The Ultimate BBQ Rib Rub Recipe
This sweet and savory BBQ rib rub recipe is not just for ribs…use it for pulled pork, shrimp, chicken, or pork chops! I actually stole this recipe from my brother who is a master of seasoning meat for the grill. Don’t tell him!
You could buy a BBQ Rib Rub in the store that is delicious…but do you know what else is in those rubs? Corn syrup solids, microcrystalline cellulose, dextrose, and MSG.
It only takes 10 minutes to make your own and avoid all of that junk and save a little money!
This BBQ rib rub is not just for ribs, I love to use is on pulled pork, shrimp, chicken, pork chops, and on grilled corn on the cob. Yes, I know corn on the Cobb isn’t keto.
How to make the best BBQ dry rub
The ingredients in this recipe are sweetener, kosher salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, turmeric, and chili powder.
If you want the dry rub on the spicy side, you can kick it up with some ground cayenne pepper.
For the sweetener, I used a sugar free sweetener to keep this BBQ rib rub keto. You could also use brown sugar, which is what most rib rubs use.
When I use this on my oven baked ribs, I apply a generous coating on all sides of the ribs. Make sure you remove the silver skin on the bony side of the ribs so the rub can actually penetrate into the meat.
To remove that tough skin, grab a piece of it at the corner of the ribs and tug until you get a good hold of it. You can also use a paper towel so you don’t lose your grip. The skin should come off in one piece.
There are some people who like to coat their meat with the BBQ Rib rub the night before, or a few hours before cooking. This is not necessary, and the salt in the mixture will draw moisture from the meat. 15 minutes in advance is perfectly fine.
I’ve used this rib rub on my Instant Pot Ribs, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, and Instant pot chicken!
Making your own rubs allows you to control the salt content, sugar content, and overall flavor profile, creating the best BBQ rubs tailored to your taste. This homemade BBQ spice rub recipe is a great thing to have in your spice cabinet, perfect for any cut of pork and even other favorite meats. Next time you’re planning a barbecue, skip the pre-made rubs and opt for this flavorful, homemade option.
The Ultimate BBQ Rib Rub Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup sugar free brown sweetener
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions
- Combine the Spices: In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together until they are well combined. Make sure there are no clumps of brown sugar.
- Store Properly: Transfer the spice blend to an airtight container, such as a mason jar, to keep it fresh. Store the airtight jar in a dry place, away from direct sunlight. This will help maintain the spice mixture's potency and flavor.
Notes
- The ingredients will cake together if left to sit. This is from lack of an anti-caking agent. Simply shake the bottle before use.
- If using this on ribs, be sure to remove the silver skin before applying the BBQ rib rub.
- If you want the dry rub on the spicy side, you can kick it up with some cayenne.
Tried the rub recipe and was very good ! My first attempt at making pulled pork
Made and used this rub on a pork loin yesterday. It was SO GOOD. Spouse and guest loved it. So tasty!! Only change made, out of turmeric, so substantiated it with Garam Marsala. This recipe is a keeper!
My family said these were the best ribs in 38 years of my cooking.I did not save it and searched for 2 hours looking for this site again. YUMMMMM.
I am using this on your pork loin crock pot bbq recipe. Do I need to peel off the fat side on that piece of meat too? TIA!
I typically do not. It will melt into the meat and make it juicy.
I’ve been using this rub on my pellet grill ribs for years, and everyone loves them!
Rave reviews from my guests!
If I were to use normal brown sugar, would I still use the same amount?
yep!
Sweetness it says 1/4 c. brown sugar sweetener? Splenda brown sugar blend is half brown sugar/half splenda. Does that mean 1/8c. in rub? I’m a diabetic and regularly cook with splenda.
I would avoid that sweetener if I was diabetic. The first ingredient is sugar.
I didn’t have smoked paprika, so I used Himalayan salt in its place.
Those are totally different things.
I didn’t have brown sugar so I used salt in its place.
I used this rub on a pork picnic roast and cooked it in the pressure cooker. The flavour was outstanding! Hubby absolutely loved it!
This rub is so good, it’s now my forever go to for dry rubs. Makes the BEST pulled pork! I’ve made it keto and non keto, both excellent!
This rub was so good! The whole family just ate it up and their not usually big on pork loin. We didn’t even need to add a sauce after, it was so GOOD!!
Sounds good. Can I use regular salt instead of kosher salt?
I used regular salt and it was still really good!
I tried this rub and it is real good. Will be using this recipe again!
I loved it, but my son found it too spicy, and 1 used 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of chili powder. Next time, I’ll use half of that. ?
I’ve got about 4 pounds of ribs — do I need to double this seasoning recipe?
I think it should be enough
How many carbs does this have?
1 net carb per tablespoon
Followed the recipe exactly and tried on boneless chicken thighs and it’s extremely good! I’ve been trying to find rubs that are low carb for ribs or chicken since those have been my go to meats on keto. My wife isn’t doing keto and loved it as well. Couldn’t believe the sugar and salt content of rubs. Can’t wait to try this on some slow cooked ribs.
Used this rub on a pork loin in the slow cooker and it was absolutely amazing. It took 8 hours too fall apart on low setting but it did not toughen up and did not dry out. (I also added dr.pepper) so probably off the radar for keto. But i drained the meat after so
Could you use regular swerve granular or lakanto instead of the brown sugar substitute? Would that highly impact the flavor profile? Thank you.
Yes, I don’t think it would make much difference
I’ve made this several times now and it’s gotten rave reviews, including from “Mr. Picky” 😛
That’s so great to hear!
It is the best BBQ rub recipe! I added some cayenne pepper and omitted the turmeric since I was out and then rubbed it onto a pork loin for your crock pot pork loin recipe. I’ve been searching for awhile for the perfect crock pot pulled pork and thanks to you (and this rub),I have found it!
I followed the recipe for this rub to the T! It is fantastic!