BBQ Spice Rub
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This BBQ spice rub is the perfect blend of barbecue spices. It works well on pork, chicken and beef, and can be used on grilled, roasted, smoked and baked meats, as well as potatoes and other veggies. Whip up a batch, and it’s guaranteed to become a house favorite. Since this rub also makes a great gift for grill masters and foodies, I’ve included free, printable labels that you can use to package it.
Simply blend brown sugar with seven spices that you probably have in your pantry right now, and you’ll have a perfectly-balanced BBQ spice rub to add to your flavor arsenal. It’s sweet, smoky and fragrant, with just the right amount of heat.
In terms of spiciness, this rub is on the milder side. If you want to dial up the heat, increase the amount of black pepper, cayenne and ground mustard in the recipe.
Since this rub contains brown sugar, it caramelizes to form a gorgeous crust on the outside of the meat. Just be careful not to subject it to high heat on the grill or in the broiler, or the sugar could burn.
Make this spice rub as you need it, or make it in advance and store it in an air-tight container.
BBQ Spice Rub Recipe
This recipe makes enough BBQ spice rub to fill a half-pint jar. Double, triple or quadruple the recipe, if you want to make more.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
I used granulated table salt and ground black pepper in this batch of spice rub. If you want a little more texture, use coarse salt and cracked black pepper. You can use regular paprika in this recipe, if that’s all you have, but the smoked paprika will add a lot of smoky flavor to the rub.
What You Do:
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Break up any clumps. Then, transfer the finished BBQ spice rub to an air-tight container. Tap the jar on the counter, as you’re filling it, to settle the contents. One batch fits perfectly in a half-pint jar.
This BBQ spice rub does not contain any anti-caking agents, so it may harden over time. To soften it back up, just place it in an open microwave-safe container; cover the top of the container with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 10 seconds. Give it a quick stir; then, repeat the process, until it’s soft. Be careful not to microwave it for too long, or you could melt the sugar.
How to You Use This BBQ Spice Rub
To use your BBQ spice rub, simply sprinkle it over meat, and rub it in. You can use as much as will stick to the surface. There’s no need to measure.
You can also sprinkle it over french fries and roasted veggies, to give them an instant flavor boost.
Printable BBQ Spice Rub Labels
Here are some free, printable labels that you can use to label your BBQ spice rub. Since half-pint jars are available in regular-mouth and wide-mouth formats, I’ve included labels for both. The regular-mouth labels print 20 to a page; and the wide-mouth labels print 12 to a page. This is perfect, if you’re planning to use my BBQ rub for gifts or party favors. Just print the labels on a full-sheet of sticker paper (i.e. shipping label sheet), Then, cut them out by hand, or punch them out, using a circle punch. A 2-inch circle punch works for the regular-mouth labels and a 2.5-inch circle punch works for the wide-mouth labels.
Use Avery 8165, for an ink jet printer, or Avery 5265, for a laser printer. I like to print my kitchen labels on vinyl sheet. Since it’s water-proof and dishwasher-safe, I can label my jars once; then, refill them again and again, without the need to print a new label. If you want to do the same, just make sure you buy vinyl that’s designed for the type of printer that you own. The vinyl sheet for laser printers and ink jet printers isn’t interchangeable.
Many web browsers have their own built-in PDF viewers, but they tend to be buggy. If you’re having trouble printing or editing one of our printables, click here for help.
I put my BBQ spice rub in these Ball wide-mouth half-pint jars from their Collection Elite. They’re sold in a set of four.
Print
BBQ Spice Rub
Use this BBQ spice rub to season pork, chicken or beef. Good on grilled, roasted, smoked or baked meats, or sprinkled over potatoes and other veggies.
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1/2 pint 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Break up any clumps. Then, store in an air-tight container. Fits in a half-pint jar.
Notes
- Use ground pepper and table salt, for less texture, or cracked black pepper and coarse salt for more texture.
- The sugar in the rub caramelizes to form a crust on the meat. It should not be exposed to high temperatures (i.e. a super hot grill or broiler), or it could burn.
- This is a mild BBQ spice rub. For a spicier rub, simply increase the black pepper, cayenne and powdered mustard
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Spices
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: bbq spice rub recipe, sweet bbq spice rub, how to make bbq spice rub
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