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Dry Rub Calculator
How much dry rub to mix for the meat you have, broken down by ingredient — salt, sugar, paprika and the rest.
Your results
Total rub
99 g
Salt (kosher)
30 g
Brown sugar
30 g
Paprika
20 g
Pepper, garlic, onion, chilli
20 g
Fifteen grams of rub per pound is a standard coat — roughly a tablespoon. Go to twenty-two for brisket or pork butt, where the rub is not just seasoning but the raw material of the bark. Ten is right for chicken and fish, which have less surface to hide salt in.
Equal parts salt and sugar, half as much paprika, and the rest split between pepper, granulated garlic, onion and chilli. That skeleton takes any direction you want: more chilli for Texas, more sugar for Kansas City, cumin and coriander for something else entirely.
Sugar burns above 265°F (130°C). On a low smoke it caramelises into bark; on a hot grill it turns black and bitter before the meat is done. For anything seared hot, drop the sugar and lean on salt, pepper and paprika instead.
Questions people ask
How much dry rub per pound?
About 15 g — a tablespoon — for a standard coat, up to 22 g for a heavy bark on brisket or pork butt.
Do I need a binder under the rub?
Not really. Mustard, oil or hot sauce help the rub stick and add no detectable flavour after hours of smoke, but the meat's own surface moisture does most of the work.
How far ahead should I apply a rub?
An hour is enough for the salt to start working; overnight in the fridge, uncovered, is better still and dries the surface so it browns properly.