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Marinades, Sauces, Rubs & Salsas

Basic Barbecue Rub


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Basic Barbecue Rub

Recipe Notes

  • Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 cup brown or white sugar
  • 1 cup sweet paprika
  • 1/2 to 1 cup coarsely ground or cracked black peppercorns
  • 3 tablespoons granulated garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons granulated onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed

Recipe Steps

Step 1: Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and mix, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar with your fingers. (Your fingers work better than a whisk or wooden spoon.)

Step 2: Pack in lidded jars and include directions for storing (store away from heat and light) and using. (Figure on 2 to 4 teaspoons per pound of meat.)

Recipe Tips

How to make this rub your own:

Substitute smoked salt or herb salt for the sea salt.

Substitute light brown, dark brown, turbinado sugar, maple sugar, palm sugar, date sugar, Sucanat (freeze-fried cane juice), etc., for the sugar.

Substitute smoked paprika, hot paprika, or chili powder for the paprika.

Substitute white pepper, lemon pepper, ground green peppercorns, or Sichuan peppercorns (just a little of the latter) for the black pepper.

Kick up the heat with a couple tablespoons of hot pepper flakes.

Add a Southwestern touch with a couple tablespoons ground cumin and / or chili powder.

Substitute mustard seed or ground mustard for the celery seed.