Summer has begun. The days are longer, the sun appears more often and we flock outdoors. And what do we do in the Netherlands then? Exactly: light the barbecue. And to be fair — barbecuing is not only tasty, it’s above all convivial. Standing together around the fire, a drink in hand, enjoying good food and each other’s company. Those are the evenings you remember.
Of course you can pop a box of ready-made burgers and a baguette into your shopping cart. Totally fine. But it can be SO much better.
Much tastier and often healthier is to choose a nice piece of meat, fresh fish or crispy seasonal vegetables yourself and prepare them together on the barbecue. By seasoning, marinating or making a rub yourself, you give each ingredient your own signature. You determine the flavor, intensity and balance.
And that’s exactly where the difference begins between ‘quickly throwing something on the grill’ and truly enjoying a barbecue that everyone will still be talking about.
If you want to have complete control over the flavors of the dishes you are going to make on the barbecue, it’s best to make a seasoning rub with dried herbs and spices. But how do you go about it? Which herbs do you need? And what if you don’t have the time to make your own rub but still want to enjoy a delicious piece of meat? To answer these questions you can let your creativity run free, but we’re happy to help you get started. With this blog we want to give you inspiration and a number of handy tips to get going, so you can make your next barbecue a real party.
What is a barbecue rub?
Before we show you how to make your own barbecue rub it’s good to pause briefly and consider what a barbecue rub actually is. A barbecue rub is first of all a dry spice mix. You then rub this spice mix (or in Dutch: inwrijven) into the meat, chicken, or vegetables, giving everything you prepare on the barbecue a delicious flavor.
Besides seasoning your piece of meat, chicken, or vegetables, a barbecue rub is used to give that wonderfully crispy crust (also called “bark”) that is so beloved in barbecue dishes. And it has another function, because a good rub makes your piece of meat juicier and brings out the natural flavors of the meat. And you might be wondering “how?”. Well, we explain that further below!
The basics for making your own barbecue rub
To make your piece of meat tender and give it that beautiful crust, salt and sugar form the basis of every good barbecue rub. With the salt you draw moisture out of the piece of meat, and the sugar provides that wonderfully crispy crust.
After that it’s time to actually start adding flavors. To start with, smoked paprika powder is something that is used enormously often in all kinds of barbecue rubs. Besides the characteristic paprika flavor, you immediately give a mild heat and that delicious smokiness to your meat. As far as we’re concerned, a no-brainer when it comes to making your own barbecue rub.
Besides smoked paprika powder, garlic powder is also a welcome guest in the rub of the true master grillers. By adding garlic powder you give an intense garlic flavor to your dishes. That delightfully slightly sharp and savory taste we all love.
To complete this base we of course must not forget black pepper. As one of the most versatile flavor enhancers, black pepper absolutely must not be missing from your barbecue rub. You won’t find it in practically every kitchen cupboard for nothing!
How you can use this barbecue rub
Above we gave you the foundation for every good barbecue rub. But from there the most fun part actually begins. With this base you can vary endlessly. But of course that depends on the dish you’re going to make. For example, are you going to make spareribs on the barbecue? Then try adding cumin powder, cayenne pepper and onion powder to this base. Cumin powder for that lovely earthy, warm flavor. Cayenne pepper for the spiciness, because that should of course not be missing when you make your own spareribs on the barbecue. And finally we like to add onion powder to finish it off. This adds a slightly sweet flavor, which helps balance all the intense flavors in this rub.
Or maybe you plan to season a piece of chicken to then grill it on the barbecue. To properly flavor chicken, salt, pepper, smoked paprika powder and garlic powder are definitely indispensable. Whether you also want to give that crispy crust to your chicken by adding sugar is entirely up to you.
What is often added to rubs for seasoning chicken, besides the basic barbecue rub, are dried green herbs. Something that actually appeals to almost everyone is dried thyme and oregano. With these you give a very strong aromatic flavor to your chicken, and in our opinion absolutely delicious.
But perhaps you prefer a piece of beef, such as a bavette, or a nice piece of picanha. A bavette or picanha can also be wonderfully flavored with a good barbecue rub. For the best result (with which you will surely blow your friends and family away at your next barbecue) we would add the previously mentioned basic spices cumin powder, onion powder and dried thyme.
