This dry rub for pork is sure to make your slow-cooked pork recipes even more delicious.
This quick and easy-to-make homemade rub will give your favorite pork recipes the best combination of sweet and savory flavors. I love using the best pork dry rubs when making these Pressure Cooker Ribs that fall right off the bone, or even this Delicious Island Pork Tenderloin Recipe that’s a certified family favorite.
You can even use it on chicken and beef recipes if you also want to infuse them with deliciousness.
Pork recipes are a staple in many homes as they are so easy to make. However, if you’re up for the slow method of cooking this meat, this dry rub for pork is a must-try.
It might even become a weekend habit for your whole family to enjoy and savor.
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What Are Dry Rubs?
Dry rubs are made from different blends of herbs, spices, and seasonings. You liberally rub this mixture on different types of meat like chicken, pork, beef, or fish to make it stick to the surface before cooking them.
Most dry rubs consist of ingredients like salt, sugar, and various spices like paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin. Thanks to this mix of ingredients, not only does applying dry rub suffuse your meats with incredible flavor, but it can also give them a thin yet flavorful crust.
Salt in the dry rub enhances the palatability of the food flavor by drawing out its moisture, making it generally taste better. Meanwhile, sugar balances the saltiness and savory flavors of herbs and spices with sweetness.
Plus, it helps the meat achieve an attractive brown/caramel color as it cooks.
Dry rubs are great alternatives to marinades, wet rubs, and sauces for adding flavor to your pork. So, if you have some spare time, try making this pork dry rub recipe and create delicious pork dishes soon after.
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are fantastic reasons why you will love making this dry rub for pork recipe:
- Easy to make: Making this pork rub recipe is as easy as putting all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing them. There are no complicated steps involved. Even novice cooks can make it.
- Highly versatile: We love using this dry rub on pork ribs. However, if you need an ingredient to add a wow factor to your chicken breast or beef ribs, feel free to use this pork rub on them, too.
- Intense flavor: Dry rubs are often packed with a concentrated mix of herbs, spices, and seasonings, creating a flavor explosion that can enhance the taste of your food.
- Great texture: Dry rubs can contribute to a delightful texture on the meat’s exterior. As they cook, the rub forms a crust that can be slightly crispy, adding a pleasant contrast to the tender interior of the meat.
- Easily customizable: Whether someone prefers a spicier kick, a sweeter note, or a more savory profile, they can adjust the quantities of individual ingredients to create their signature blend.
- Quick to prep: Dry rubs are excellent for individuals who may not have enough time to marinate their meat for extended periods.
- Great for grilling or smoking meat: Dry rubs work exceptionally well for grilling and smoking, creating a flavorful crust that can withstand the high heat of these cooking methods. The spices in the rub can also complement the smoky flavors from the grill or smoker.
If you find yourself looking for more amazing pork recipes to try out, this Herb Roasted Pork Loin is a great one to surprise your family with.
🥘 Ingredients
Most of the spices and herbs you will use for this dry rub recipe for pork may already be found in your pantry. However, if you’re out of one or two ingredients, they can be easily found in your local grocery store or supermarket.
- Dark brown sugar: This ingredient will form the base of the dry rub and gives pork dishes a beautiful caramelized color and a crusty exterior as they cook.
- Kosher salt: This type of salt has larger grains and more intense flavors than its table or iodized counterparts, making it preferable to use when it comes to dry rubs.
- Chili powder and cayenne peppers: These lend a delicious heat to your pork dishes, keeping them from being too sweet or salty.
See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🔀 Substitutions
Try these alternatives if you don’t have the main ingredients on hand.
- Dark brown sugar: If you don’t have dark brown sugar, you may use light brown or cane sugar as a substitute.
- Paprika: You can use either sweet or smoked paprika based on your preference or whichever is currently available for you to use.
🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Here are some changes you can make to the recipe to make it more suitable to your taste:
- Dial up the heat: Add more cayenne pepper to the mix, or throw in some chipotle chili powder to make a spice rub. Start with a small amount, about ⅛ teaspoon, then add more if needed.
