Dry Rib Rub Recipes Blow Smoke

When you read through a typical rib rub recipe you will notice that each ingredient is a precise measurement, such as 2 tablespoons of cumin or 1.5 teaspoons of chili powder. Rubbish. First of all, somebody is really just making these measurements up. Secondly, the strength of the rib rub depends more on how heavily it is applied to the ribs. It also depends on whether or not you coat the ribs with some sort of adhesive before applying the bbq rub, such as mustard or steak sauce. You could put 5 tablespoons of cayenne pepper in the rub mixture but if you lightly sprinkle it on a dry rack it most likely fall off at some point and will hardly be noticed. However, a rub recipe that calls for a smaller combination of chili powder, cumin, and cayenne but it is applied quite heavily to mustard coated racks of ribs then the seasoning and spicyiness will definitely show up at the end.

There is not really a "best" way to make a rib rub, it really just depends on what ingredients you have in your kitchen at the time; almost any combination of spices can be put together to make a tasty rub, it just takes a bit of trial and error. Not everyone has the same taste buds, obviously, so why then are all the rib rubs out there almost identical? Not everyone enjoys ultra spicy foods, and not everyone can stomach them even if they do like the taste. So don't be cornered into copying from the masses when it comes to rib rubs, do your own thing.

You are better off knowing what individual ingredients do for the ribs, what each one tastes like and how it affects the overall taste when combined with other spices. It's also not a bad idea to look into basting the ribs. And because we all have different taste buds, there is no chart for this, you just have to use a bit of trial and error. I will give the basics below but keep in mind that is highly subjective. Use the info as you see fit, discarding those rib rub spices that don't suit you and perhaps doubling up on those that do.

