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Lean and Mean Dry Rub for Pulled Pork Recipe

Daniel Gritzer

Unlike a lot of overly complicated dry rubs, this one includes just a handful of ingredients but packs layers of flavor, making it perfect for pulled pork.

Published:
Lean and Mean Dry Rub for Pulled Pork Recipe

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

This dry rub keeps things simple, with a heavy dose of black pepper and just a few additional spices for depth, like fruity sweet paprika, citrusy coriander seed, and aromatic onion and garlic powders.

This recipe does not include salt, since we prefer to dry-brine the meat separately with plenty of salt, but feel free to add a half cup kosher salt, or salt to taste. This recipe makes enough for one Boston butt pork shoulder.

Why It Works

  • Brown sugar adds warm sweetness to balance out the heat of black pepper.
  • Salt is omitted from this barbecue rub to allow for dry-brining, though you can add salt to taste if you like.
  • A relatively short list of ingredients keeps this recipe simple and manageable.

Read more: Real-Deal Pulled Pork: Easy Enough for Novices, Big Enough for a Crowd

  • Yield:Makes about 1 cup
  • Active time: 5 minutes
  • Total time:5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup whole black peppercorns (1 3/4 ounces; 50g), coarsely ground
  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar (2 1/2 ounces; 70g)
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons (6g) whole coriander seed, ground
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. 1.

    In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. (You may need to use your fingers to break up small clumps of brown sugar; we recommend wearing a glove if you do this.) Use immediately as needed, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Review: The Best Spice Grinders $29.99 from Amazon
This Recipe Appears In
Real-Deal Pulled Pork: Easy Enough for Novices, Big Enough for a Crowd

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Daniel Gritzer Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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