What is Dry Rub and how does it work in barbecue?

Dry Rub is a dry seasoning mix, very popular in North American barbecues, which can be acidic, spicy, or sweet and sour. It is generously applied to meat hours or a day before the barbecue. When grilled, the Dry Rub forms a crust that seals the meat, retaining its juices and ensuring tenderness and intense flavor.

What are the basic ingredients of a Dry Rub for beef?

The base of a Dry Rub for beef generally includes: oregano, salt, refined sugar, brown sugar, bay leaf powder, smoke powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili pepper, onion powder, and coriander powder.

Are there variations of Dry Rub for different types of meat?

Yes. For **chicken**, it is recommended to add **mustard powder** and balance the sugar to harmonize with white meat. For **pork**, **smoked paprika** combines very well. And for **lamb leg**, **rosemary** is an ingredient that enhances the flavor, even for those who don't usually like it.

What is Wet Rub and when should I use it?

Wet Rub is a variation that adds liquids like beer, whiskey, or honey to the Dry Rub recipe. It is suitable for meats with slower cooking, such as a whole chicken or a piece of beef ribs, as the liquids help maintain moisture and infuse more flavor during the process.

Is Dry Rub only for barbecues?

No, although it was popularized in barbecue, Dry Rub can be used in any type of meat preparation, including in a conventional oven or in everyday meats, such as fried chicken or steak. A milder version can be made with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and sugar.

Meet Dry Rub and find out why it's so popular!

Junior Dorigatti 18 de May de 2023

Conheça o Dry Rub e saiba por que ele faz tanto sucesso!

Have you heard about Dry rub? It's a meat seasoning made of various different condiments, widely used in American barbecues.

It has an acidic, spicy, or sweet-and-sour characteristic and has won over many barbecue lovers here in Brazil.

To use this mixture, you need to cover the entire piece of meat the day before the barbecue, so the flavor is well present. There are some ready-to-eat dry rubs on the market, but it's hard to find a good one. That's why we at the Cutelaria Cimo blog have put together some recipes for you to make at home and rock your barbecues!

Follow our content!

How to prepare different types of Dry Rub!

Brazilian barbecue has become a true art, and we've been accustomed to it since childhood. Whether it's to gather family and friends, or to celebrate a special occasion, we always find an excuse to grill some meat.

Traditionally, only coarse salt was used to season them, and many still prefer it that way today. However, over the years, new ways of making this wonder of Brazilian cuisine have emerged.

Dry Rub is one of the new methods that is dominating barbecue lovers, not only for its flavor, but also for the way the meat cooks when we add Dry Rub.

It works as follows: we put a generous amount of dry rub on the meat the day before or a few hours before grilling it. When it goes to the grill, this same portion of seasonings will form a crust on the piece, thus maintaining its juices and, consequently, making it tender and very flavorful.

Makes your mouth water, right? Let's go to the tips to learn how to make it, then!

4 simple tips to prepare a good Dry Rub

There are some variations for preparing dry rub, and you can choose according to the meat you want to add it to. For beef, the ideal dry rub contains:

Oregano
Salt
Refined sugar
Brown sugar
Bay leaf powder
Smoked powder
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Chili pepper
Onion powder
Coriander powder

These condiments will be the base of practically all types; the difference will be the spices that best adapt to different types of meat. Some of them are:

1. Special dry rub for chicken

Chicken pairs very well with dry rub, so we recommend adding mustard powder in addition to the base ingredients. Another interesting tip here is to pay attention to the amount of sugar. The sweet taste harmonizes very well with white meats, such as chicken – you can highlight this flavor over the salt.

2. Perfect dry rub for pork

Pork is quite similar to chicken when we talk about seasonings; both accept the same types and turn out very well. For those who love smoked flavor – we even have a post here teaching how to smoke meat – our suggestion is to add smoked paprika, it combines very well with dry rub and goes great with beef.

3. Ideal dry rub for lamb leg

Lamb meat still suffers from prejudice because of its taste, which many find unpleasant. But those who like it will like it even more, and those who don't like it will come to LOVE it if they add this seasoning – dry rub – with rosemary to the meat. Rosemary, along with the other base ingredients, makes lamb wonderful. It's worth a try!

4. Wet rub

Wet rub is nothing more than adding liquids like beer, whiskey, and honey to our dry rub recipe. The secret here is to add it to meats with slower cooking, such as a whole chicken or a piece of beef ribs.

Is this preparation only for barbecues?

Initially, this seasoning was introduced in barbecues, but it can (and should) be added to any type of preparation, such as roasted meat in a conventional oven, for example. You can make a soft version, composed of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of sugar.

Add it to your everyday meals, like fried chicken or beef steak, which will also be excellent.

The main ingredient for a good dry rub recipe is creativity: using your base ingredients, just add other condiments of your preference. Seasonings have the ability to adapt very well together, so if you're not afraid to take risks and like well-seasoned meat, this tip is for you!

So, how about gathering friends and preparing that barbecue with a cold beer, using the recipes you learned today? On our blog, you'll find several cool tips about barbecue, tools, and other topics you'll enjoy. Keep browsing!

See you in the next post!