Best Dry Rub For Ribs
On April 04, 2023 (Updated March 28, 2025)
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This dry rub for ribs will amplify the flavor on any rack of ribs you cook. I’ve packed classic BBQ flavors into my rib rub recipe so you get finger-licking results!
Dry Rub for Ribs
Every rack of ribs needs a good seasoning blend, and this dry rub for ribs is the ULTIMATE seasoning. Trust me on this. This post is consistently our #1 post on the entire Hey Grill Hey site because it is complete and utter perfection.
I’ve been smoking and grilling ribs for years and wanted to create a dry rub for ribs that was versatile enough to use in any rib application. This spice mix is the perfect mix of sweet and savory with some secret ingredients that add punch and pizazz so you can amp up that BBQ flavor, no matter how you’re cooking your ribs. This rib rub is fantastic on its own, you don’t even need sauce!
Rib Rub
Let’s talk about the building blocks of a good rib rub. I think the best rib rubs start with sugar as a base. Pork and sweet were just made to go together. From there, you’ll see recipes with salt and pepper plus a mix of things that are custom to each pitmaster. I like to add in smoked paprika for a boost of wood-fired flavor as well as a gorgeous red color that pops. Onion and garlic are classic flavor enhancers. Ground mustard ends up in almost all of my rubs as a punchy, almost acidic note of brightness.
My secret ingredients in my rib rub are cinnamon and celery salt. The cinnamon adds this lip-smacking quality that people can’t identify when eating it, but it keeps them coming back for more and more. The celery salt is the perfect earthy balance to the sweet brown sugar. Balance is crucial in a good dry rub for ribs!
This rib rub has been so popular on the site, we decided to bottle it up and sell it in the Hey Grill Hey Store. If you want to save yourself some time, snag a bottle of this amazing Hey Grill Hey Rib Rub shipped directly to your door!
Ingredients for Rib Rub
Here’s exactly what you’ll need to snag from the pantry or the store to make this dry rub for ribs:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Once you have all your ingredients assembled, combine them all in a mixing bowl, using a fork to break up any clumps.
Store your rib rub in air-tight glass containers (I buy ones like these online) and they will last at least a month. You may need to shake or mix to break up and brown sugar clumps.
More Dry Rub Recipes
Making your own rubs at home is easy and delicious. Check out some other homemade rubs from Hey Grill Hey below.
Rib Rub Recipe
Follow the recipe, and let’s make some really good food! Hey Grill Hey is here to help you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a BBQ hero. Head on over to Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! for more behind-the-scenes action!
This post was originally published in December 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Best Dry Rub for Ribs
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Make the rub. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork to crush any clumps of sugar or seasonings.
- Use or store. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many pounds of ribs is this recipe amount for?
This yields between 3-4 Tablespoons. I tend to use 1-2 Tablespoons per rack.
This is the very best way to make ribs. The rub is amazing. I rub the ribs the day before and place in a crock pot for 7 hrs. on low. the flavor is so yummy, you don’t need sauce on them. Better then any restaurant.
After applying dry to the ribs, how long do you recommend they sit in the refrigerator before putting them in the oven?
I usually just season and then smoke, but you can let them sit in the fridge overnight for more flavor if you have the time.
OK. I mixed all the ingredients listed and stored it for a month in a container. Now what do I do?
Do you really want me to answer that?
Best Rub I’ve ever used! Great bark.
I skeptical about the cinnamon. It gives it
a nice depth!
Always get raves with this recipe. In winter, I take it one step further (oven method) and use the pan drippings for an even more sensational result: Remove meat from the pan and add a can of tomato paste or sauce, mixing it with the drippings. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until the fat rises to the top. Skim fat off and discard. Smear sauce all over meat, returning to the oven heat until it makes yet another layer of flavourful skin on top of the bark. It takes longer but if you have the time, I recommend this extra step to make everyone envy your oven rib savvy
So I tried this method with the drippings
Once, it was very good. Then I got alittle creative,… I added 1 teaspoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of molasses and a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
Not sure about anyone else!
It’s a wonder I have any fingers left!
That so fingers lick’n good pretty sure I almost mistaken a finger for rib lol.
Great recipe
Thanks
I followed your dry rub receipe exactly!! It was a 10 on a 10 scale!! Used it with 4 & 1/2 pounds of pork spare ribs bake slowly in the oven for 3 hours! Couldn’t have happier with the result! Mr. Lynn W. Frank