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    Home → Recipes → BBQ Rubs and Sauces

    Published: Nov 3, 2017 · Modified: Aug 24, 2020 by The BBQ Brothers · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    All Purpose BBQ Rub

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    Every good grill master needs a go-to dry rub recipe! Created by the BBQ Brothers, this all purpose BBQ rub can be used on any meat before it hits the grill or smoker. 

    All Purpose BBQ Rub ingredients on wood board with titles written beside them on brown paper overhead shot

    **Post written by The BBQ Brothers.

    This All Purpose BBQ Rub recipe can be used on pretty much anything you want to grill. Poultry, pork, beef, you name it. Every other rub that we do is more or less based off of this one, if we change it at all. Almost everything we grill gets this rub put on it.

    The proportions are:

    • ½ Cup Brown Sugar
    • 2 tablespoon Paprika
    • 2 tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 2 tablespoon Granulated Garlic (I like granulated because garlic powder will clump up)
    • 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt
    • 2 tablespoon Black Pepper
    • 2 tablespoon Ground Cumin
    • 2 teaspoon Cayenne for heat

    I usually like to rub whatever cuts I am doing the night before, mostly because I want to get as much sleep as I can the next day, but also because this will act as a dry brine/marinade of sorts for the meat. This will especially help keep chicken juicy since it usually dries out more than other meats.

    Most of the rub can’t really penetrate the meat like some people say it can. The only thing that will is the salt, which helps in keeping it juicy and moist.

    Rack of ribs coated in all-purpose bbq rub overhead shotI’ve found that the easiest way to apply the rub is to put it in a large shaker and sprinkle it down onto the meat. Now even though it’s called a “rub” we don’t actually rub it into the meat since that will cause it to cake up and the smoke won’t penetrate to the meat as well as it should. You want to dust it on then pat it in until you’ve got all of your meat covered, including the sides.

    After this, you’ll want to put the meat into a sealed container or wrap it in saran wrap overnight.

    Side Note: When we apply a rub for a long smoke (a few hours of grilling), we want to make sure that it sticks to the meat as much as possible. There are two different ways of doing this:

    • Matthew: I like to brush on vegetable oil since it helps the rub stick and doesn’t impart any flavors I don’t want on my meat like you’ll sometimes have with mustard, for example.
    • Andrew: He’s just saying that because he hates mustard. I always use yellow mustard for my rubs. It burns off as the meat cooks so it has no taste and helps to develop a bark on the outside of the meat which you don’t get with vegetable oil.

    That being said, take your pick on which technique you would like to use to get your rub to stick!

    For more tips on meat prep, grill set up, temperature and humidity control, recommended tools, and techniques for The BBQ Brothers recipes, (including an additional recipe for an all purpose injection) check out The BBQ Brothers Beginner’s Guide To Grilling. Then head on over to the BBQ Brothers recipes for some delicious smoked/grilled meats and sides!

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    All-Purpose BBQ Rub

    All Purpose BBQ Rub

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: The BBQ Brothers
    • Prep Time: 5 mins
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Category: Rub
    • Method: Mixed
    • Cuisine: American
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    Description

    Every good grill master needs a go-to dry rub recipe! Created by the BBQ Brothers, this all purpose BBQ rub can be used on any meat before it hits the grill or smoker.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ½ Cup Brown Sugar
    • 2 Tbsp Paprika
    • 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
    • 2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic (I like granulated because garlic powder will clump up)
    • 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
    • 2 Tbsp Black Pepper
    • 2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
    • 2 Tsp Cayenne for heat

    Instructions

    1. Mix all ingredients together.
    2. I usually like to rub whatever cuts I am doing the night before because this will act as a dry brine/marinade of sorts for the meat.
    3. I’ve found that the easiest way to apply the rub is to put it in a large shaker and sprinkle it down onto the meat. Now even though it’s called a “rub” we don’t actually rub it into the meat since that will cause it to cake up and the smoke won’t penetrate to the meat as well as it should. You want to dust it on then pat it in until you’ve got all of your meat covered, including the sides.
    4. After this, you’ll want to put the meat into a sealed container or wrap it in saran wrap overnight.

    Notes

    See post notes on tips on how to apply this seasoning!

    Keywords: bbq rub, easy meat rub, all purpose bbq rub, DIY grilled meat rub, dry rub recipe

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    So let us know what you think….did this recipe smoke the competition or go up in flames? Leave a comment below! 🙂

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sophie says

      February 24, 2020 at 7:59 pm

      Hi! Wondering if Dusseldorf mustard could sub in for yellow, or if it would likely mess up the flavor? Would love to hear your thoughts!

      Reply
      • Caitlin says

        February 26, 2020 at 10:27 am

        Hey Sophie! The BBQ brothers are torn on whether or not mustard imparts flavor into the meat but for the most part, it really doesn't have much effect! Since dusseldorf is stronger than yellow mustard, it may impart more flavor so you could try it out on a meat that would pair well with it (such as corned beef)! Personally, we think that regular yellow mustard is an adequate (and cheaper) alternative! Hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kristofer Van Wagner says

      August 12, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      Thank you for sharing that it is important to get the right ratio when deciding on BBQ meat rubs. My family and I are planning to have a barbeque this weekend. When we decide on the rubs, I will keep this tip in mind.

      Reply
      • Caitlin says

        August 12, 2020 at 3:40 pm

        A simple guide but we find it to be quite helpful! So glad you agree! Enjoy your BBQ! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Bob says

      September 02, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      Thanks for the rub recipe. We made it today with a slight modification. We didn't have cayenne pepper and substituted ground jalapeno pepper. The rub went well with a whole pork loin. Will definitely be keeping this recipe handy.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Caitlin says

        September 03, 2022 at 11:28 am

        Thanks for the great review, Bob, so glad you enjoyed the rub! 🙂

        Reply

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    Hey I’m Caitlin! I am the chalkboard artist, photographer, writer, and overall boss-lady behind Cuts and Crumbles! I love sharing easy recipes that are possible for any skillset and suitable for any occasion! From recipes with low-calorie ingredient swaps to more indulgent dishes and even off the grill smoked specialities, I've got you covered!

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