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From pork butts and ribs to chicken and brisket, coating your meat with a barbecue rub and cooking it on the grill or smoker is the way to go, especially during the summer. If you want to infuse your BBQ with the best flavors, try using these top-rated rubs.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change
Barbecue rubs have some of the most clever product names, but we have to say, the brand Meat Church might be the most appropriate of all because we are singing the praises of this line of rubs. At the tippy-top of Meat Church's lineup is Holy Gospel (also ultra-appropriately named) which has unmatched versatility — it can be used on pork, poultry, beef, or vegetables.
Killer Hogs is one of the most raved-about rubs, and it's touted as being made in the USA. This stuff is ideal for pork, especially pork butts and ribs. It's bursting with robust flavor, and the hot version brings a little extra spice to the mix if you're looking for more of a bite.
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This Texas-style rub is good on more than just pork butts, despite its name. Its smoky flavor lends itself beautifully to chicken, pork, and beef. The blend of paprika, black pepper, and other spices is rounded out with chipotle powder, which delivers the smoky heat that makes this rub irresisitable.
As we mentioned above, chipotle flavors are great in BBQ rubs because they blend spice with smokiness. This rub has chipotle flavors and delivers the sweetness of honey for a deliciously complex combination that works on any type of meat.
This Meat Church rub gets its name from its Cajun-inspired flavor, which is more spicy and savory than some of the other rubs that the brand offers. The dehydrated jalapeño and dehydrated onion infuse this one with strong, bold flavor.
Traeger is one of the most popular smokers and with their own brand of pellets, it makes sense that they offer rubs and sauces too. The most popular variety is the Pork & Poultry Rub, which blends sweet apple and honey flavors with savory paprika and onion.
Kinder's is one of the more popular seasoning brands these days, especially since you can buy it at Costco. The wood-fired garlic flavor is super versatile and offers a sharp savoriness that a lot of other BBQ rubs lack.
The red hue of this Kansas City-style rub speaks for itself — this stuff is exploding with flavor. Touted as award-winning, Yardbird has won the American Royal Championship a whopping four times. Its unique blend of spices is savory, sweet, and spicy all at the same time, and it works well on poultry and pork.
This pecan rub delivers a subtle nuttiness that compliments BBQ perfectly. It comes from an award-winning name too; Heath Riles has won more than 70 BBQ championships. It's safe to say we can trust this rub is a good one.
Honey Hog is great if you like a little bit of sweetness to your BBQ rubs. This one works well on pork, but is also great on vegetables. There are still plenty of savory flavors to bring balance, which is essential in a good rub.