Seasoning your meat with salt and pepper is a classic, but let’s be honest—this duo only brings out the most basic flavors in any dish!
If you want to take your BBQs, seared meats, and grilled steaks to the next level, using well-formulated dry rubs is the secret weapon you need. So, let me share some of my favorite ones!
1. All-Purpose, BBQ Dry Rub
One of the most versatile dry rubs you can have in your pantry is this all-purpose seasoning blend.
Whether you’re grilling chicken, roasting pork, searing beef, or even preparing seafood, this rub can easily improve the flavors of your protein!
The ingredients of this dry rub include dark brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper.
So, expect a perfect balance of sweetness, smokiness, and spice that’ll work well in any cooking scenario!
Full recipe: click here.
2. Mediterranean Dry Rub
This Mediterranean dry rub allows the flavors and aroma of herbs to take center stage, giving your dishes a bright and zesty lift!
I often use this rub for chicken and seafood, as these proteins excel when paired with herb-infused flavors.
But good news—this dry rub also works excellently for lamb, beef, and veggies!
Now, I’ve tried several other Mediterranean dry rub recipes before, but unfortunately, most of them tend to be too salty or overpowering.
This specific recipe, however, adjusts the proportions of each herb and the salt based on their potency so it remains well-balanced and flavorful.
Full recipe: click here.
3. Spicy Dry Rub
Calling all chili enthusiasts like me—this dry rub is specifically for you.
If you’re looking to add a bold spicy kick to your BBQs or grilled dishes without just dumping cayenne, chili flakes, or hot sauce onto your meat, this expertly crafted dry rub has your back.
It incorporates chili powder, cayenne, and ground pepper for a robust heat and balances out the flavors with brown sugar, mustard powder, cumin, granulated garlic, and kosher salt.
You can always adjust the measurements depending on your heat tolerance and preferred sweetness, but I love this dry rub’s flavor profile as is!
Full recipe: click here.
4. Simple Yet Savory Steak Rub
Take your steaks to the next level with this simple yet incredibly flavorful steak rub.
This blend not only enhances the meat’s natural flavors but also helps the exterior caramelize beautifully when searing.
No worries, you won’t need fancy spices for this dry rub.
All you need to whip up this blend are paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and brown sugar!
Literally the common spices that you likely already have!
Steaks cooked with this rub yield a mouthwatering blend of sweetness, saltiness, and a hint of spice, creating a wonderfully complex flavor profile.
Full recipe: click here.
5. Citrus Steak Rub
If you love zesty flavors, you’re in for a delightful treat with this citrus steak rub!
This vibrant blend combines the zests of lime, lemon, and orange with kosher salt, white pepper, and minced garlic to deliver a refreshing citrus flavor explosion.
Now, the only downside of this rub is that it isn’t really a “make-ahead” blend that you can store for days.
But, since you only need 5 minutes or so to create this dry rub from scratch, I’ve had zero trouble whipping up this fresh blend every single time!
Full recipe: click here.
Tips to Keep Your Dry Rubs Fresh
Except for the fifth dry rub on this list, the citrus steak rub, all the dry rubs mentioned above can be made and stored in advance!
To make sure they stay fresh as long as possible, here are some of my go-to tips:
- Use air-tight containers: I personally think that this is the best way to preserve the quality flavors of any dry rub. I recommend using glass jars, as they’re not only durable but also visually appealing!
- Keep away from sunlight: Store your dry rubs away from bright windows, as sunlight and heat can make them losing their flavor.
- Make small batches: There’s no need to replicate bulk-sized seasoning blends that you can buy in groceries when making your dry rubs. Focus on small batches that you can use up within a week or two, so they always remain fresh and flavorful.
Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll always have fresh dry rubs that’ll enhance your BBQ sessions and meals!
Wrap It Up With a Rub
Sure, wet marinades are great, but there are simply some dishes that thrive best with a dry rub!
Dry rubs enhance searing, are much easier to prepare, and eliminate the need to soak the meat for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
That said, with the 5 dry rub recipes above, you’ll always have a go-to option for any flavor profile you want to achieve!
Featured image credit to ©majesticspiceco.
