Made with simple ingredients this homemade dry rub is sweet, savory, and spicy and perfect for flavoring meat or vegetables.
Use this dry rub recipe to add an irresistible flavor to dishes such as Instant Pot Ribs, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
![Homemade Dry Rub Small white bowl with ingredients for homemade dry rub combined together.](https://amindfullmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Dry-Rub-Blend-Recipe.jpg)
The Best Dry Rub Recipe
Using a dry rub is one of the quickest ways to impart intense flavor to your cooking. It is as simple as rubbing your protein of choice or vegetable with the dry rub and cooking as desired--no lengthy time is required for marinating!
And my recipe for a dry rub is the best! It is sweet from the brown sugar, smoky from the smoked paprika, and slightly spicy thanks to the addition of cayenne pepper. Rounded out with garlic powder and onion powder, this spice rub is the perfect contrast of sweet, savory, and spicy.
It is suitable to adding flavorful to anything from chicken to beef to pork to fish to tofu to even vegetables. And will guarantee better-tasting results!
How to Make a Homemade Dry Rub
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Unlike my recipes for Taco Seasoning and Chili Seasoning, I recommend preparing this dry rub right before intending to use it. Due to the brown sugar in the dry rub, it can begin to clump up and cake together if stored for an extended period of time.
Thankfully, this dry rub recipe takes only a minute or two to put together, so you can prep it quickly whenever needed! It is as easy as combining the brown sugar with the salt and dried spices until well combined.
![Ingredients in Dry Rub Ingredients for Homemade Dry Rub Labeled on Counter.](https://amindfullmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Dry-Rub-Ingredients.jpg)
Suggested Uses for Dry Rub
The options for this all-purpose dry rub are endless. Let your taste buds and imagination guide you in the various ways you use this homemade blend, but below are a few of my personal favorite recipes that use this homemade dry rub.
- Chicken: I love using this dry rub for seasoning Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Instant Pot BBQ Chicken, and Grilled BBQ Chicken. It also is a great substitute for seasoned salt in recipes like Instant Pot Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Wings, or Homemade Rotisserie Chicken.
- Pork: This sweet and savory dry rub creates the best flavoring for recipes like Air Fryer Pork Chops, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Instant Pot Ribs, and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
- Beef: Add a unique flavor to Pan-Seared Steak, Instant Pot Brisket, Homemade Burgers, or use it to flavor London Broil in place of the wet marinade.
- Seafood: Use in place of Cajun seasoning for Mahi Mahi or to season Pan-Seared Tilapia. It is also delicious when used as a dry rub for grilled shrimp.
- Vegetables: This sweet, savory, and slightly spicy dry rub is fabulous when used to season Air Fryer Potatoes or Baked Sweet Potato Fries. It gives the potatoes a nice sweet and smokey flavor. You can also use it to season grilled corn on the cob before grilling or vegetable kabobs.
∗ Get the Most from this Dry Rub Recipe∗
Before applying this homemade dry rub to anything, it is important to pat the meat or vegetables dry. This will ensure that the spice mixture adheres to the surface and your recipes turn out delicious!
More Homemade Spice Blends
- Homemade Fajita Seasoning
- Adobo Seasoning
- Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- Chili Seasoning Recipe
- Homemade Seasoned Salt
- Dried Onion Soup Mix
- Homemade Dill Seasoning
If you tried this easy recipe for Homemade Dry Rub, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
![Close up of dry rub mixed together in small white bowl with spoon showing dry rub.](https://amindfullmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Recipe-for-Dry-Blend-360x360.jpg)
All-Purpose Dry Rub
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspooon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne together in a small bowl until everything is well combined.
- Use immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the pantry.
- Before applying a dry rub, it is important to pat the meat or vegetables dry with a paper towel to ensure that the rub sticks evenly to the surface and adheres well.
Kristyn
This rub is the best!! We use it on so many meats!! It definitely adds great flavor!! I always try to have some on hand!
willie
trying to find a all around rub for meat and fish
Kristen Chidsey
Yes! This will do the trick!
Sharina
Used this dry rub for seasoning chicken for our dinner and it turned out great! The chicken was so tender and flavorful!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Shari H
So far I have used this for steak and chicken and it's PERFECT!! 5 stars from the whole family!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh thank you, Shari!!