The Rub: The Best Rib Rub Recipe

Ratchet it up your Rub Game and dazzle your friends and taste buds with this super simple recipe for the best rib rub that we have found. We scoured all the best recipe resources so you can get right down to business. Follow us through this quick and EASY preparation. Here we go, The Best Rib Rub!

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Stop! Awesome work, you are done. Crack open a beer. Want more? Read on for more rib rub details and recipe options.

The Search: Top Candidates

#1 Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?

#2 Meathead’s World Famous Memphis Dust

#3 Scott’s Dry Pork & Rib Rub

#4 Weber Grills Coffee Rib Rub

The Best Rib Rub Recipe: Alton Brown

Alton Brown has the 8-3-1-1 rub pretty dialed in. We are talking 8 parts brown sugar, 3 parts kosher salt, 1 part chili powder, 1 part spices.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together!

Runner Up: Meathead’s World Famous Memphis Dust

A Rub for AmazingRibs is always worth giving a try. This is an excellent option and is extremely highly regarded.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup American paprika
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons rosemary powder

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together!

Also Great: Scott’s Dry Pork & Rib Rub

This recipe has A LOT of fans and nothing but fantastic comments!

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (like Lawry’s)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together!

Greatly Unique: Weber’s Coffee Rib Rub

This recipe from Weber Grills adds a little coffee kick! It is an interesting twist on the standard rib rub that still lends itself to standard sauces and BBQ sides without being completely left-field. Want to try something different? This is it.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground coffee
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together!

Dropping Knowledge: Rib Rubs

BBQ is a labor of love and the result of layering flavors onto your product. A solid rub provides the foundation that each additional layer of smoke, spritz, and sauce will lay onto and compliment.

The Search: How We Found The Rub

We are a cooking resource. We read a LOT of recipes online. We read books on cooking techniques. We have honed the ability to see through the noise and find AUTHENTIC recipes that stand on their own merits rather than their perceived rankings.

So we kicked tires, turned stones, read reviews, cooked food, and did an absurd amount of research just to pin down a rub for you. We are confident that we found the best rib rub recipe out there! Our goal is to help you to prepare delicious food for yourself, your friends, and family. We don’t want you to waste your time trying to filter out the nonsense.

Thanks for reading!

Looking for some general rub, sauce, and sides recipes? Check out our Great Notes feature on quick ratios and recipes!