Delicious Dry Rub Recipe for Meat Lovers (2024)

FAQs

How long should dry rub sit on meat? ›

Meats benefit from even a half-hour of being dry rubbed prior to cooking. Generally, six or more hours is preferable. A dry brine is a dry rub (salt, spices, and herbs) with sugar added. It is meant to be left on the meat for at least a day, and up to three days, and then wiped or rinsed off prior to cooking.

A dry rub can be rubbed directly into the meat and massaged until it sticks to the surface. We recommend patting your cut of meat dry using paper towels. From there, you can season directly onto the meat or apply a small amount of oil over the surface before coating generously in the dry rub.

As we stated earlier, most dry rubs contain salt, which has a dehydrating effect, so prolonging the seasoning may work against you if you keep it on too long.

Don't wrap the meat. This tip is especially for those using meat with skin. Not wrapping the meat helps moisture escape, giving it a crispy texture when the meat comes out of the smoker. You can simply apply the dry rub the night before and leave the meat uncovered in the fridge.

To help your seasonings adhere to the steak's surface, you can brush all sides with a small amount of olive oil first. Season steak generously, especially with thicker steaks. You'll want to have the flavor in every bite, and since only the outside gets seasoned, it needs to be enough to achieve that flavor.

Choose your tenderizer—salt, baking soda, citrus, or vinegar. Patricia was the assistant food editor at Southern Living and worked with the Southern Living food team from 2006-2022.

Sugar is a common but optional addition, particularly if you want to cut the salt flavor. Be careful not to add too much sugar (no more than 20% of the total rub mix), or it will caramelize when cooking.

However, if you ever have the chance to try this method you'll be surprised to find out it does nothing to the end taste of the ribs. At Saddleback we do not rub in mustard before putting down our rub. We've found the rub sticks just fine to the meat without any mustard.

There are two ways to use dry rubs — one way is to use a sticking agent or binder, and the other way is to apply the rub directly to the meat. Using a sticking agent or binder is better for cooking for longer periods of time because doing so creates a moisture barrier.

We like to use olive oil, mustard, or even mayonnaise as a binder. Just lightly rub the ribs down with your preferred binder, it does not need to be a thick layer. Just enough to hold your seasoning.

What is the best spice for meat? ›

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

Factors that also influence tenderness and juiciness are: The animal's age at slaughter, the amount of fat and collagen (connective tissue) contained in particular cuts, and, to a small degree, brining.

And you want the steak to pull that moisture back in before cooking so it's not dried out. Therefore, the optimal amount of time to give your steak after seasoning and before cooking it on the grill is 40-45 minutes. Many recipes do call for about 15-30 minutes to help you save some time.

Some swear by salting immediately before or even while cooking. Others are fervent that a properly seasoned steak should be salted for 12 or even 48 hours ahead of time, depending on the thickness of the cut.

You can apply a rub right before you cook or a few hours ahead of time for basic grilling or up to 24 hours ahead if you're hot-smoking.

Rubs can be applied just before cooking or up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerated until cooking time. Simply combine the ingredients and apply them evenly to all surfaces. Cook beef to desired doneness. You can store dry rubs in an air-tight jar in a cool dark place or in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.