Pork Rib Rub
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This rib rub recipe uses a blend of brown sugar and spices for the most delicious bbq ribs, whether you’re grilling or smoking them.
Plan ahead, this needs to sit with rub on overnight or up to 24 hours. This is a smoky dry rub, but I have another one and great tips for prepping your ribs here in this post, too.
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Pork Rib Rub
This rib rub recipe uses a blend of brown sugar and spices for the most delicious bbq ribs, whether you're grilling or smoking them.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs pork baby back or loin ribs
Dry Rub for Pork Ribs
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds (See Note 1)
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds (See Note 1)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds (See Note 1)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp ground cayenne
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
Instructions
- Toast the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds in a sauté pan until fragrant and oils have been released. Grind in a spice grinder until in powder form. Feel free to use ground spices if you prefer, but use a 1/2 tsp LESS of each.
- In a small bowl whisk together the toasted/ground spices and all the remaining dry rub ingredients and rub all over ribs. Wrap the ribs back up in the butcher's paper (it has a great wax interior side to keep juices from dripping out), and seal with aluminum foil. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- This makes about 1.5 cups of dry rub.
- I use this rub on my Memphis Style Ribs and St Louis Style Ribs recipes.
Notes
- If you are not using whole spices, use a 1/2 tsp LESS of each ground spice.
Nutrition
Calories: 747kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 239mg | Sodium: 1158mg | Potassium: 1220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1760IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 4.9mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Hi Kevin, thanks for posting this and generally it’s a good rub, but the fennel… it just doesn’t seem to belong. It makes the ribs strongly reminiscent of Italian sausage. I did use seeds for the fennel, coriander and cumin and toasted then ground. Are you certain the ratio of fennel is 2 TBS to 2 tsp cumin seed?
Just my opinion, of course, but after I made this, with such a strong fennel aroma and taste, I wondered if perhaps 2 TBS fennel seed was a typo, intending to be 2 tsp.
Thanks again.
The fennel seeds and cumin seeds are both 2 tablespoons? Sorry for any confusion Robert… It’s also the same blend used on my Memphis and St Louis ribs. All those recipes are correct as well.
Kevin, This is Gary from Soledad, I just am doing another batch of St Louis ribs for a get together. I have tried again and I appear to fail miserably at getting the small fat cap skin on the inside of the ribs to peel without mangling the meat underneath. Do you have good methods to do that without chewing up the bone side of the rack? Have you posted any instructional type video someone like me who wants to do it cleanly and correctly everytime? Thanks in advance and I’ll grateful for all of your great recipes and ideas.
Hey there Gar, good to hear from you. This link is a great one to show you exactly how its done.. Hope this helps! .
Kevin, I’ve been using your rub for all of my smoked pork. I even use some in a brine for a pork butt. Even without the mop sauce my smoked ribs are fabulous. Wish I could take all the credit for how great these turned out but the credit goes to your fantastic spice blend.
Thanks,
Stee
So happy to read this Steve, thanks so much! 🙂