Whether you're looking to grill some ribs, smoke a pork butt or cook just about any other cut of pork, this is hands down the best dry rub recipe for pork.
While I have a huge sweet tooth, one of my favorite things to eat is meat. Beef is probably my favorite meat to eat, but being from the south I love me some pork and will choose it over chicken any day.
Cooked properly, pork is full of juicy, tender flavor. These days pork is certainly leaner than it used to be so it can definitely stand up to some bold seasoning. Insert what I think is the best dry rub recipe for pork here.
I put this together when I was trying to figure out the best way to cook ribs in the oven, which is something I'll share another day. Either way, this pork dry rub is something I now use not only on ribs, but also pork butt (like this super easy slow cooker pulled pork if I already have some made), chops, and even chicken and beef.
I love bursts of flavor so I will often pair this rub up with my favorite bbq sauce when serving. But, I like starting off with a dry rub for a few reasons.
Reasons To Use A Dry Rub
First, it's something you can make ahead and keep in an air-tight container among your other spices for up to around 6 months which is good for my always packed fridge. I especially like these spice containers because it can store this recipe as doubled, and has both a shaker and spoon side.
Anchor Hocking TrueSeal Glass Food Storage Containers with Airtight Lids, Green, 1 Cup (Set of 6)Spice Containers 6 sets - 16 oz. clear plastic pet spice jars storage container bottles with red sifter spoon caps - 6 bottles with caps - plus white spice lablels
I also like dry rubs because I prefer adding sauces closer to the end of the cooking time as they have a tendency to burn. A rub also just seems to merry with the natural juices of the meat better to create a slight crust of spicy savory flavor you don't want to stop shoving into your mouth.
The Best Dry Rub Recipe For Pork
As far as flavor, this pork rub is really balanced. It's not too sweet but it's also not really spicy in that you need to have some milk on standby kind of way. It's a little sweet, it's a little savory and a seasoning I now always have in my pantry.
Wholesome Sweeteners, Organic Light Brown Sugar, 24 OzMcCormick Paprika, 18.4 oz
McCormick Dark Chili Powder, 20 oz
Here's how to put this pork dry rub together.

The Best Dry Rub Recipe For Pork
The best dry rub recipe for pork whether you're making ribs, chops or pulled pork.
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar (dark gives a bit sweeter taste)
- ¼ cup paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt (I use a fine-grind sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Most don't find this rub to be spicy with the cayenne so keep in mind when adjusting to your desired spiciness)
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl breaking down as many lumps as possible.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
- Use: Sprinkle liberally over all sides of meat and rub in. This recipe makes the perfect amount of rub for 2 racks of pork ribs.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1 RecipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 604
Melanie
Saturday 6th of August 2022
I love this recipe. I’ve made it a bunch of times and use it on all types of pork, ie. ribs, pork chops, pork tenderloin, etc. I usually double the recipe so I can keep it on the shelf when I need it and I use equal parts paprika and smoked paprika.
Silvia C
Thursday 2nd of September 2021
Hi! I can't wait to try this. I am taking country style ribs to a cookout at my son's house. I would like to know if I can partially cook them so they don't take too long on the grill. What do you recommend? Thanks so much!
Smart Savvy Living
Thursday 2nd of September 2021
@Silvia C, thanks for stopping by! I haven't done this before so I can't say exactly how it would turn out, but I think it would be okay to partially cook the ribs a bit before going to your son's house. Just make sure to keep them properly cold after pre-cooking and during transit, then make sure to bring the temperature back up to at least 140°F before serving - though they usually aren't tender until around 180. Hope this helps and have fun at the cookout!
Spencer
Friday 23rd of April 2021
Hey what do the portions need to be if you’re using this on a 10lb pork butt?
Smart Savvy Living
Friday 30th of April 2021
Hi Spencer, thanks for stopping by. The exact proportions would depend on the shape of the pork butt and how much surface area there was. I'd probably double the recipe and go from there. If you use a spoon to sprinkle on the rub and don't contaminate it with the raw meat juices you can save any leftovers to add extra seasoning to the meat once it's done if you'd like or to use in the future. It should keep at least a few months depending on how old the spices are that you're using. Hope this helps!
Colleen
Sunday 12th of April 2020
1/4 Cup Paprika... did I read that right
Smart Savvy Living
Sunday 12th of April 2020
Hello Colleen, thanks for stopping by. Yes, it's 1/4 cup of paprika which is 4 tablespoons.
Hannah
Thursday 7th of November 2019
I really like the sounds of this recipe, I'm going to try it and see how it turns out!
Smart Savvy Living
Saturday 9th of November 2019
Hope you enjoy it, Hannah! Thanks for stopping by.