The Best BBQ Rubs You Can Buy Online

Meat Church Holy Gospel BBQ Rub

Main ingredients: salt, sugar, paprika, celery, dehydrated garlic, dextrose, spices, and extractives

Basic flavors: mild taste, peppery and smoky

Works with: beef, chicken, pork, turkey, fish, seafood, and vegetables

The Holy Gospel BBQ Rub by Meat Church is among the most popular and most universal dry rubs on the market.

It combines two of the other popular rubs by the company, including Gospel and Holy Cow, and takes the best of both. It is not too peppery but does have a punch to it.

It is an excellent choice for ribs, chicken, beef, steak, burgers, and roast veggies.

You can choose from the large selection of dry rubs offered by Meat Church here.

Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub

Main ingredients: sugar, brown sugar, paprika, chili pepper, dehydrated garlic, orange peel, evaporated cane juice, mustard flour, onion powder, paprika extractives, turmeric, and dill weed

Basic flavors: balanced, smoky, and sweet

Works with: pork but works well with poultry, beef, and vegetables as well

Created by the Killer Hogs BBQ team, who are champions in many major competitions, this rub offers a balanced and slightly sweet smoky taste, as well as a unique mahogany-colored bark to the meat.

Lillie’s Q - Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub

Main ingredients: brown sugar, sugar, salt, spices including paprika, dehydrated garlic, and onion

Basic flavors: sweet, garlicky

Works with: low and slow-cooked ribs and pork, and a sprinkle for pulled pork

This sugar-based dry rub is named Carolina Dirt because the sprinkle resembles the red clay-colored soil of Carolina.

No.16 comes from 2016 – the year in which the team used the rub as a secret ingredient which won them the Memphis in May World Championship BBQ contest.

Lane's Signature BBQ Seasoning Rub

Main ingredients: black pepper, Kosher salt, granulated garlic, ground mustard, ancho powder, thyme, coriander

Basic flavors: mild, salty with a kick

Works with: chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, eggs, potatoes, and pasta

This sugar-free and zero-carb BBQ rub is suitable for all kinds of meat, including pork, beef, shrimp, fish, chicken, potatoes, and pasta, and is even keto-friendly.

This mild meat rub is a popular choice, but if you prefer something spicier, you can try Lane’s SPF 53 rub for pork and chicken.

Kosmos Q Cow Cover BBQ Rub

Main ingredients: salt, sugar, chili pepper, other spices, dehydrated onion and garlic, citric acid, and natural hickory smoke flavor

Basic flavors: rich, peppery, and spicy

Works with: beef steak, brisket, burgers, fajitas, and even poultry

This red and spicy Cow cover rub is the mix of spices that helped the Kosmos Q team win the World Steak Championship in 2015.

If you like to try out more of the dry rubs by Kosmos Q, you can buy this set of all 8 dry rubs included in the Kosmos Q Rub Variety Flavors Combo.

Related content: The Best Smoker Grill Combos

Traeger Grills Anything Rub

Main ingredients: not available

Basic flavors: sweet and savory with notes of onion, garlic, and spice blend

Works with: chicken, fish, roasted vegetables

This subtle and sophisticated dry rub by Traeger is a creation of famous winemakers Lydia and Rob Mondavi.

It has a unique taste with a hint of red wine, fennel, and garlic and is a superb dry rub to use for preparing delicate fish and chicken rather than on red meat.

While the ingredients have not been published, like all other rubs by one of the leaders in the pellet grill industry Traeger this one is gluten-free, GMO-free, and Kosher.

If you want to try out more traditional and universal dry rubs offered by Traeger, you can buy this Holiday Rub Bundle of 3 different smaller-sized dry rubs.

Sasquatch BBQ - Moss - All-Purpose Herb Rub

Main ingredients: garlic, sea salt, rice vinegar powder, smoked paprika, other spices, and sunflower oil

Basic flavors: herb flavor with a kick

Works with: pork, chicken, beef, fish, vegetables, pasta sauces, chili, stew, or braises

This Moss herb BBQ rub will remind you of fresh moss and nature, with a nice kick to it. It is a universal rub and spice mix which you can use for meat and fish, and for cooking all types of stews, sauces, braises, and more.

