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Spice up your food with a dry rub

PREP TIME: 5 mins
DIFFICULTY: super easy
IDEAL FOR: infusing your meat to add flavour
BUDGET: £

I’ve done smoked brisket with an easy dry rub and amazing peri peri chicken (but that marinade was more complex)

The great thing with dry rubs is you can use them on just about any meat that you’re cooking, grilling or smoking.

They’re a quick and easy way to enhance and infuse flavours into your dish with just a few simple ingredients.

Most dry rubs are made up of spices, herbs and sugar.

Tips on using dry rubs

  • Use the fresh ingredients if possible (*spices do lose their aroma and flavour after the jar has been open for 9 months)
  • Grind things like black pepper and coriander as you’ll get the best flavour and aromas.
  • Ideally, use your dry rub soon after making for best results (but of course you can make and store for a later date).
  • For a punchier flavour, cover your meat with the dry rub and refrigerate overnight (*remember to take out at least 30 mins before cooking to bring the meat to room temp).
  • When grilling your meat with a dry rub don’t cook over direct heat as it will burn the dry rub instead of nicely caramelizing it. 

Tips on making dry rubs

  • For the best flavour punch, it’s best to add all three flavours; sweet, savoury and spicy/heat.
    • Sweet = best base is brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
    • Spice = cayenne goes well with a lot of other spices or use chilli powder cayenne
    • Savoury = includes base ingredients like salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Then you can add herbs like coriander
  • Paprika = smoked or sweet. It’s in the name but if you’re grilling you can opt for sweet as you’ll get smokiness from the BBQ.

Storing your dry rub

  • Keep in a zip-lock freezer bag, getting all the air out and store in the freezer.
  • Or you can also store dry rubs for up to 6 months in air-tight jar in a cool dark place or in the fridge.
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The Ultimate Rub

Dry rubs to infuse and flavour your meat
Course Main Course
Keyword dry rub, herbs, seasoning, spices
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cost £

Ingredients

The Ultimate Dry Rub (perfect for chicken, brisket, ribs, chicken wings…)

  • 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Mix all the spices in a bowl bowl. Done!
    To use; simply (generously) rub it all over the meat, ensuring you get into all the nooks and crannies.
    *can be stored for up to 6 months.

Notes

The Utimate Dry Rub recipe shout out to WillCookforSmiles 
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Mexican rub

Dry rub perfect for fajita's – chicken, steak
Course Main Course
Keyword dry rub, herbs, seasoning, spices
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Cost £

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp hot chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp tbsp dried oregano

Instructions

  • Mix all the spices and herbs in a bowl. Done!
    To use; simply (generously) rub it all over the meat, ensuring you get into all the nooks and crannies.
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Brown sugar chilli dry rub

Great spicy dry rub for chicken… but a bit of an allrounder. Try on lamb, ribs, and also potatoes, chickpeas, salmon.
Course Main Course
Keyword dry rub, herbs, seasoning, spices
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Cost £

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika (optional)
  • 1 tsp onion powder (optional)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder (optional)

Instructions

  • Mix all the spices and herbs in a bowl. Done!
    To use; simply (generously) rub it all over the meat, ensuring you get into all the nooks and crannies.