Lean and Mean Dry Rub for Pulled Pork Recipe

Made from just a handful of ingredients, this rub packs layers of flavor.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated April 16, 2025
20190618-barbecue-smoked-pork-shoulder-pulled-pork-sandwiches-vicky-wasik-6
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Brown sugar adds warm sweetness to balance out the heat of black pepper.
  • Salt is omitted from this barbecue rub to allow for dry-brining, though you can add salt to taste if you like.
  • A relatively short list of ingredients keeps this recipe simple and manageable.

This dry rub keeps things simple, with a heavy dose of black pepper and just a few additional spices for depth, like fruity sweet paprika, citrusy coriander seeds, and aromatic onion and garlic powders.

This recipe does not include salt, since we prefer to dry-brine the meat separately with plenty of salt, but feel free to add a half cup kosher salt, or salt to taste. This recipe makes enough for one Boston butt pork shoulder.

July 2019

Recipe Details

Lean and Mean Dry Rub for Pulled Pork Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Makes 1 cup
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup whole black peppercorns (1 3/4 ounces; 50 g), coarsely ground

  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (2 1/2 ounces; 70 g)

  • 2 tablespoons (15 g) sweet paprika

  • 2 tablespoons (6 g) whole coriander seeds, ground

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. (You may need to use your fingers to break up small clumps of brown sugar; we recommend wearing a glove if you do this.) Use immediately as needed, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Special Equipment

Spice grinder

Make-Ahead and Storage

The dry rub can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
431Calories
5gFat
106gCarbs
9gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories431
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 42mg2%
Total Carbohydrate 106g39%
Dietary Fiber 21g76%
Total Sugars 61g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 3mg13%
Calcium 360mg28%
Iron 10mg54%
Potassium 1223mg26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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