Having a cookout with friends but don’t know how to season your meat and veggies? Well, you don’t have to fret. If you are a frequent cook, you probably have some everyday spices in your pantry. You can use them to make the perfect all-purpose BBQ rub that you can apply liberally to meat and other dishes you want to prepare.
Having a cookout doesn’t mean you spend all your time in the kitchen. A BBQ rub is your best bet to prepare scrumptious meals in no time. This particular blog discusses how to make the perfect BBQ rub to steal the show in your next cookout. Let’s begin.
How to Make the Perfect BBQ Rub
A BBQ rub hardly takes any time to prepare, and the good news is that you can store it in an air-tight container in a cool place. Depending on your frequency of use, it can last a long time in the freezer. It is handy, and you can always increase the quantities of the ingredients to make a larger batch.
Ingredients
Brown sugar: ½ cup
Paprika: ½ cup
Garlic powder: 1 tablespoon
Onion Powder: 1 tablespoon
Salt: 1 tablespoon
Ground black pepper: 1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper: 1 teaspoon
Directions
Take a dry and clean bowl
Measure all the spices and add them to the bowl one by one
Make sure to mix all the spices thoroughly
Take an air-tight container or jar to store the BBQ rub mix
Alternatively, you can also store it in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer
How To Use The BBQ Rub
A BBQ rub is your secret weapon in the kitchen. If you have this one spice mix handy, you can throw a great cookout with minimal effort. A BBQ rub adds a delicious taste to dishes. You can vary the quantity of the rub to make it more or less spicy.
A BBQ rub pairs perfectly well with beef, chicken, and pork. It’s great as a marinade if you are planning to grill the meat. It also works well with smoked and roasted meats. You can also utilize it for potatoes and vegetables.
This BBQ rub can easily be used on many different foods to enhance their flavor. The biggest advantage of the rub is that it uses dry ingredients only. You can store it for months easily if you create a bigger supply. You can use the rub to prepare the following for your cookout:
Pork tenderloins or chops
Chicken breasts
Chicken wings or thighs
Tofu
Roasted potatoes
Burgers
Steaks
Roasted cauliflower
One thing you should keep in mind when grilling with the BBQ rub is to be cautious not to burn the sugar in the mix. If you are grilling on high heat or broiling the meat, chances are the sugar can get burnt.
BBQ Rub Variations
You can use this all-purpose recipe to create variations of the rub that will be suitable for different tastes. It will help add variety to the flavors you can create on the cookout.
It will definitely leave your guests wondering how you have prepared all the scrumptious dishes. Only you will know the minimal effort you have made to prepare them. So following are some BBQ rub variations you can do for variety:
Garlic BBQ Rub: Increase the quantity of garlic powder in the rub. You can make it double for the garlic-y taste.
Spicy BBQ Rub: Add crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or ground chipotle pepper to the mix.
Mexican Rub: Add a teaspoon of ground cumin and ground coriander to the mix, along with a tablespoon of chili powder.
Additional BBQ Rub Recipes
While the above is the perfect all-purpose recipe to prepare the best BBQ-rub, you can also experiment with the herbs and spices yourself. If you are not into experimenting, here are some more BBQ rub recipes for you to try.
Beef Rib Rub
You can make this rub and even turn it into a paste by adding olive oil for added texture and flavor. Use the rub heavily on the beef to bring out the flavors. You can also utilize the instructions given below for pork ribs.
Ingredients
Ground ancho chili: 1 tablespoon
Smoked paprika: 1 tablespoon
Brown sugar: 1 tablespoon
Maldon sea salt: 1 tablespoon
Cumin: 1 teaspoon
Coriander: 1 teaspoon
Mustard powder: 1 teaspoon
Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper: ¼ teaspoon
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and store the mix in an air-tight container for later use.
Double Pepper Barbecue Rub
You can use this double pepper BBQ-rub on the choice of your meat. It works well with rubs, chicken, and pork shoulder. You can also include a BBQ sauce to the meat as it smokes.
Ingredients:
Paprika: ¼ cup
Ground cumin: 1 tablespoon
Chili powder: 1 tablespoon
Ground black pepper: 1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper: 1 ½ teaspoon
Ground cloves: ¼ teaspoon
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a clean bowl and store the mixture in an air-tight container.
Davis Dry Rub
If you are looking for a sweet and savory BBQ rubs perfect for grilling, try the Davis dry rub. It is ideal for chicken steaks and can easily last up to 6 months.
Ingredients:
Paprika: ½ cup
Salt: ¼ cup
Ground black pepper: 1/3 cup
Chili powder: ¼ cup
Ground cumin: ¼ cup
Brown sugar: ¼ cup
Sugar: 3 tablespoons
Cayenne pepper: 2 tablespoons
Directions:
Take a clean bowl to mix all the elements and stock them in a well-sealed container.
Conclusion
BBQ rubs are one of the most versatile and handy products in your kitchen. You can easily prepare it using the spices available in your pantry and use it to prepare a delicious meal on your next cookout. However, if you don’t have the necessary spices, you can easily buy a BBQ rub online.
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