And are you vegetarian or simply not in the mood for a piece of meat? Then you can also turn your grilled vegetables into a real culinary party with the right spices! We would omit the sugar in that case, but the rest of the base is still sufficient. A jacket potato from the barbecue, for example, is delicious with a mix of black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried rosemary and a little fresh lemon zest.
Apart from the suggestions we made above, the great thing about making your own rub is of course that you are in charge. Experiment, see what works and what doesn’t, and above all don’t be afraid to do something ‘wrong’. You only learn from it, right? Have you ever thought of adding chili powder to your rub for a bit of extra heat? Or mustard powder, to add that lovely sharpness of mustard? And maybe this is a bit less obvious, but with a pinch of turmeric you can really give your chicken an extra dimension. Great fun and tasty to surprise your friends and family with!
No time or desire to make your own barbecue rub?
Preparing a barbecue can be quite a hassle. Cleaning the garden. Doing the shopping. Maybe even mowing the lawn. That can all take a lot of time… So we totally understand if you don’t feel like taking the time and effort to also make a barbecue rub yourself.
But luckily we have something for that! In our webshop you will find a number of ready-made rubs that you can use immediately. Saves you time and effort. In addition, these ready-made rubs contain considerably less salt and sugar than the rubs you can buy in other stores — as you naturally expect from us. All the healthier for it.
For pork, beef, and chicken we have tried to put together the best barbecue rub. Planning to make spareribs? Then you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by going for Porky’s Rub. In addition to the basic spices we added dill, lemon and turmeric. Maybe not very ‘traditional’, but in our opinion extremely tasty. A little different from the rest. And refreshingly nice.
Earlier in this blog we also gave tips and inspiration for making a rub for bavette or picanha. If that all becomes a bit too much effort we have the Beef BBQ Chief for you in our webshop. Guaranteed that your friends and family will call you a master BBQ’er after tasting this rub — and that without you having to spend your precious time assembling your own barbecue rub. Win-win, right?
For simply seasoning your chicken we also have something that gets you ready in one fell swoop. In our webshop you can find the Rosemary’s Chicken Rub. The name gives it away; the star player in this rub is rosemary. There’s also a pinch of chili powder for a bit of heat and some dried thyme and cumin to finish it off. Simply sprinkle the chicken seasoning on the chicken, wait an hour for all the flavors to sink in, and then onto the barbecue. Even a child could do it.
Experiment to create your unique barbecue rub
You can of course choose one (or all) of the ready-made barbecue rubs above to save yourself time and effort. But perhaps even more fun is experimenting with all kinds of flavor combinations. What someone else likes you might not like. And vice versa. That’s why we only encourage discovering all kinds of different combinations to find out what appeals most to you and your family and friends.
We hope we have given you enough ideas and inspiration to get started making your own unique mix of barbecue spices. And if you are short on time, as you have read there are plenty of other options to turn your dishes into a culinary party. With the ready-made barbecue rubs you can put a delicious piece of meat or chicken on the table in no time. Enjoy, and we’re curious which spices will end up in your own unique barbecue rub. Bon appétit, and have fun at your next barbecue!
Frequently asked questions about BBQ rubs
1. What exactly is a BBQ rub?
A BBQ rub is a dry spice mix that you rub onto meat, fish or vegetables before grilling. The spices form a flavorful crust during cooking and give that typical barbecue taste.
2. What is the difference between a marinade and a dry rub?
A marinade is liquid and often contains oil or acid (such as lemon or vinegar). A dry rub is a dry spice mix without liquid. Rubs mainly provide an intense flavor layer and a nice crust.
3. How long should a BBQ rub be left to rest?
For best results, let a rub rest for at least 30 minutes. For larger cuts of meat, like pulled pork or spareribs, you can even let it rest for several hours or overnight.
4. Can you use a BBQ rub in the air fryer or oven?
Yes, absolutely. A dry rub works just as well in the oven or air fryer. The spices caramelize nicely and also provide extra flavor and color there.
5. Can you make a BBQ rub yourself?
Certainly. With paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt and optionally a little sugar or cayenne you can easily make your own rub. That way you decide how spicy or smoky you want it to be.
6. How do you prevent a BBQ rub from burning on the barbecue?
Do not use excessively high direct heat, especially if your rub contains sugar — sugar can burn quickly. Grill first indirectly or at medium heat and let the meat cook slowly. That way the spices caramelize nicely without becoming bitter.
