Homemade BBQ Rubs: Spice Up Your Grilling Game
There's no denying that the right mix of seasoning can take ANY BBQ dish from “good” to mouth-watering-ly incredible. One of the best ways to add flavour to your grilled meats and veggies is creating your very own BBQ rub! Homemade spice rubs give you full control over the amount of salt, overall flavour, spiciness, and SO much more. Plus, you’ve probably got a cabinet full of spices that are dying to be put to use. In this blog, we’ll cover some of our favourite blends to kick your grilling up to a whole new level of flavour.
The Basics of BBQ Rubs
BBQ rubs are a blend of spices and herbs that are used to season meats and veggies before grilling. They can be dry or wet (when mixed with some form of liquid like oil or sauce) and can be applied at any stage of your cook. While it’s best to season food well in advance so flavours have time to penetrate, you can slap on a good rub just before your cook, or even use it to finish/garnish your dishes, and it will make a huge difference!
Homemade BBQ Rub Recipes
Here are a few rib ideas that you can try making at home! Each one has a list of ingredients that shouldn’t be too hard to track down for most households, and are easy to pick up at the grocery store.
Classic BBQ Rub
This versatile rub is great for a variety of meats, especially chicken and pork.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Citrus Herb Rub
This fresh and zesty rub is perfect for chicken, fish, and vegetables.
Ingredients:
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Zest of 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Herb and Garlic Rub
This herb and garlic rub is great for chicken and vegetables. The combination of herbs and garlic adds a fresh and aromatic flavour to your dishes.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Coffee Cocoa Rub
This rich and robust rub is excellent for beef, particularly steaks and brisket.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ground coffee
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
There you have it! A few simple spice blend ideas should give you a starting point with something that works, tastes great, and gives you plenty of room to explore your preferences. That’s the beauty of BBQ and spice rubs, in general, there are very few “wrong” ways to do it, and experimentation will help you find what you love. There’s still lots of summer left to hone your grill prowess and try out new flavour profiles with each cookout.
Happy grilling 🙂