- Add herbs: If you like herbs, try infusing this dry rub with more savory ingredients. Aside from dry mustard, you can also add sage, rosemary, cinnamon, turmeric, and other herbs of your choice to make this pork seasoning.
- Make it sweeter: If you like your pork recipes to be sweeter than most, you can add more brown sugar, honey powder, or maple sugar.
- Make it more savory: Include savory elements like garlic powder, onion powder, or mustard powder for a more savory flavor on the meat.
- Go ethnic: Use garam masala for Indian-inspired rubs, or mix cumin and chili powder for a Mexican twist. Use Chinese five-spice powder or ground ginger for an Asian flair.
- Try different salts: Experiment with different types of salt, such as sea salt, smoked salt, or flavored salts.
Want to try a new pork dish this week? Give this Strawberry Stuffed Pork Loin with Sweet Strawberry Mashed Potatoes recipe a go.
🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
Alongside the ingredients, here are the helpful tools that you will use to make a good dry rub for pork:
- Mixing bowl: This is what you will use to place your ingredients in and mix them all together.
- Whisk: This is what you will use to mix all your ingredients and make pork rub.
- Jar with lid: This is where you store your dry rub after making it.
🔪 How to Make Dry Rub for Pork
Here are the simple steps to making your own homemade dry rub:
Step 1: Pour Ingredients Into a Bowl
Add the sugar, kosher salt, and spices into a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix the Ingredients
Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Step 3: Store in a jar
If you will use it later, pour the dry rub mixture into a jar with a lid or an air-tight container. If not, you can use the dry rub right away.
👩🍳 Pro Tips
Want to make the perfect dry rub for pork? Follow these tips.
- Shake the jar well before using the dry rub. This will help mix the ingredients better.
- If you’re on a low-sodium diet, it’s best to start with smaller amounts of salt. Only add more if you think it’s needed.
- If you’ve added too much salt, the best ingredient to offset this is sugar.
- While sugar is a staple ingredient in dry rubs, do note that it can burn quickly. You may want to cook your pork dishes over low heat rather than high heat to avoid this.
❓ Recipe FAQs
First, make sure your pork is dry by patting it with a paper towel. This makes sure that it will absorb the flavors of the dry rub well.
Next, rub a liberal amount of the mixture all over the pork, making sure to cover all sides well. Let the meat sit with the dry rub for a while before cooking.
The longer the dry rub stays on the meat, the more flavor it can give. Leave it on the meat for at least 15 minutes to 3 hours. This may also depend on how much time you have on hand.
You can even massage the rub on the pork the night before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, just cook the pork the next day for maximum flavor.
When stored properly, this dry rub can last for as long as 6 months. Keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for best results.
Rub the dry rub on the pork, ensuring all parts are coated evenly. After rubbing, massage the dry rub into the meat for better flavor penetration.
Before cooking the meat, preheat your skillet, griller, smoker, or other cooking tool you will use. This will make a better sear and even heat distribution for the pork.
If you refrigerate the pork with the dry rub, allow it to come to room temperature before cooking. This promotes even cooking throughout the meat.
For slow-cooking methods like smoking or roasting, cook the pork at lower temperatures for longer to allow the flavors to develop fully.
You may also want to trim excessive fat from the pork if you are cooking at high temperatures. This helps prevent flare-ups and ensures a better sear or crust formation.
🙏 Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to create using dry rub for pork:
Ready to get cooking? Print off the recipe card below or toggle on Cook Mode to keep your screen from going dark while you follow along on your phone or tablet.
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📋 Recipe
Dry Rub for Pork
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Small jar with lid
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Pour all the ingredients into a small bowl.1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- Mix them well using a whisk.
- Pour the mixture into a small jar with a lid for storage.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Shake the jar well before using the dry rub. This will help give a more balanced amount of ingredients when you use them for your pork recipes.
- If you’re on a low-sodium diet, it’s best to start with smaller amounts of salt. Only add more if you think it’s needed.
- If you find that you’ve added too much salt, the best ingredient to offset this with is sugar.
- While sugar is a staple ingredient in dry rubs, do note that it can burn quickly. You may want to cook your pork dishes over low heat rather than high heat to avoid this from happening.