The Ultimate Dry Rub for Wings & Ribs

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The only rub recipe you’ll ever need! Amp up the flavor on ribs, chicken, brisket, pork, and more for your next BBQ. Use this recipe on anything you throw on the grill, in the smoker, or the oven. Made with simple pantry ingredients like smoky paprika, blackened seasoning, garlic, and onion.

It’s the one rub recipe that does it all! We’ve used this simple recipe for several years and it’s a hit each and every time.

If you do a lot of grilling and smoking recipes, you’ll definitely want to keep a batch of this on hand for everything.

Dry Rub Recipe for Wings, Chicken, and Ribs

This is the alpha of all-purpose recipes! You can truly use it on everything.

Try this rub on these recipes:

The purpose of the dry rub is to enhance the natural flavors and tenderize the meat. The longer the rub is applied to the meat, the more flavor the cut of meat will have. You can really take a lowly piece of meat and turn it into an amazing meal within a few hours of marinating.

Ingredients:

Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Kosher Salt
Ground Pepper
Blackened Seasoning
Cumin
Red Pepper Flakes
Paprika

How to Make a Homemade Dry Rub Recipe

Use a 1:1 ratio for each of the ingredients listed, meaning that each measurement is equal to all of the other measurements.

For example, if the recipe calls for one cup of onion powder, you will also add 1 cup of all the other ingredients listed, unless otherwise noted.

To make this simple BBQ rub, grab a glass mason jar or airtight container for easy storing. The amount you need will be according to the size of the cut of meat you are using.

For reference, ½ cup of this dry rub recipe will coat one 3-pound piece of meat (pork butt, ribs, chicken wings, etc.).

fajita spice blend dry - Toasted Sesame, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Cumin, Coriander, Sea Salt with chicken wings

Leftover rub can be stored in an airtight container for several months. I also love to give this as a housewarming gift or hostess gift!

BBQ Spice Rub FAQ

What does dry rub mean?

A dry rub is a mix of ingredients that are “rubbed” onto meat using your hands. It’s kind of like a marinade except it’s made of seasonings instead of liquids.

Is Dry Rub better than marinade?

The main purpose of a dry rub is to enhance or add flavor. Liquid marinades tenderize the meat.

Can you leave a rub on too long?

If a rub is left on for too long before cooking, the salt or other ingredients will dry out the meat.

How do you store dry rub?

To keep the seasonings fresh, store in an air-tight container, like a mason jar, plastic food storage, or zip-top baggie. The rub will stay fresh for up to 3 months or more.

Yield: 2 cups