The Best Rib Rubs (And How To Make Them)
Table of Contents
A Brief History of RibsMyron Mixon's Dry Rub Recipe for RibsAaron Franklin's Dry Rub Recipe for RibsHeath Riles's World Championship-Winning Rib Rub RecipeThe Best Rib Rubs You Can BuyHeath Riles Competition BBQ RubFrisco Rib RubHeath Riles Sweet BBQ RubOld Southern BBQ Rib RubIf you’re into barbecuing, grilling and smoking, then you know that ribs are part and parcel of great BBQ. They’re one-third of the Texas Trinity (aka the Holy Trinity of Texas BBQ, which is comprised of hot links, brisket, and ribs).
Ribs play an important role in both competition and backyard barbecue. Long story short: They're synonymous with American barbecue. From baby backs to short ribs to spare ribs, these rib rub recipes will help you achieve the delicious flavor and bark you’re after, while still allowing the flavor of the meat to be the star of the show.
Whether you plan on smoking your ribs, grilling, or even baking them (or even the oven + grill method), your rib rub recipe is the foundation of your dish. Without it, you’re leaving a lot of flavor and texture on the table!
We'll delve into the specifics of how to make delicious, bark-forming rib dry rub recipes for your next rack of ribs using only the ingredients in your spice cabinet.
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A Brief History of Ribs
As mentioned above, ribs are about as American as apple pie. In 1493, Columbus brought pigs when he landed in Cuba. In 1539, Hernando de Soto landed in Tampa, Florida, and brought along the first 13 pigs to American shores. Three years later, that initial group of 13 pigs had turned into about 700 (both wild and domesticated). Source: Adams Taphouse and Grille
Myron Mixon's Rib Dry Rub Recipe
It's always hard to argue with the winningest man in barbecue! Below is a surefire winner from 5X world champion pitmaster Myron Mixon.
Myron Mixon's Best Rib Rub Recipe
Barbecue like a world champion! Learn how to make this a delicious dry rub for ribs just like the winningest man in barbecue himself, Myron Mixon.
Shop BBQ Sauces & Rubs
Aaron Franklin's Dry Rib Rub Recipe
Aaron Franklin is the host of BBQ with Franklin and owner and chief firestarter at Austin's Franklin Barbecue. He's widely regarded as one of the most influential pitmasters in the U.S.
Aaron’s base dry rub for ribs is two parts black pepper to one part salt. He notes that since the ribs are so thin, they’re easy to over-salt. The recipe below should be enough for one rack of ribs. Because there isn’t a lot of smoke that gets onto a rack of ribs, Aaron notes that it’s important to have an even distribution of rib dry rub. He puts his into a shaker and applies it that way to ensure it isn’t splotchy.
Heath Riles' World Championship-Winning Rib Rub Recipe
We know the title of the article is about how to make rib rubs at home. That said, we felt like we just HAD to include Heath Riles’ World Championship-winning rib recipe from the 2022 Memphis in May World BBQ Cooking Championships.
Here’s the recipe, which of course, calls for pre-made rubs from Heath Riles’ full line of products (all of which are available for purchase on his website).
Heath Riles' World Championship-winning Rib Rub Recipe from Memphis in May 2022
Get the exact recipe from Heath Riles 1st Place - Ribs World Championship at the Memphis in May 2022 World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest.
The Best Rib Rubs You Can Buy
We know that this post is all about making the best rib rubs at home. But if you don't have time, or if you're interested in a pre-made rib rub recipe, we've put together a small list of dry rib rub recipes that we know are surefire winners.The rub we reach for most is in our Big Rib Energy box, or browse all our rib rubs and sauces.
Heath Riles Competition BBQ Rub
Size: 8 oz shaker
About: The blend behind Heath Riles BBQ's 1st place ribs at the Memphis in May World Championship in 2022, 2024 and 2025. Sweet and savory with a little heat, and it's the rub inside our Big Rib Energy box.
Frisco Rib Rub by The Spice Guy
Size: 5 oz shaker
About: Slightly sweet with a touch of salt and a pinch of heat. The Spice Guy built it with the executive chef of Silverheel's Bar and Grill in Frisco, Colorado.
Heath Riles Sweet BBQ Rub
Size: 8 oz shaker
About: The original Heath Riles blend, with sweetness up front and a touch of heat on the finish. A good pick if you like your ribs on the sweeter side.
Rib Rub by Old Southern BBQ
Size: 6.5 oz shaker
About: The same rib rub Old Southern BBQ uses in its restaurants. It took 2nd place in the pork category of BBQ News' 2020 Rubs of Honor.
The Big Rib Energy Rib Rub and Sauce Box
5.0 out of 5 from 6 reviews.
Competition ribs get built in layers. The rub sets the bark, a light spritz keeps color building without washing it off, and the sauce only shows up in the last stretch so it sets instead of burning. This box has all three parts already matched.
- Heath Riles Competition BBQ Rub for the bark, plus Sweet Heat Seasoning by The Spice Guy.
- Two competition sauces: Southern Gal's by Old Southern BBQ and Riffs Smokehouse Voodoo Child.
- The spritz bottle and silicone mop brush for the parts of the cook most people skip.
- Two full rib recipes on the included card, with the timing written out.
Free U.S. shipping. Rather build your own? Browse all rib rubs and sauces.
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