Best Dry Rub For Ribs
On April 04, 2023
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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
- ½ teaspoon 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.
I’ve used this rub several times, just as written. After rubbing on my ribs, I put them in my ninja foodi, meatier side down, on the air fryer setting at 350degrees for 30 minutes, flipping half way. They come out perfectly cooked and juicy every single time. Trust me-no need for bbq sauce or anything else. Try it!
I have been using this rub for over a year now and it is amazing every single time! I half the amount of salt, a little extra garlic and onion powder, and I don’t use cayenne (too spicy for my taste). Wrap the ribs in foil (a few layers or it’ll leak in your oven), 250F for 4 hours, flip the ribs once per hour. Fall off the bone every time and so juicy.
we tweak everything, its fun to see the great ideas that are shared.
Can you put on chicken thighs,legs or wings?
Absolutely!
Tried the rub on baby back ribs in the oven and the house smelled wonderful, loved the cinnamon in it ,this will be my go to rub from now on! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I was looking for a rib rub that didn’t contain chili powder in it and this is it. I baked my ribs for dinner tonight, but I can’t stop picking at them they are soooo good! Great rub!
I cooked ribs that I’d seasoned with this dry rub overnight, in a crock pot on low for 4 hours, for my adult children. They nearly swooned over how delicious they were.
Absolutely terrific! Subbed the dry mustard for cumin. Rubbed on pork ribs and completed in the air fryer. Wow! No BBQ sauce needed.
I was making ribs tonight and when I realized I had no barbecue sauce, I looked for a rub that could stand out by itself. This is the one. I followed the recipe exactly and the ribs were delicious. I will never use sauce again. It makes no sense to cover this rub with sauce when you are coating the ribs with this rub. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’ve used thus rub for quite a while. I rub it on both sides lightly and cover tight in saran wrap then foil, leaving 24 hours. Remove saran wrap and foil, replacing foil and baking at 300* for 3-4 hours. Put on a hot grill for added flavor. Add sauce then if wanted
I did a thin layer of yellow mustard on the ribs and then worked this rub into them and left for 24 hours. Cooked then low in the over for 3 hours and they turned out amazing. The flavour was fantastic, will definitely use again!
I have used the rub extensively on multiple types of meat, and can concur, it stands on it’s own, no sauce needed! Well done!
Agree completely! I am a barbecue sauce guy. Love it on everything. I made two racks of ribs the first time I used this rub. Sauced one rack and left the other alone. Let me tell you…I didn’t even want to touch the ones with sauce on them. This rub is where it’s at!!!