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Home » Recipes » Sauces and Spreads

By Kaleigh McMordie - June 6, 2017, Updated July 15, 2022

Homemade BBQ Spice Rub

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spices in bbq rub with text overlay labeling each spice.
jar of homemade bbq rub with text overlay.

A simple and delicious, sweet and smoky, homemade BBQ spice rub that can be used on anything from grilled chicken to smoked brisket or ribs! Add it to a grilling gift basket for the perfect Father's Day gift.

BBQ spice rub in a glass jar with a gold spoon with rub in it laying beside the jar.

My dad is great at grilling, smoking, and barbecuing almost anything. I grew up going to the lake with my family on the weekends, where my dad would almost always smoke a brisket or ribs. At home, he loves to grill out in the backyard during the summer months when it’s nice out. Thanks to him, I have a love for barbecue and all things grilled, so to thank him, a gift with his love of grilling in mind is in order. What better way to thank him for this Father’s Day than with a homemade gift that Dad will use all the time?

Why You'll Love This Homemade BBQ Rub

A homemade BBQ spice rub is an essential kitchen item for any griller. Store-bought spice rubs are fine, but when you make your own, you can control everything that goes into it. No super-high sodium count and no strange preservatives. It also means you can tweak the ingredients to fit your tastes. This rub is smoky and sweet, thanks to smoked paprika, chipotle powder and brown sugar. It gets plenty of savory flavor from garlic, onion, and mustard powders, with a little kick from cayenne. I love mixing up a batch of this rub, then using it for weeks to come on grilled chicken, ribs, pulled pork, and more!

spices in bbq rub with text overlay labeling each spice.

Ingredients In BBQ Spice Rub

  • Brown sugar - for signature BBQ sweetness
  • Smoked paprika - for a smoky taste and red color. Regular paprika is fine if you can't find smoked, but I highly recommend buying smoked paprika for everyday use in your kitchen!
  • Chipotle powder - spicy and smoky! If you can't find it, use regular chili powder.
  • Kosher salt - you want big crystals!
  • Freshly ground black pepper - essential in a good BBQ rub
  • Cayenne pepper - a spicy kick! Use less for a tame rub.
  • Onion powder - savory flavor without more salt
  • Garlic powder - always a must!
  • Mustard powder - savory and just a bit tangy
Overhead view of a gold spoon lifting a spoonful of homemade BBQ spice rub out of a jar.

Customize Your Rub

This rub is the perfect blend of spicy, smoky, and sweet for my family, but you can adjust it to fit your tastes! If you like a super spicy rub, bump up the cayenne and/or chipotle. If you prefer your rub a little sweeter, add some more brown sugar. If you like a mild rub, omit the cayenne and sub regular chili powder for the chipotle. Tweak until you find the perfect blend for you.

BBQ spice rub in a glass jar with a gold spoon beside it on top of a grey and white napkin.

Want to make this Homemade BBQ Spice Rub into a complete gift basket?

Here are some fun ideas to include:

  • Wood chips or pellets
  • Cedar planks
  • Thermometer
  • Grill brush
  • Grilling tongs
  • Grilling mitt
  • Metal skewers
  • Grill press
  • Beer can chicken tool
  • Veggie grilling basket
  • Fish grilling basket
  • BBQ sauce brush

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Print

Homemade BBQ Spice Rub

BBQ spice rub in a glass jar with a gold spoon beside it.
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

A simple and delicious, sweet and smoky, homemade BBQ spice rub that can be used on anything from grilled chicken to smoked brisket or ribs! 

  • Author: Kaleigh
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 min
  • Yield: about 1 cup 1x
  • Category: spices
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp chipotle powder
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk all ingredients together or blend in a blender, breaking up any clumps.
  2. Pour spice mixture into a jar or airtight container.

Notes

Rub will last up to 3 months in a tightly sealed jar. I like Weck jars for storing spices.

Customize Your Rub:

  • If you like a super spicy rub, bump up the cayenne and/or chipotle.
  • If you prefer your rub a little sweeter, add some more brown sugar.
  • If you like a mild rub, omit the cayenne and sub regular chili powder for the chipotle.
  • Tweak until you find the perfect blend for you!

Keywords: BBQ spice rub, homemade BBQ rub

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @livelytable on Instagram and hashtag it #livelytable

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About Kaleigh McMordie

Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet Campbell says

    May 22, 2023 at 4:54 pm

    The rub is delicious. I was a bit worried about the amount of black pepper but its the magic ingredient I've been looking for. The under note it brings after the meat has been cooked is exquisite. A touch a heat but different from chilis.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Linda says

    April 14, 2022 at 7:56 am

    How long do you leave the rub on for please

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      April 14, 2022 at 12:10 pm

      You'll leave it on for cooking.

      Reply
  3. David says

    July 04, 2021 at 12:54 pm

    Twice as much black pepper as salt? This struck me as odd. Making the rub right now.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      July 04, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      I tried to make this a lower salt rub, but you can certainly use more if you like!

      Reply
  4. April says

    June 07, 2021 at 3:30 pm

    LOVE the idea of gifting a spice rub, I will be gifting this to my father-in-law!
    Btw, your affiliate product links didn't work, except for the wood planks (which are no longer available) and thermometer.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      June 08, 2021 at 8:01 am

      I hope your father in law loves it! Thanks for letting me know about the links, I'll update them!

      Reply
  5. Peggy says

    September 29, 2020 at 6:15 pm

    Used this rub with a homemade sauce. Yum!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 30, 2020 at 9:34 am

      I'm so glad you loved it!

      Reply
  6. Claude says

    August 18, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    I’v been making a rub similar to this one for almost 50 years, but with fewer
    ingredients. I’m also a Texan and inherited the one that my mom mainly used for smoking brisket. However, I found I liked this one better than my own! (Even though it just about kills me to say so.) I’ve used it on on large pork butts (shoulder), as well as ribs, with great success! One of my tweaks is adding a tablespoon of ground cumin.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      August 21, 2020 at 9:52 am

      What a compliment! I am so glad you like it. I'll have tot ry it with some cumin next time.

      Reply
  7. Chris says

    May 24, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    This was my first time making ribs and I came across this rub. While I may still need a little practice with the actually barbecuing part, the flavor made it the best tasting ribs I’ve ever had! You guys knocked if out of the park with this rub!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      May 24, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      It takes some practice for sure, but I'm so glad you liked the rub!

      Reply
  8. Mary says

    January 22, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    Made this rub for pork sliders...perfect amount of spicy...family lived it
    Easy to make
    Will make it again...

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      January 23, 2020 at 6:50 am

      I'm so glad your family enjoyed it!

      Reply

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