Dry Rub for Ribs

If ribs are up next on your dinner menu, we've got you covered! This is the best Dry Rib Rub for instantly adding BBQ flavor to baby back ribs, spare ribs, and even pork chops and chicken. It's so good, you won't even need sauce!

This rib rub recipe was carefully crafted to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and smoky. Thanks to the blend of spices, BBQ flavor is infused into oven-baked ribs; no grill or smoker required!

Why This Rib Rub Recipe Works

Every ingredient in this rib rub recipe was carefully chosen to craft a sweet and savory rib with the perfect amount of smoke, even if you're cooking without fire. It's so successful and so delicious that we use this same rub for our BBQ pork spare ribs, country-style ribs, and slow cooker spare ribs.

This simple list of spices is all you need to make the best dry rub for ribs. It's beyond easy!

Brown sugar and pork are a perfect pairing, which is the reason it is the predominant ingredient in this dry rub. The warm, sweet notes of molasses in brown sugar add flavor depth to the rib rub. If you want to try your hand at a rub minus the sugar, our brisket uses a simple salt and pepper dry rub sans sugar.

Although its name might lead some to believe it is spicy, chili powder isn't really used in this rib rub recipe for heat but rather for flavor. Chili powder is savory, earthy, and somewhat bitter, helping to balance out the sweetness in this brown sugar rub.

Smoked paprika has a smoky, woodsy flavor profile. It is the bees-knees for adding smoky flavor to food you have zero intention of exposing to fire.

You absolutely cannot have a rib rub without the garlic powder and onion powder duo. These spices are highly aromatic additions, perfect for subtly rounding out the savory side of this dry rub for ribs in the oven.

Last but not least, Kosher salt (the cleanest-flavored salt) enhances the flavor of the pork and the other spices, as well as black pepper for heat.

Rib Rub Ingredients

These spices combined get you the maximum amount of flavor with the shortest ingredient list. See below for added spice ideas and how they'll add to the flavor composition of your rib rub.

• ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark brown sugar will work)
• 4 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 2 ½ teaspoons black pepper
• 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika can be substituted)
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

Variations and Customizations

One of the great things about making your own baby back ribs rub is that every single ingredient becomes easily customizable. You can add more of what you like and less of what you don't! You can also add to it to create a perfectly tailored rib rub recipe to match your palate's preferences.

For example, in our bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin recipe, we follow a similar template but leave out the smoked paprika to remove the smoky aspect.

Make It Spicy | If you'd like to add a real kick of spice to your rib rub recipe, add up to a ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and be sure to wash your hands well after application.

Make It Smoky | If you want all the smoky vibes, definitely don't skimp on the smoked paprika. You may want to consider adding cumin to the mix for its rich, warm, and naturally smoky in flavor. We use it in almost all of our Tex-Mex recipes. One-to-two teaspoons of ground cumin in this dry rub for baby back ribs will go a long way.

Add Some Tang | Ground mustard is a powerful ingredient that adds a touch of tang to recipes. It also adds a touch of earthiness and spice. If that's the direction you want your ribs headed, add up to 2 teaspoons of ground mustard to this rib rub recipe!

How to Make the Best Dry Rub for Ribs

Combine Seasonings | Add brown sugar, Kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder to a bowl.

Mix | Mix with a fork, breaking up any clumps of sugar.

How to Use Dry Rib Rub

Don't worry too much about using too much rib rub. Whatever sticks to the ribs is exactly what you need/want for seasoning purposes. Simply pat the ribs or chicken dry with paper towels and generously coat in the rib rub.

How to Store Rib Rub

Keep your rib rub in an airtight jar or container for up to 6 months.

Use Dry Rib Rub On...

• Crock Pot Chicken Legs
• Smoked Turkey Breasts
• Smoked Pork Chops
• Baked Pork Chops
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts