Barbecue enthusiasts seek the perfect rub for seasoning their meats to create intense flavors and develop a flavorful crust. Here are the top BBQ rubs of 2023 (Best BBQ Rubs), along with important considerations when choosing a rub.
Lillie Q’s Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub - No 1. Best BBQ Rubs
Lillie’s Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub
This Carolina-style rub delivers strong sugar and spice flavor thanks to a blend of paprika, brown and white sugar, garlic, salt, onion and chili powder. It works incredibly well on pork, beef, chicken and turkey, seasoning the meat while also speeding up the maillard reaction that creates a tantalizing bark.
The fine granulation makes it easy to apply uniformly. Its sweet, garlicky profile makes it an amazing seasoning for fries,hashbrowns and other sides as well.
Traeger Anything Rub - No 2 Best BBQ Rubs
Traeger Anything Rub
Traeger's savory rub features a balanced blend of garlic, onion, sugar, salt and spices along with tri-color pepper blend. While it complements chicken and fish, the emphasis on herbs and light spices makes it best suited for lighter-fleshed meats.
Unlike some competitors who list every ingredient, Traeger is tight-lipped about its complete ingredients list. Still, the rub includes no GMOs, gluten or MSG.
It's highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. The aluminum tin keeps it fresh for over a year.
Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub - No 3 Best BBQ Rubs
After 13 years of experiments, the championship-winning Killer Hogs BBQ team crafted a rub that delivers a bold smokehouse flavor with notes of sweet, savory and chili pepper.
In addition to basics like salt, sugar and peppers,it includes onion powder, dill, mustard and orange peel.The blend of ingredients gives it versatility for pork shoulders, ribs and even steaks.
The large, 12 oz size means excellent value and a long-lasting supply. Plus, the thick granules make it simple to apply evenly on meats and veggies before grilling.
The Article covers rubs from some of the best companies in the business, but misses out on world class brands like Meat Church and Lane's. Let's look at their offerings as well.
Lane's BBQ Signature Rub Seasoning No 4 Best BBQ Rubs
Lane's BBQ Signature Rub Seasoning
An all-natural and gluten-free rub made with high quality spices, Lane's rub excels at seasoning a wide variety of cuts - from pork loins to chicken breasts to fatty brisket.
It features a balanced spice blend that enhances natural meat flavors without overpowering them, making it a versatile seasoning for your dishes beyond the grill like pasta, eggs and sauces.
Meat Church Holy Gospel BBQ Rub No 5 Best BBQ Rubs
Holy Gospel BBQ Rub 14oz Shaker
This rich blend of brown sugar, celery, paprika, garlic and dehydrated garlic delivers a complex profile of mild smoke,rich pepper and sweet spices.
It works incredibly on chicken, beef and ribs thanks to its balanced seasoning and compatibility with a variety of cooking methods - from grill and smoker to cast iron pan.
While its complex blend of seasonings creates intense flavor, the high sugar content makes this rub unsuitable for those watching sugar and calories. But for all others, it's a "gospel truth" game changer.
Here are the key factors to consider when choosing a BBQ rub:
Ingredients - Check the ingredients list to see if the rub contains any ingredients you want to avoid like MSG, gluten, or excess sugar. Also consider if you prefer spices over herbs or vice versa.
Flavor profile - Rubs come in different flavor profiles like spicy, sweet, savory, and smoky. Choose a rub that matches the flavor you want for the meat you're cooking.
Versatility - Some rubs are more versatile and work well on a variety of meats while others are tailored for specific meats. Consider how versatile you need the rub to be.
Granulation - Finer granulated rubs coat meats more evenly while coarser ones leave a more textured crust. Choose based on your preference.
Concentration - More concentrated rubs have more intense flavors while less concentrated ones are more subtle. Consider the level of flavor you want.
Size - Larger sizes typically offer better value but you need to use the rub before it loses potency. Go with the size that matches your needs.
Special features - Some rubs have additional features like including olive oil, organic certification, or gluten-free status. Consider these if they are important to you.
In summary, focus on the ingredients, flavors, and versatility you need in a rub as well as practical considerations like granulation, concentration and packaging to find the best match for your BBQ needs. Taste and customizing your rub to your liking will help you perfect your seasoning.
