What is the Best Store Bought Dry Rubs for Ribs? The best rib rub is one you love, filled with flavor that makes your ribs the best!

You’re in the spice aisle wondering what spice rub to buy for the rack of ribs sitting in your cart, and you have no idea what’s going to be the best option.

Let’s talk about the best store-bought dry rubs and how you can use them!

What is a dry rub? It’s a blend of spices, curated to be used with nothing but the meat. You don’t add any oil or “binder” (like mustard, barbecue sauce, etc) before adding the seasoning blend.

Can you make your own dry rub or do you have to buy it at the store?

You can definitely make your own! The perk of buying a store bought dry rub, is someone has already done the curating and tasting for you. Plus, it’s a super-economical way of buying a load of spices at one time.

Spices used in dry rub recipes:

Chili pepper
Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Chili Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Kosher Salt
White Pepper
Smoked Paprika

If you were to purchase all of these to curate your own spice blend, that would be cha-ching!

So, let’s chat about the best dry rub you can purchase already blended for you!

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Best Store Bought Dry Rubs for Ribs

Dan-O’s Hot Chipotle – this is a powerful seasoning blend that is great on almost everything! Chicken, steak, pork, fish, etc. It’s got a little lemon and orange peel in it, plus it doesn’t have as much salt as most commercial rubs, so it’s lower in sodium making this a great option. Add a little brown sugar to the rub for a sweet heat in the final product.

Weber Chicken–Rib Rub – this is also a great all-purpose seasoning blend. With brown sugar, garlic powder, chili peppers, and some natural smoke flavor.

McCormick Grillmates — this entire line is always packed with flavor, and seasons any protein so well! Here are my favorites that I use most often!

Smokehouse Maple Seasoning – y’all know this is in so many recipes, like in these Quick and Easy Shrimp and Grits, or in the Best Burger Seasoning Recipe. Along with the usual red pepper, salt, and spices, it has a sweet taste to it from some maple syrup, sweet brown sugar, and molasses! So good!

Barbecue – If you’re making anything where you want a barbecue flavor, use this! It has the natural flavors of hickory smoke-infused into the spice blend, and it’s just quintessential! It’s the perfect balance for bbq season!

Other McCormick ones I love are Sweet & Smokey, Mesquite, and Brown Sugar Bourbon. These can all be found in my Amazon List, BBQ Must-Haves!

Rib Rack – These spice blends are crafted without any fillers. It’s just seasonings and spices. This one gets a kick from chipotle powder!

Bone Suckin’ Seasoning and Rub – this is another great option when you want something that works double duty!

One thing to note, if the container doesn’t say “pork rub” that doesn’t mean you can’t use it on ribs! If it sounds yummy to you, go for it!

Homemade Dry Rub Idea

I create my own dry rub recipe using a few seasoning blends. I mix smokehouse maple with Tony Chachere’s, plus some House Seasoning.

Mixed it all up in a bowl, and plopped the country-style boneless ribs into it. Coating each individual rib with my own rub.

This homemade dry rub is on the spicy side with the addition of creole seasoning. But, use whatever your personal preference is! You can find the recipe in the recipe card below! You can even mix up a big batch and store it in an airtight container to use anytime!

How to Use Store Bought Dry Rubs

We’re chatting about what to use on ribs. But, you can use dry rubs on anything! Pork butts, pork chops, pork shoulder, etc. If you’re using a dry rub on a slab of ribs be sure you remove the membrane using paper towels so you can the dry rib rub get into all the meat.

Pork ribs do really well with a dry brine! If you’re wanting to try a wet rub, the best way is to add a little yellow mustard to your cut of meat and rub a good dry rub over your type of meat. You’ll hear people call this a “binder” – and the mustard (or whatever you choose!) helps the seasoning mix stick well.

The best bbq ribs will use a combination of both a barbecue rub and bbq sauce. You add the barbecue sauce at the ends, so it doesn’t burn while cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What rub is good for ribs? The best bbq ribs have a sweet flavor and some subtle flavors of smoke. You can buy a store-bought dry rub, or make your own!

Is dry rub necessary for ribs? No completely! The spice mixture helps flavor the meat as well as tenderize the meat. If you’re not using a rub, for the best results use salt and pepper.

How long should ribs sit with dry rub? At least an hour, but overnight is best! I think the secret ingredient to the best bbq rubs is time. Allowing the great rub to really permeate the meat!