Allspice	Spice: whole ground	Small brown berry, flavor resembles a combination cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Native to West India.	Sausages, braised meats, poached fish, cooked fruits, puddings, pies, and relishes.
Anise	Spice: whole or ground Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.	Licorice flavor. Native to Spain, China, and Syria.	Cookies, pastries, and bread.
Basil	Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.	Aromatic green leaf. Member of mint family.	Tomato dishes, pesto, egg dished, salads, marinades, fish, and compound butters.
Bay Leaf	Herb: whole leaf.	Stiff dark green, oblong leaf with a pungent aroma reminiscent of sassafras. Comes from the Laurel tree.	Stocks, sauces, soup, stews, and braised meats.
Bouquet Garni	Flavoring mix.	A personal selection of herbs, vegetables and occasionally spices, often tied with a string.	Stocks, soups, and sauces.
Caraway	Spice: whole seed.	Dark brown curved seed. Grown in Northern Europe.	Rye bread, cabbage, sauerkraut, and Eastern European Cuisine.
Cardamom	Spice: whole pod or ground seed.	Tiny brown seeds, white or green pods. Sweet, aromatic, and expensive. Native of India and Guatemala.	Pickling, Danish pastries, and curries.
Cayenne	Spice: ground, seed.	Very powerful, ground hot red pepper. Native of French Guiana.	Soups, sauces, fish, and eggs.
Celery Seed	Spice: whole seed or ground.	Tiny brown seed with strong celery flavor. Too much can create a "hot" spice effect.	Salads, dressings, pickling, tomato dishes, and marinades.
Chervil	Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.	Small, delicate, green leaf. Mild flavor of parsley and tarragon.	Soups, salads, barbecue sauces, egg, dishes, chicken, fish, and dressing.
Chili Powder	Spice: ground, blend.	Blend of ground cumin, chili pepper, oregano, allspice. Can be mild or hot.	Chili, stews, barbecue sauces, and ground meats.
Chives	Herb: fresh, dried, frozen.	Fine, hollow, green top of a very small onion.	Salads, egg and cheese dishes, fish soups, and sauces.
Cilantro	Herb: leaf, dried or fresh.	Light green aromatic leaf. Shaped like flat parsley but much more pungent flavor. Leaf from coriander seed.	Salads, salsa, sauces, soup, eggs, and dressings.
Cinnamon	Spice: stick or ground	Reddish brown aromatic bark from cinnamon or cassia tree. Native of East India.	Preserves, stewed fruits, breads, pastries, desserts, ham, and hot beverages.
Clove	Spice: whole or ground	Dried flower bud of tropical clove tree. Pungent, sweet in flavor. Native of Indonesia.	Whole: Marinades, stocks, sauces, braised meats, hams, and pickling. Ground: pastries, fruits and cakes.
Coriander	Spice: whole or ground	Round light-brown seed of cilantro leaf with a slightly aromatic flavor. Native to Argentina and Morocco.	Pickling, sausages, stocks, pork, curry, gingerbread, salsa, and dressings.
Cumin	Spice: whole or ground seed.	Small seed resembling caraway, but lighter in color. Grown in Mexico and Syria.	Chili and curry powder blends, sausages, salsa, egg & cheese, curry dishes, vegetables, soups, sauces, fish, meat, and rice.
Curry	Spice: ground, powder or paste.	Mixture of up to 20 spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, clove, and cinnamon. Peppery, yellow in color. Can vary from mild to very hot.	Curry dishes, vegetables, soups, barbecue sauces, fish, meat, and rice.
Dill	Herb: Leaves, fresh or dried.	Herbs and seed with "dill pickle" flavor. Seed more pungent than herb.	Seed: pickling, soups, sauerkraut, marinade. Herb: salads, soups, fish & shellfish, vegetables, sauces, and vinegar.
	Spice: whole seed.
Fennel	Spice: whole seed.	Greenish brown seed, similar in flavor to anise. Grown in South America, Asia, and Africa.	Sausages, tomato sauces, marinades, fish, and pickling.
Fine Herbs	Herb blend	Generally a bouquet blend of three or more finely chopped herbs possibly including chives, tarragon, parsley, basil, savory, etc. Used to enhance various dishes.	Herb sauce, compound butters, broiled meats, fish, and cold sauces.
Garlic	Fresh, whole bulb.	Strong aromatic member of onion family.	Widely used.
	Dried bulb: Granulated, powdered, or mixed with salt.
Ginger	Spice: fresh whole, dried powder, candied crystallized, or pickled.	Light brown knobby root from tropical plant.	Baked goods, desserts, fruits, curry dishes, pickling, and chutney. Chinese, Caribbean, and Japanese cuisine.
Juniper Berry	Spice: whole	Slightly soft, purple berry. "Piney" flavor. Principle flavor of gin.	Marinades, game dishes, and sauerkraut.
Mace	Spice: whole "blade" or ground.	Made from orange red outer covering of nutmeg. Aromatic, similar to nutmeg in flavor but milder.	Baked goods, desserts, fruit, sausages, fish, vegetables, and preserves.
Marjoram	Herb: dried leaf.	Gray green herb from mint family. Similar to oregano but milder.	Beef, veal, lamb, sausage, pates, poultry, stews, soups, vegetables, salads, and sauces.
Mint	Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.	Aromatic herb with cool flavor. Spearmint and peppermint are most common.	Lamb, fruits, tea, fruit beverages, peas, carrots, potatoes, jellies, soups, and sauces.
Mirepoix	Flavoring mix	Mixture of aromatic vegetables including onion, celery, carrot, leek, and garlic.	Stocks, sauces, soups, and roasts.
Mustard Seed	Spice: whole and ground seed.	Very pungent white, yellow or brown seed.	Prepared mustard, pickling, sauces, and salsa.
Nasturtium	Leaf and seed.	Plant with yellow, orange, and red flowers and sharp casting leaves and seeds with pungent odor.	Salads, pickling, and mustard.
Nutmeg	Spice: whole or ground.	Sweet, aromatic kernels of nutmeg fruit. Grown in Netherlands, East and West Indies.	Baked goods, pies, cream sauces, soups, chicken, veal, vegetables, desserts, and breads.
Oregano	Herb: leaf or ground, fresh or dried.	Pungent herb, similar to marjoram, but stronger. Native to Italy and Mexico. Also grown domestically.	Italian & Mexican dishes, tomato sauces, soups, sauces, stews, meats, salads, and marinades.
Paprika	Spice: ground	Ground from dried sweet, red pepper.	Fish, seafood, meats, salads, sauces, dressings, and garnish.
Parsley	Herb: fresh leaf in bunches, dried chopped leaf.	Green leaf, curly or flat, with delicate sweet flavor. Excellent source of vitamin C.	Garnish, fried, stews, sauces, salads, vegetables, and potatoes.
Pepper:	Spice: whole, cracked, medium or fine ground.	Small hard berry.	Widely used
black, white, or green		Black: pungent, aromatic. White: What is left when black outer casing is removed, milder, adds sharp tang to all foods. Green: Packed in mild brine.
Poppy Seeds	Spice: whole.	Tiny blue black seeds with crunchy nut like flavor. It is a product of the opium poppy, but does not contain opium.	Breads, rolls, pastry, fillings, cookies, cakes, salsa, and dressings.
Rosemary	Herb: whole leaf, fresh or dried.	Very aromatic light green leaf resembling pine needles. Healthy and strong, even in cold weather.	Lamb, fish, beef, sauces, soups, stews, salads, and marinades.
Sachet Bag	Spice mix.	Various spices tied in a small cheesecloth sack.	Braised meats, game, stews, pickling, soups, and sauces.
Saffron	Whole "threads."	Only the stigmas from the saffron crocus are used. Very expensive. Gives bright yellow color to foods with a mild distinctive flavor.	Baked goods, rice, potatoes, soups, sauces, curry, and meats.
Sage	Herb: whole, rubbed, or ground leaf, fresh or dried.	Pungent gray green herb with fuzzy oblong leaves.	Stuffing, meat, poultry, soups, stews, salads, and fish.
Savory	Herb: fresh or dried leaf.	Fragrant herb of mint family. Summer crop preferred to Winter crop.	Salads, eggs, vegetables, stuffing, soups, meats, fish, and sauces.
Sesame	Herb: whole (hulled or unhealed) seeds.	Small yellowish seed with high oil content and nutty taste. Imported from Asia, East and Central America.	Bread & roll garnish, salads, and oriental candy.
Tarragon	Herb: fresh, dried, pickled leaf.	Delicate green herb with small oblong leaves. Flavor is similar to mint and licorice.	Béarnaise sauce, vinegar, chicken, fish, salads, dressings, and eggs.
Thyme	Herb: fresh or dried leaf, crushed or ground.	Tiny brownish green leaf, very aromatic.	Soups, chowders, stocks, sauces, meats, poultry, and salad dressing.
Turmeric	Spice: ground	Intense yellow root of ginger family. Mild but peppery flavor.	Curry powder, pickles, relish, salads, eggs, rice, and chow-chow.

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Now, of course you won't need many of these in your barbecue rib rub but there are a surprisingly high number of them that can add that one secret flavor that you are looking for. Experiment with your dry rub as much as possible and if you are unfamiliar with the strength of it, taste it. Don't limit yourself to dry ingredients either; there are many other flavorings that can add a distinct taste that is all your own to your next barbecue. Orange or pineapple slices layered on your rib racks for a couple of hours in the fridge give off a nice citrus flavor that can counterbalance a spicy barbecue sauce wonderfully. The main thing is to have fun and try new things. If you are cooking more than one rack of ribs, then a good idea is to try a different dry rib rub on each one, making sure to mark each rack somehow (I use toothpicks) so that you can gauge the good from the bad dry rubs. Good luck.