Like all other dry rubs offered by Spiceology, this dry rub doesn’t contain any fillers, MSG, preservatives, or non-irradiated herbs.

The company has a wide selection of exciting spice mixes and rubs, including this Sriracha Blends 6-pack set made in collaboration with Huy Fong or the fantastic Black and Bleu Cajun and Blue Cheese Rub.

Slap Yo Daddy BBQ Rub Seasoning

Main ingredients: sea salt, maple sugar, cane sugar, granulated garlic, black pepper, chili, paprika, shitake powder, Worcestershire powder, celery seed, and citric acid

Basic flavors: umami, smoky and garlicky

Works with: beef brisket, steak, burgers, sausages, and tri-tip

This dry rub for beef was created by pitmaster Harry Soo, who has 27 Grand Championship titles and more than 80 first places around the world.

It contains some ingredients like shitake powder and Worcestershire powder, which are not typically used for BBQ, but thanks to them and the other ingredients, this rub brings an amazing umami flavor to any beef cut or meal.

Hardcore Carnivore Black Beef BBQ Rub

Main ingredients: sea salt, garlic, black pepper, sugar, onion, chili powder, activated carbon

Basic flavors: mild, peppery, salty with a spicy kick

Works with: beef steaks, BBQ, and red meat

This Black beef rub contains activated carbon which will help form a dark and beautiful bark on beef steaks and other red meat.

Like all other dry rubs by Hardcore Carnivore, this one is entirely gluten-free, MSG-free, and keto-friendly.

Bad Byron's, Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning

Main ingredients: salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, and smoked jalapeno (chipotle)

Basic flavors: salty, authentic, and smoky

Works with: pork butt, ribs, steak, pulled pork, chicken, and more

Not only does this rub have one of the most humorous labels, but the Bad Byron’s Butt Rub is also among the bestselling BBQ rubs.

It is an excellent seasoning for pork butt and pork of all types and is keto and paleo-friendly with no sugar, no gluten, and zero carbs.

Szeged Rib Rub

Main ingredients: salt, paprika, garlic, mustard, sugar, and other spices

Basic flavors: sweet with a slight spiciness

Works with: barbecued ribs and pork chops, steak or chicken

This slightly sweet dry BBQ rub is offered in an old-fashioned tin and will help enhance the flavor of your delicious pork without overwhelming it.

It is a great rub to use if you are preparing Memphis-style ribs but can be used for seasoning all types of meat, fish, and meals.

Plowboys Yardbird Rub

Main ingredients: salt, sugar, paprika, chili pepper, onion, garlic, mustard flour

Basic flavors: mild with some sweetness and a slightly spicy hint

Works with: pork butt, ribs, chicken, and others

This rub was used for winning the 2009 American Royal Invitational BBQ competition and is still one of the top preferred universal BBQ dry rubs on the market.

You can buy the Yardbird rub in combination with Plowboys Bovine Bold in this large-sized set of two.

Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken & Poultry Rub

Main ingredients: garlic, rosemary, paprika, sea salt, onion, parsley, thyme

Basic flavors: robust natural flavor of spices and herbs

Works with: chicken, poultry, ground beef for burgers, pork

This Perfect Blend Chicken Rub by Lawry’s is another bestselling dry BBQ rub that works perfectly with poultry but can be used for preparing burgers, making dressings, barbecuing pork, and others.

It is not as salty as other rubs and is made of flavorful herbs suitable for grilling, broiling, baking, and roasting chicken.

BBQ BROS RUBS {Western Style} - Ultimate Barbecue Spices Seasoning Set

Main ingredients: they vary among the three different styles, but each contains salt, paprika, garlic, and spices as part of the mix

Basic flavors: classical (for the California style), hot and smoky (Kansas City style), and sweet (Texas style)

Works with: pork, ribs, chicken, dish, seafood, chilies, steaks

This 3-pack is the perfect addition to your kitchen and pit. It contains three large-sized jars of BBQ rubs suitable for any meat or dish.

