Dry Rub Recipe for Pork (2024)

FAQs

How long should dry rub sit on pork? ›

You can let the pork shoulder sit in this dry rub for up to 24 hours. Allowing it to sit in the dry rub for so long lets the spices soak into the meat. If you have the time, we highly recommend it! Just rub the spices all over and cover the meat in plastic wrap to sit in the fridge.

Some of my favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings to use as a pork chop seasoning are cumin, garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Some others that go well with pork are sage, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, and coriander. Brown sugar and clove are a great way to add in some sweetness.

But before you begin flavoring your food, make sure to pat it dry with a paper towel. This will make it easier for the binder and rub to stick. Once you've removed as much moisture as possible, cover your food with the sticking agent of your choice, like egg, olive oil, or mustard, to help the rub bind to the meat.

That's where this 8:3:1:1 ratio of ingredients comes in. If you stick to this formula created by Chef Alton Brown, you'll end up with a good dry rub, every time. The basic idea is 8 parts brown sugar to 3 parts kosher salt to 2 parts (1:1) of various other spices.

Don't keep the ribs coated for more than 12 hours. As we stated earlier, most dry rubs contain salt, which has a dehydrating effect, so prolonging the seasoning may work against you if you keep it on too long.

After seasoning with salt and pepper, liberally coat all sides of the pork with the barbeque rub so that all of the meat is coated in rub. Wrap the pork tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit in your fridge overnight. About 6 hours before you plan on smoking, take the pork out of the fridge and unwrap it.

You wouldn't necessarily just season pork with cumin, but mixing it with other seasonings like ginger and lime can enhance the flavour significantly. We'd recommend using ground cumin in recipes like our Pork Kebabs Marinated In Orange & Cumin, where the cumin can bring out the citrus and pork flavours well.

Keep the Fat

The fat on pork is great for flavor, so definitely don't trim it off. Instead, season well and enjoy the extra crispy, salty bites. Your pork will be more likely to stay moist with the added juiciness of the fat.

This can be olive oil, yellow mustard, or a spray oil like duck fat. For pork butt I usually go with mustard. It doesn't add any flavor to the finished product, but I like the way it holds the rub and the color it gives to the exterior early in the cook.

A dry rub can be rubbed directly into the meat and massaged until it sticks to the surface. We recommend patting your cut of meat dry using paper towels. From there, you can season directly onto the meat or apply a small amount of oil over the surface before coating generously in the dry rub.

Do you oil pork before seasoning? ›

Seasoning pork

You can use a mix of regular table salt (which will penetrate the skin) and salt flakes (for a crisp crust). You can use oil to help the salt stick to the meat but if you really rub the salt in, you don't need the extra fat.

A steak rub is like a seasoning, but with larger pieces of dried herbs and spices. A rub is a great way to add flavor and surface texture to steaks and the best way to make a flavorful crust on smoked brisket or pork. Rubs are usually coarser than seasonings and are applied much more liberally.

Sugar is a common but optional addition, particularly if you want to cut the salt flavor. Be careful not to add too much sugar (no more than 20% of the total rub mix), or it will caramelize when cooking.

Most dry rub recipes include salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, and a mixture of other aromatics and spices such as garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, or cumin. Some rub recipes utilize different ingredients like ground coffee, mustard, cayenne, or cinnamon.

The Role Brown Sugar Plays In A Dry Barbecue Rub

The role of the brown sugar is to balance out the salt and heat; ideally, you want your dry rub to be composed of about one-third of each.

Meats benefit from even a half-hour of being dry rubbed prior to cooking. Generally, six or more hours is preferable. A dry brine is a dry rub (salt, spices, and herbs) with sugar added. It is meant to be left on the meat for at least a day, and up to three days, and then wiped or rinsed off prior to cooking.

You can apply a rub right before you cook or a few hours ahead of time for basic grilling or up to 24 hours ahead if you're hot-smoking.

Twenty four hours will be fine. Most recipes I see suggest 8 to 24 hours, but if you look around on the BBQ forums, you'll find people who rub and leave in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.

Dry the skin and rub salt into the skin and fat. Place in a dish and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight or for 4 – 5 hours. This allows the skin to dry out.