martin says
LOL awesome Andrew, thanks for the feedback!!
Stephen Morris says
really great rub!!!
Mary says
Thanks so much!
JT says
Tried this on some smoked pork belly burnt end and it was delicious! I did however find it to be a bit on the salty side so I would recommend cutting the salt content down if that’s not your thing.
Mary says
We definitely recommend tasting dry rubs and adjusting flavors to your preference before applying them to your meat. Everyone has different tastes and preferences towards salty flavors or not. So it’s always best to go with your preferences and adjust accordingly 🙂
lmoody79 says
Would recommend adding more brown sugar to cut the salty. Most store bought rubs are too salty for my liking and just mix them equal parts rub to brown sugar and some i do 1 part rub to 2 parts sugar
Leslie says
Agreed. The salt was brutal… I did do a small taste but it really came out and took over in the smoker. kinda wrecked dinner. 🙁
I have a lot left over. I like the flavour so I’ll make a new batch and omit the salt and mix with the first batch. Live and learn.
Sean Martin says
Leslie, thanks for sharing your feedback and we certainly appreciate there is a large variance in salt preferences. Even what types of salt you use (iodized, table, kosher) can change how salty it can be. Hopefully as others make this, they can adjust to their preference.
Jack Hinson says
Yelp me too. After the fact I found most recipes call for two tablespoons of salt.
Sean Martin says
Jack, we definitely appreciate the feedback and why we focused so much on calling out the salt ratio in the post as well.
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
This sounds super simple for grilling novices like me! Love that the ratio makes it easy to customize the rub!