What is the best rub for a pork shoulder

Mix brown sugar, pepper, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, ground ginger, onion powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, and thyme in a bowl. Rub spice mixture over pork loin and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place pork on a 9x13-inch baking dish and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove plastic wrap from pork and discard; return pork to baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Cover pork loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

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Use this simple and easy all-purpose pork dry rub for all of your pork recipes. It’ll give your pork the best flavor! Learn how to make a pork dry rub here.

This is our favorite all-purpose pork dry rub recipe. We use this dry rub on anything pork! This dry rub spice blend does it all! It’s perfect for grilling, frying, searing, baking, or roasting.

Homemade spice blends are easy to make, and you can make a large batch to have handy in your pantry for quick grabbing. Best of all, you can control the ingredients without preservatives and additives. So if you are on a low sodium diet, making your own dry rub is an excellent way to keep your diet in check.

Use this dry rub for all your pork recipes, from pork chops to pulled pork. This dry rub compliments almost any bbq sauce and is great for smoking meat.

Ingredients Needed to Make Pork Dry Rub

All dry rubs are made of sweet, salty, savory, and heat. The following ingredients are needed to make this pork dry rub recipe:

Sugar: Brown Sugar
Salt: Kosher Salt
Savory Herbs & Spices: garlic powder, onion powder
Heat: Paprika, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper

How To Make All-Purpose Pork Dry Rub

Gather the Ingredients: It’s a lot easier to gather all the ingredients before you start mixing. This way, everything gets included, and you know ahead of time if you have the herbs and spices you need.
Measure: Measure the ingredients into separate prep bowls or in separated piles in a bowl or on a plate. If you measure incorrectly, you can fix your mistake easily.
Mix: Add all spices together in a bowl and combine with a whisk. Add the rub to a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid. Shake well before using.
Rub: Generously pat (rub) the spice mixture over ribs, pork chops, tenderloin, pork shoulder, pork butt, or pork roasts before cooking.

Storage

Keep this pork dry rub sealed tightly in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

How to Use Pork Dry Rub

This pork rub is great for anything pork. Here are a few recipes that we’ve used this rub for:

Cracker Crumb Pork Chops
BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Baby Back Ribs
Pork Loin
Grilled Country-Style Pork Ribs
Smoked Pork Chops
Pork Crown Roast
BBQ Pork Picnic Shoulder
Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Tips

Altering the ingredients will affect the way this rub tastes. Be careful when adjusting this recipe. Reducing the cayenne pepper is ok if you don’t like spicy food.
If you are not using this rub on the grill or smoker, substitute smoked paprika for regular paprika for a great smoky flavor.
Pat your pork with paper towels before applying the pork rub so that it disperses evenly and won’t slide off the meat.
If using this spice blend from your spice cabinet, give the container good shake to disperse the ingredients well before applying to your pork.

FAQ’s

How long do I apply before cooking?

For best results, add the dry rub up to an hour before cooking to boost the flavor of your meat even more. Don’t worry; if you don’t have time to allow the meat to sit with the rub on it, it still tastes great but won’t be as intense.

Will dry rub burn?

Yes! This dry rub contains sugar which will burn when used too long over direct high heat. Use Caution; browning happens quickly.

Make this all-purpose pork rub your go-to seasoning for all your pork recipes!

Are you making this pork rub? We’d love your feedback. Leave us a comment and a star rating below. We value your opinion and appreciate your time.

See ya on the mountain!

Use this all-purpose pork dry rub for all of your pork recipes. It'll give your pork the best flavor! Learn how to make a pork dry rub here.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 24 (Makes Approx. 1 cup of Rub)

Calories 22kcal

½ cup brown sugar
4 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and stir with a whisk to mix. Rub onto the pork on all sides.

Altering the ingredients will affect the way this rub tastes. Be careful when adjusting this recipe. Reducing the cayenne pepper is ok if you don’t like spicy food.

If you are not using this rub on the grill or smoker, substitute smoked paprika for regular paprika for a great smoky flavor.

Pat your pork with paper towels before applying the pork rub so that it disperses evenly and won’t slide off the meat.

Keep this pork dry rub sealed tightly in an air tight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Give this recipe a star rating, leave a comment below and share pictures of your food with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter! We can’t wait to see them! Don’t forget to mention @TheMountainKitchen or tag #TheMountainKitchen!

Reader Interactions

Should you put rub on pork shoulder overnight?

Adding the seasoning rub in advance can also contribute to a thicker and more flavorful bark. This is even more noticeable when you're smoking ribs instead of pork shoulder. We usually recommend adding the rub in advance and letting the pork shoulder sit in the fridge for up to 12 hours, or overnight.

How long should rub be on pork shoulder?

For the best results, a rub needs time to work its flavor magic. So how long do you leave dry rub on steak, chicken, turkey, or pork? Allow the BBQ rub to rest on the food 15 minutes to 2 hours (and up to several hours if you've got time) before cooking.

What is the best seasoning for pork?

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.