Basic Barbecue Rub

• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 3 Tbsp black pepper
• 3 Tbps coarse salt
• 1 Tbps hickory-smoked salt or more coarse salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix.  (Actually, your hands work better for mixing than a spoon or whisk does.  Use your fingers to break up any lumps of brown sugar.) Store the rub in any airtight jar away from heat or light; it will keep for at least 6 months.

Yield: about a cup

From: How to Grill by Steve Raichlen

This was delicious.  It is a deceptively simple recipe for a great rub.  The 1 tsp of cayenne is barely noticeable heat, so you can definitely add more if you want a kick.  Raichlen recommends spicy paprika as a substitution for some or all of the sweet to add some more heat.

I (Gray) have been using rubs for several years now to get a lot more flavor out of my grilling and they work great.  Any time I am going to cook something with sauce, I put a rub on as early as I can; the night before if possible.  It makes a tremendous difference.  Then I just put the sauce on at the very end of cooking, the last 5-10 minutes. That way the sauce doesn’t burn and you get a good complex layer of flavors.  This rub is perfect for anything you are going to put BBQ sauce on, chicken, ribs, brisket, pork chops, etc.

Lately I have been experimenting with my own sauces and rubs, and we have a delicious, different sauce coming up next week that I can almost guarantee you haven’t had before.