Although dry rub seasoning has been around for many years over the last three or four this form of pre-seasoning meats has become quite popular. In fact not long ago "marinades" were the more popular of the two forms of seasoning. That is quickly changing since dry rubs add greater intensities of flavor.

A dry rub is a combination of seasonings that is "dry" before being applied to the meat. The meat, which is moist, will cause the dry rub to become moist. It is not considered to be a wet rub or a marinade, just because it looks wet. When cooking with a dry rub, allow the meat to cook long enough for the rub to become dry again thus adhering to the meat.

How Best to Use Dry Rubs and apply them

The easiest way to use and apply dry rub is to shake it on. If you're cooking a large amount of meat, the best way to use it is to pour the dry rub in a large relatively deep pan. Take the meat and roll it over it the dry rub.

Some people like to "massage" or "rub" the seasoning in, the thinking is that with vigorous movement this will drive the seasoning further into the muscle fiber of the meat. Application really is a matter of personal preference. A really good dry rub does not require vigorous action but instead will adhere to the surface of the meat and with time will mix with the moisture in the meat thus seeping in to season.

Certain rubs use raw white or brown sugar to offset their tartness. Brown sugar is often used for the purposes of caramelizing (browning) the meat adding a subtle layer of sweetness. Some claim that the use of brown sugar will cause the meat to burn quickly, so it's best to know how much brown sugar is in the rub before application.

It should be noted that sugar has a caramelizing tolerance up to 250 degrees and after that we get into the burn zone for white and brown sugar.  For dry rubs that concentrate heavily on sugar the rub will tend to burn off or fall of the meat during the grilling process.  

Items to consider when using dry rubs

One of the key ways to use Dry Rubs is to consider how much rub should be applied to the meat.  I've often told our members that between 4 and 6 tablespoons is enough for a full rack of ribs.  That basically means that you want the seasoning to cover the meat in such a way that you can still see the redness of the meat underneath the dry rub.  I know in some cases such as brisket some suggest that a basic mix of Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper should applied in a thick format.  The application at this level is dur to the fact that the meat will be under heat for a long period of time nearly 10 to 11 hours before the meat is wrapped and then cooked for another 3 or 4 hours.  

But for the average application be it chicken, ribs or beef rib using about 4 to 6 ounces of dry rub will in most cases present some really great flavors.  In addition having too much dry rub on the meat will change the overall taste of the meat.  The meat is so covered that you basically are just tasting dry rub and not the meat in every bite.  So, just as the saying goes "less is more" especially when it comes to great meats and great dry rubs.  

We hope this information helps when determining how to use dry rub and apply them.  If you have additional suggestions let us know.