Amazing Basic Spice Rub & Seasoning for Grilling & Roasting
This simple spice rub is a perfect combination of salt and seasonings to keep on hand and use for grilling and roasting meats, vegetables, and more.
Do you use spice rubs (or dry rubs)? I had read about them for years before I ever tried one. I thought, “Why bother- I’ll just sprinkle on some spices as I’m cooking.” But once I made a rub and cooked with it, there was no looking back – it’s definitely become a standard pantry basic around here.
Why? It simply makes things taste better. It brings them “up a notch,” to quote a famous person. And I love having it on hand, ready to go at a moment’s notice for all kinds of applications: rubbing on meats or sprinkling on vegetables along with a bit of olive oil before roasting or grilling, and even seasoning meats before slow cooking or pan frying.
There are probably dozens (hundreds?) of recipes out there for basic spice rubs which can be customized to highlight specific regions (Southwestern, Indian, Mediterranean, etc.) by changing or adding key herbs and spices.
In fact since creating this basic, goes-with-everything, rub that you’ll find in my cupboard most of the time (we do run out occasionally!), I’ve gone on to share a Tex-Mex spice rub, and a Mediterranean rub to use when we’re in the mood for something different.
You’ll see in the recipe that there are options for you to customize it, depending on what your family likes, making it more – or less – spicy, giving it a hint of sweet or not, and more. For example, if I want to use it for a BBQ grill, I’ll add the sugar, but most of the time I make it without so I can use it on grilled and roasted vegetables (which is SO good and SO easy).
Ideas for Using Amazing Basic Spice Rub
- Rub on meats before baking or grilling. Add a sauce at the end, or not.
- Sprinkle on olive-oil coated potatoes before roasting or grilling.
- Sprinkle on olive-oil coated vegetables before roasting or grilling.
- Add to ground meat when making burgers (amazing).
- Sprinkle on freshly steamed vegetables.
Don’t be like I was- be open to the concept of a “dry rub” and see if you don’t find that this becomes a pantry basic for you, too.
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Amazing Basic Spice Rub for Grilling & Roasting
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup kosher salt*
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoons chili powder OR 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning**
Optional:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar (omit if you'd like, though the touch of sweet is nice in grilling)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more - adjust for personal taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir well to incorporate everything evenly.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store for 6-9 months.
Notes
- Rub on meats before baking or grilling. Add a sauce at the end, or not.
- Sprinkle on cut potatoes before roasting or grilling.
- Sprinkle on vegetables before roasting or grilling.
- Add to ground meat when making burgers (terrific!).
- Sprinkle on freshly steamed vegetables.
Nutrition
Note: this recipe was originally published in 2009 and has been updated with all new photos, clearer formatting and printable recipe.
Hello, I realize that this is an old post but I am pretty confused right now and want to hopefully prevent someone else from feeling like this. In the spice rub recipe, you use inconsistent abbreviations: “T., TB., tsp. and Tb.”. When mixing in a hurry, I assumed that “T” means tablespoon, as it usually does, but then got to “TB chili powder” and realized I had potentially used the wrong amounts for all above spices! Could you please clarify? I won’t use this spice rub for another of your recipes until I know the correct amounts. Thank you!
Sorry for the confusion, Ashley. I’ll have to go in and clarify that – I usually try to keep that all the same in my recipes! (Anything with a capital T will always be tablespoons.)
This sounds wonderful, but I am allergic to paprika. Do you (or does anyone) know of a substitute that can be used in place of the paprika, or should I just leave it out? I realize doing either would change the overall flavor of the rub and it seems the vast majority of rubs contain paprika. Sigh. I wonder why I couldn’t be allergic to something like Limburger cheese!
Ha, Limburger would certainly be easier to avoid! Hmmm, paprika is just a dried mild chili – are you allergic to all chilies? If not, just use more chili powder or some other dry chili, though that will increase the heat. You can, of course, leave it out and make your own by playing around with dried herbs and spices. I’d start with this – without the paprika – and add some other spice you like – maybe cumin? Just a thought!
Thank you for the suggestions! I am going to try adding the cumin which I love along with a bit more chili powder. BTW, love your blog and have used several of your tips and recipes!
Thank you – I’m so glad to know that!
Thanks for this recipe! I plan on tossing it together this week. May I ask where you found the adorable jar pictured??
Isn’t that cute? It’s from World Market and is only about $4! I LOVE World Market and it’s absolutely dangerous for me to stop by, ha!
Hi Jami
Love your site but was wondering what old bay seasoning is?
I am in Australia and have never heard of it? I have a bay leaf tree could I just use dried leaves for the spice rub?
Thanks Linda
Oh, it must be an American seasoning! It’s a combo that is for seafood (the ‘bay’ in the title means a body of water, not the herb, though there is a bit of bay), but I like it in lots of other things. I don’t always add the old bay, so it’s optional. Here are the ingredients for your information: celery salt (salt, celery seed), spices (including mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon), and paprika.
I know this is a little late to help Linda, but here is a Food.com link for Old Bay Seasoning recipes
http://www.food.com/recipe-finder/all/old-bay-seasoning
There are several recipes, both Dib’s & Sharon123 are long time members, so I would check their recipes first.
Since using your recipe about three years ago this has become a family staple for us too, I have to make jars up for my daughter and son who have both flown the nest.
Love this, Julie! And what a great idea to gift the spice. 🙂