Infuse your chicken, steak, pork, fish, or shrimp with one of these delicious spice blends.
I love cooking chicken breast. But, you can overcook it so easily to yield a dry, bland, and chewy meat that makes you smack as you eat and leave you yearning for something with far more flavor.
Enter the dry rub.
You can infuse your chicken, steak, pork, fish, or shrimp with a plethora of different spice blends. And—best of all—dry rubs contain far less calories than marinades! Save the kcals for a drizzling of salad dressing, crumbling of cheese, or smattering of avocado.
All you have to do is mix the spices together and then generously pat them all over your meat to form an even coat. I prefer to place my meat back into the refrigerator for another 4-6 hours after I've rubbed it down to give the meat as much absorption time as possible. But you absolutely do not need to add this step. If you are looking for a quick fix for dinner in less than an hour, go for the dry rub. You can grill, bake, pan fry, or smoke your dry-rubbed meat.
Quick tip: If you plan on grilling, scoot your meat off the direct heat so that it doesn't burn the coating off, but caramelizes it instead.
Below are four easy dry rub recipes that can pair well with different cuisines.
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground dry mustard
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1.5 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1.5 Tbsp. dried thyme
- 1.5 Tbsp. ground allspice
- 1.5 Tbsp. pepper
- 1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 5 Tbsp. curry powder
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 4–5 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 3 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. dried parsley
1. Combine all the spices into a bowl and mix well.
2. Use immediately or prepare the rubs beforehand and keep them in an airtight container in the freezer or in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months to preserve their freshness.
3. When you are ready to start prepping your meal, pour the dry rub into a large bowl and add in the raw meat. Massage the seasonings generously into the meat.