The set includes California, Kansas City, and Texas-style BBQ rubs. The California rub is excellent for brisket, ribs, smoked jerky, pork shoulder, and kabobs.

The Kansas City rub is perfect for the ribeye steak, seafood boils, and chilies. The Texas-style rub is suitable for brisket and any other meat which you want to enjoy with a sweet taste.

Bone Suckin' Sauce Original Seasoning & Rub

Main ingredients: brown sugar, paprika, garlic, and spices

Basic flavors: peppery, sweet with a touch of heat

Works with: ribs, all kinds of meat, fish, meatloaf, different dishes, popcorn

This is one of the most versatile BBQ rubs on the market, which can be used not only for preparing ribs, but for dishes like deviled eggs, meatloaf, green beans, vegetables, and even for popcorn.

It is a mild rub and is neither too salty nor too spicy, so it should work for most tastes and needs.

The Salt Lick BBQ Original Dry Rub

Main ingredients: salt, pepper, spices, cayenne pepper

Basic flavors: authentic Texas-style BBQ rub taste

Works with: pork butt, ribs, brisket

This original dry rub by Salt Lick is based on the authentic Texas-style dry rub, even though it contains cayenne pepper and some spices which are not so traditional for this style.

Nevertheless, this is a well-made dry rub that is easy to apply on the pork cut and will bring that traditional taste of Texas-style barbecue to your table.

Snake River Farms Custom Seasonings and Rub Set

Main ingredients: not available

Basic flavors: salty and peppery for the Signature Steak rub, fruity and sweet southern-style for the Perfect Pork rub, and herbal and savory for the Rosemary Roast rub

Works with: steak, prime rib, pork ribs, Kurobuta pork, poultry, and others

This set of three seasonings and rubs by Snake River farms is a perfect idea for a gift for any pitmaster and pork lover.

The three different rubs in the set include the Signature Steak Seasoning, the Rosemary Roast Seasoning, and the Perfect Pork Rub.

With a set like this which offers suitable seasoning for any type of meat and food, you will be covered no matter what you decide to grill or smoke next time.

Choosing or making the perfect BBQ rub is only part of the food prep before barbecuing it. It is also important to apply the chosen BBQ rub properly if you want to get the best results in the end.

Here are some tips for applying BBQ rub:

• Sprinkle the rub with one hand and use your hand and a latex glove to spread and rub it in
• If you find that your store-bought BBQ rubs tend to get clogged due to the humidity, you can opt for a dedicated rub shaker that you can use for homemade and ready-made BBQ rubs
• Apply the rub evenly but without overdoing it if you don’t want to completely overwhelm the taste of the main star of your dish the meat.

While some pitmasters choose to rub the meat and let it sit overnight, others prefer to do it only a few hours before putting the meat on the grill or in the smoker.

For some recipes, such as the smoked brisket by Aaron Franklin, the rub is applied only an hour before, and the brisket is left to rest at room temperature.

Some claim that leaving the rub on overnight can dry out the meat, but others argue that this is not really true because:

• Even though BBQ rubs which contain a lot of salt and sugar, can cause the loss of some moisture in the meat, the truth is that subjecting the meat to hours of heat and smoke will cause the loss of moisture anyway
• While salt is used to cure meat by dehydrating it, this process takes days, months, and sometimes years, so you shouldn’t worry about the salt in the rub causing your meat cut to dehydrate if you leave it for hours or overnight

By applying the rub, sauce, and other flavorings you will be using for prepping your meat for barbecuing or smoking on the night before, you will allow for the flavors to become better infused in the meat and thus will end up with food with a stronger flavor.

But overall, it is a matter of personal preference and the specific recipe you are using, so make sure you experiment with the rubs and other seasonings to find which method works best for you.

See also: The Best Grill Tongs for Barbecuing – [Buying Guide]

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