Memphis is one of the few Southern cities with a truly unique barbecue style. It’s been known for its ribs since the 1920s, all because of its signature dry rub.
What Is a Memphis Dry Rub?
This dry seasoning has a slightly sweet, savory, and earthy flavor profile, thanks to its base ingredients of brown sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper.
From there, you can easily customize the rub to match your personal taste.
What Are the Ingredients You Need?
Many pitmasters have crafted their own spin on this classic Memphis spice blend, and here’s one of my favorites. For this recipe, you’ll need:
- Brown sugar: I tend to use light brown sugar for this recipe, but if you want added caramel notes, go for the dark variety instead.
- Spices: I use a combination of cumin, allspice, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery seed for this rub.
- Peppers: Because I like a bit of heat, I incorporate four kinds of peppers — chili powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Herbs: These add a touch of earthiness, so I like using dried marjoram, thyme, oregano, and coriander.
- Salts: Medium-grain kosher salt is enough, but if you want to add a subtle green and grassy flavor, feel free to sprinkle in some celery salt.
Other Variations
If you want to play around and experiment with the rub, feel free to swap out some herbs and spices. For instance, if you’re not a fan of thyme or oregano, you can replace them with ground rosemary.
Then, if you want more kick, add a touch of ginger. It brings a nutty flavor that works wonders to add depth to this recipe.
When it comes to heat, I sometimes like to add chipotle pepper to the mix. It’s a bit hotter than other peppers, but it adds a smoky layer of spice that complements the dish without being too overwhelming.
Where Can You Use This Seasoning?
Think this rub is just for ribs? Not at all! You can slather it on a whole chicken or even pork chops.
If that’s not enough, you can also use this seasoning to flavor your grilled veggies and sprinkle over cheese plates, deviled eggs, and sausages.
This is all you need to bring the flavors of BBQ to life.
Proper Storage
If you don’t plan on using this seasoning right away, you can store it in an airtight container and place it in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
Any longer than that, and you risk the spices losing their flavor. But don’t worry — if you’re anything like me, this Memphis dry rub will be gone in no time!
Memphis Dry Rub on Baby Back Ribs
There’s a reason why Memphis is known for its ribs, and it’s all thanks to their signature dry rub! 16 herbs and spices are all it takes to make a sweet, salty, and savory seasoning for your BBQ dishes!
Ingredients
- 2 racks of baby back ribs
- 1 cup EACH of apple cider vinegar and water (for the spritz)
For the Memphis Dry Rub:
- 4½ tablespoons of light (or dark) brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons of cumin and paprika
- 1 tablespoon of allspice
- 3 teaspoons of chili powder
- 2½ teaspoons EACH of garlic powder and black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons EACH of marjoram, thyme, onion powder, oregano, and coriander
- 1¾ teaspoons of celery seed
- 1 teaspoon of celery salt
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne
Instructions
- Measure all of your rub ingredients and pour them in a large bowl. Whisk them carefully until they’re completely blended.
- Set aside about 4 tablespoons of your spice rub to season your baby back ribs and store the rest in an airtight container.
- Now, preheat your smoker at 275 degrees F using Hickory (or pecan) wood.
- While that’s warming up, prepare your ribs by removing the membrane from the back and trimming off any loose pieces or excess fat.
- Using 3 tablespoons of your dry rub, season your ribs liberally on all sides, making sure to press firmly with your hands.
- When your smoker is nice and warm, place your ribs on the grates (bone side-down) and close the lid. Don’t lift it open for the first hour.
- After an hour, combine your apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Open the lid, and spritz your ribs every 30 minutes until it becomes tender and the color starts to change to a deep mahogany. This usually takes around 4.5 to 5 hours in total.
- Once your ribs are ready, take them off the smoker and place them on a cutting board. Leave them to rest for 15 minutes.
- While they’re resting, dust more of your Memphis seasoning on top before slicing and serving.
Notes
Image credit to @hometownbbqmiami.
Featured image credit to @sanjuan_smokehouse.
