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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Published July 03, 2019
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

Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup whole black peppercorns (1 3/4 ounces; 50g), coarsely ground
  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (2 1/2 ounces; 70g)
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons (6g) 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.

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