Best Dry Rub For Ribs
On April 04, 2023 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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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.
Just did a rack today and it was amazing. My daughter in law stated it was the best ribs she ever tasted. My son said the same thing.
I was out of smoked paprika so I used pasilla powder instead. So delicious.
Best recipe out there for ribs. It converted me from a sauce guy.
This is the best rub I’ve ever made. Everyone loved the ribs. This will be my go-to from now on!
This is a great mix! I used it and everyone loved it. I added chipotle powder for a flavorful heat, and a little more cinnamon and salt than was called for.Question: if all these ingredients come out of their own airtight containers that we all have laying around for months (if not years), why would mixing them together make them only last a month after the point of being mixed…?
I think it’s the brown sugar. It hardens. There’s tricks to keep it soft, but after a month I’d rather just make it fresh.
I am supposing in part because there is not a non-caking agent added and possibly something to do with the brown sugar. I’m definitely not an expert though. Anyone feel free to correct if me if I am wrong.
This is the BEST rub I have ever had. I finally found the only rub I will ever need. Everyone raved about my ribs and it’s bc of your recipe. The only things I did differently was to add an extra 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and I smeared Dijon mustard on the babyback ribs first so the rub would adhere better to the meat and WOW what a great idea that was. (I still used the powdered mustard and followed the recipe as written). Thank you so much for this crowd pleaser!!
Just made this rub for our ribs. Excellent! Totally floored. I was very hesitant to use the cinnamon but it was not overpowering at all. I did use the whole amount on one rack of ribs. I also used yellow mustard first then added this rub and let sit for 2 hours. We smoked 2 racks of ribs and did one rack with this rub and the other one with the molasses hickory rub we bought. This one was so much better! I love trying out all the different rubs that are on the net. This one will definitely be in the top 3 rotation. Thank-You for it.
How many full racks of baby back ribs does the above amount in recipe cover ? Per rack or moreI am using this weekend and look forward
I just doubled and it covered 3 racks.
Ive been using this recipe several years..ive made over 40 racks of ribs. Ppl tell me i should open my own business. great recipe in my eyes.
Amazing. Used this on pork ribs for my husband and cut the brown sugar in half (he’s on low sugar diet). It was very very tasty. Added barbeque sauce for the rest of us. It really enhanced the flavor overall – either way we ate it. I will definitely use this recipe again.