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Texas Style BBQ Dry Rub. This sweet and spicy dry rub is perfect for all your grilling and BBQ needs! The sweet brown sugar mingled with the spicy chili powder gives the best of both worlds. This rub is perfect for chicken, pork, anything you desire!
What is a dry rub?
A dry rub is a mixture of dried spices that is rubbed directly onto meat before cooking. Most BBQ joints in Texas will take their rub recipes to the grave. In Central Texas they will swear by a 50/50 mixture of salt and pepper, also known as “dalmation rub”.
This particular recipe is for a sweet rub, meaning it includes sugar. Which adds a wonderful layer of sweetness that complements the meats while they cook low and slow.
This sweet rub is perfect for chicken and pork. This is a rub that I often use when smoking a pork shoulder for pulled pork, pork ribs, and it’s perfect for smoked pork belly.
What is included in this rub?
- Light brown sugar: this is where the sweetness comes from
- Salt: use a coarse salt
- Ground black pepper: use a thicker, coarse ground pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked Paprika: a smooth smokey flavor and color will be added to the meat.
- Chili Powder: a good chili powder adds a depth of flavor.
- Chipotle powder: just a small amount is needed, it adds a wonderful heat to pair with the sweetness of the rub.
How to store this rub:
Store the spice mixture in an airtight container. It is still possible it will slightly harden over time due to the brown sugar, just stir or shake it to loosen up.
For best results use the rub within 2 months.
If making a large batch of rub and expecting to store for a period of time, you can dry out the brown sugar to help prevent lumps. To do this spread the brown sugar out on a large baking sheet. Bake at 250 for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the sugar to ensure it’s not toasting or burning. Remove and allow to cool, then break up any clumps.
Or you can leave the brown sugar out on a baking sheet overnight without baking to allow it to dry out on it’s own. Doing this removes any moisture and you can add into your rubs and not worry about any clumping.
Sweet Texas Dry Rub- Perfect for Chicken & Pork!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl. Stir until fully combined. Make sure all the brown sugar is broken up completely.
- Store in a sealed container. To use sprinkle and rub onto the meat just before grilling or cooking.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe originally posted on March 3, 2017. Updated with new images on March 11, 2020. Recipe remains unchanged.
Fire
Great rub recipe. But you won’t find brown sugar in a traditional Texas rub.
Love this rub! Sometimes I substitute Chipotle powder instead of chili powder. Yummy!!
This recipe is very similar to one I found for my air fry chicken legs. The only difference is my air fry recipe calls for ground mustard and yours uses chili powder. I’m using yours for our pork steaks I’m putting on the grill today. Thanks for sharing. I’m in Central TX.
Love the simplicity of this recipe! This is my go-to rub base. I tend to play with the spices sometimes – a bit more garlic, have added Jalapeno powder in the past, used sweet paprika on occasion also! Today we are doing a full rack of Pork Ribs. Kept it original. Will be finishing with my Homemade sauce. Thanks for the Great Recipe – so versatile ! Love your site !
Love this recipe!!! My husband keeps raving about it so I know it’s a definite keeper. I had to adjust it a little for my low spice tolerance level and for not having smoked paprika but it was delicious. Very good on pork chops and he might even try it on popcorn. Thank you for the great recipe!
This rub was fantastic on some chicken thighs basted with texas bbq sauce at the end. best chicken ever!
Finally found a Texas bbq rub. I’ve also added chipotle powder to it. Didn’t have smoked paprika only sweet. So added chipotle powder for the smoky flavour. About to use it on my porterhouse steak now and try it.
Fantastic i tried this rub it was sensational it really gives a great taste to the chicken
I made this rub & now in love with it! Put it on & foil over & put it in the frig, when I’m ready to cook it I put it in the oven for 2 hrs at 275, take out & add barbeque sauce & on to the grill?