If you want next-level BBQ without the hassle of mixing your own seasonings, store-bought rubs are the way to go. It can take a lot of experimentation to find the right combination of spices to enhance your favorite cut of meat. Luckily, there are a lot of talented BBQ teams that have spent a lot of time experimenting with chicken, ribs, brisket, and steaks to find some killer combinations. But, there are a lot of BBQ Rubs out there to choose from, so I am going to give you a few that are my favorites. All of these BBQ Rubs are stocked regularly in my spice cabinet.
Best BBQ Rubs for Chicken you can Buy Online
Chicken is a blank canvas—it absorbs flavors beautifully, making it the perfect protein for a variety of rubs. The key here is balance: a little sweet, a little heat, and enough salt to enhance the taste. These 3 Rubs are also very good on pork as well. Use these rubs on some of my favorite chicken recipes:
- No More Dry Chicken with this Easy Rub & Marinade
- Juicy Grilled Chicken Halves
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
1. Plowboys Yardbird Rub
A championship-winning rub that has a good amount of salt, well balanced spices, and a mild sweetness to it. It is not overly spicy. Perfect for wings, thighs, and whole chickens. Because of the higher salt content, I find this rub consistently gives crispy skin when roasted on the grill. This is a potent dry rub, so do not layer this on too thick the first time, or you may find your chicken over salted. The Yardbird Rub is also very good as a burger seasoning. Such a versatile Rub, you will love this one. .
2. Blues Hog Sweet and Savory Rub
This rub lives up to its name with its well balanced all around flavor and elevated sweetness. If you are making BBQ for a large crowd with a wide range of tastes, this one is a good Rub to choose. Very good rub for children too.
3. Kosmos Q Hot Dirty Bird Rub
If you enjoy a rub with a good kick, then this is your chicken Rub. Well balanced with some nice heat that works really well on Chicken Wings. I also enjoy this as a rub for chicken breasts, making a boring cut of meat quite flavorful.
Best BBQ Rubs for Beef you can Buy Online
Beef can handle bold flavors, so don’t be shy with the seasoning. The thicker your steak, the more rub you will want to use. The rubs below are great all purpose BBQ Rubs for steaks, burgers, and brisket. Use these amazing rubs with some of my favorite steaks or for a brisket recipe:
1. Kosmos SPG (Salt, Pepper, Garlic) Rub
This BBQ Rub is an amazing steak rub. I have tried quite a few SPG variety rubs, but I always come back to Kosmos version. It has a little more texture to it, which I like and you can coat your steaks a little thicker with this rub than others I have tried. Overall, a really simple rub that will give you amazing steaks and burgers every time. This rub is wife and kid tested approved in my house.
2. Lane’s Brisket Rub
This is a great Rub for Brisket, Steak, and Burgers. It only has a few ingredients, but they are balanced well. The combination Black Pepper, Salt, Granulated Garlic, Thyme, and Paprika is a good one. This rub is wife and kid tested approved in my house.
3. Hurtado BBQ - Beef Blend Rub
This Beef Rub is heavy on different peppers and has a unique flavor that feels more complex than other rubs I have tried. I find it is not heavy on the salt, so you can coat your beef heavy with this rub if you like a stronger pepper profile. The texture of the rub is amazing for developing a good brisket bark on the smoker.
Best BBQ Rubs for Pork you can Buy Online
I love Pork Rubs with a mix of sweet, savory, and a little spice. Whether you’re making ribs, pulled pork, or chops, these rubs will bring out the best in your own Backyard BBQ. These BBQ rubs are also very good on chicken as well. Give any of these rubs a try on my pork butt or rib recipes:
1. Blues Hog Original Dry Rub
This rub has a perfect balance of salty, sweet, savory, with a little kick on the end. Ideal for ribs and pork steaks/chops. If I could only choose one rub to have in the house, I would consider this one. This rub has a wonderful dark orange/red color to it… giving your meat a good look off the grill or smoker.
2. Joe’s Kansas City Big Meat Seasoning
This rub is a wonderful savory rub with a simple ingredient list: salt, sugar, spices, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, paprika, and celery seed. The celery seed comes through nicely, which is a real difference maker. Love this rub for St. Louis or Baby Back Ribs.
3. Hurtado’s Pork Rub
Hurtado’s Pork Rub has great depth of flavor, with a variety of peppers, herbs, and a hint of citrus. Great balance all around and has a nice peppery kick. You cannot go wrong with this rub. Love this for pork butts (pulled pork). The rub has more texture than others, which forms a very tasty bark during the smoking process.
Final Tips for Using Store-Bought BBQ Rubs
- Apply generously – Don’t be afraid to coat your meat liberally to build flavor.
- The Thicker your Meat, the more Rub you should use
- Pair with the right wood – Hickory and oak complement beef. Applewood, cherry, and pecan are great for pork and chicken.
- Beef Rub Choices – typically you want a rub heavy on salt and pepper, with some small additions of herbs and spices.
- Pork and Chicken Rub Choices – pork and chicken can work well with sweet rubs or salty rubs. Typically a combination of both make a nice savory rub.
Layering Rubs – if you are using a rub that is on the sweet side, try using a layer of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt first for a nice salty undertone with the sweet rub.
With these store-bought rubs in your arsenal, you will be ready to elevate your next Backyard BBQ. If you have other favorite BBQ Rubs for Chicken, Brisket, Steaks, and Ribs, leave me a comment below. I would love to hear your favorites.
If you would rather make an amazing BBQ Rub of your own, check out my archive DIY BBQ Rubs you can make at home.
