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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Main Courses with Meat

    This site contains affiliate links to various websites, including Amazon.com. read more

    Kick up Your BBQ with this Spicy Sweet Rib Rub

    Published: Apr 10, 2013 ยท Modified: Aug 17, 2024 by Audrey ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Homemade Rib Rub is a sweet and spicy barbecue seasoning mix for ribs, chicken, steak, pork, hamburgers, etc. Great homemade gifts.

    Do you want to take your barbeque game to the next level? Look no further than your own kitchen. That's right, with a few simple ingredients you can create a homemade rib rub that will elevate your grilling skills and impress your taste buds.

    No more store-bought rubs with questionable ingredients and lackluster flavor. Get ready to tantalize your senses and become the envy of every backyard BBQ.

    homemade rib rub in a jar

    The recipe comes courtesy of my Uncle Clark and cousin Gideon who, being from Kansas, know a thing or two about barbecue. They call it a rib rub, but it is great on beef, chicken, fish or even mixed in some burgers.

    Recipe suggestions using the rib rub:

    • oven baked barbecue spareribs
    • bacon wrapped meatloaf
    • barbecue pork and beans

    Homemade Rib Rub as a gift

    This would make a nice gift, just pack some in a 4 ounce or half pint mason jar, or any other pretty jar you have. Tie or glue on a label and you are done.

    Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Rib Rub
    Rub it on ribs, chicken, steak, pork, etc. for a burst of spicy sweet barbecue flavor. Also delicious mixed in with hamburgers or some tomato sauce for an amazing semi-homemade barbecue sauce.

    Ingredients and Substitutions for Rib Rub

    These amounts are approximate and you should feel free to vary the amounts to your tastes.

    Don't like celery seed, leave it out. Don't like garlic, add a little less.

    If you need to go low or noย sodium, it is just as good without the salt.

    • dark brown sugar (or light brown sugar)
    • ground black pepper
    • chili powder
    • paprika
    • ground cumin
    • chipotle pepper
    • cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for less heat)
    • celery seedย (not celery SALT)
    • coriander seed
    • bay leaves
    • garlic cloves if using immediately or powdered garlic if storing
    • salt (adjust to taste)

     

    homemade rib rub in a jar

    Recipe

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
     

    • ยพ cups dark brown sugar
    • ยผ cup freshly ground black pepper
    • ยผ cups chili powder
    • 2 tablespoons paprika
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
    • ยฝ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 tablespoon celery seed (not celery SALT)
    • 1 teaspoon coriander seed
    • 6 bay leaves
    • 2-3 cloves garlic (or 1-2 teaspoons powdered garlic)
    • ยผ - ยฝ cup kosher salt

    Instructions
     

    • Mix together first 7 ingredients: brown sugar through cayenne pepper.
    • In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle crush celery seed, coriander and bay leaves. Add to brown sugar mix. 
    • Crush fresh garlic and mix well into rub (or finely chop for more garlic flavor) or add garlic powder. Add salt to taste.
    • Rub on ribs (or other meat or fish) and grill.

    Sound fabulous? Share it!

    102 shares

    ---

    Until next time, happy eating.
    ~Audrey

     

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    audrey humaciu in kitchen

    Welcome, I'm Audrey, an avid "maker" that believes home made is better.

    Whether it's cooking, crafting, gardening, home dรฉcor, even blog design, I love getting my hands dirty and trying new things... even if I make a mess in the process.

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