Julie Clark
Updated:
Pulled Pork Rub Recipe (Smoky Dry Rub for Pork Butt)
May contain affiliate links. Terms of Use Policy.
This pulled pork rub is a smoky, sweet & spicy dry rub made with smoked paprika, dark brown sugar, chipotle and pantry spices. It’s the rub that is perfect for smoking pork on a pellet smoker, but also in the oven or slow cooker.
One batch makes about 2 cups so you can mix once and keep it on hand all season. Use this homemade spice blend on grilled chicken, pork chops, pork ribs, smoked pork tenderloin or even for slow cooker pulled pork.
Last summer we got a wood pellet smoker and we’ve tested more rubs and BBQ spice blends on pulled pork and bbq pork tenderloin that I can count. This is the one that won over family and friends. It gives a deep, caramlized bark on a boston butt. It’s the best pulled pork rub recipe!
Quick Look: Pulled Pork Rub
- Flavor: Smoky and sweet with a gentle chipotle kick
- Key ingredients: Smoked paprika, dark brown sugar, chipotle chili pepper, garlic powder, kosher salt
- Yield: About 2 cups, enough for 6 large pork roasts
- How much to use: ⅓ cup for a 10-pound pork butt for a light bark (about 1½ teaspoons per pound)
- Best for: Pork butt (Boston butt or pork shoulder), ribs, pork chops, tenderloin and chicken
- Cook it: Smoker, oven or slow cooker
- Storage: Up to 1 year in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place
Our Best Pork Rub
The best pulled pork rub has to have a good amount of both sweet and spicy. Dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar gives it a rich, deep & sweet flavor.
For spice, add chili powder, cayenne powder and chipotle chili pepper. You can add a little more of one of these spices if you like more spice, but my family found this to be perfect for all 5 of us.
Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. The dry rub has a rich smoky flavor that will really add to the pulled pork during the smoking process.
This recipe makes a big batch of the rub mix, perfect to keep on hand all season long.
Once you have it made, whether on the smoker grill or pork butt in the oven, use pulled pork leftovers on pulled pork pizza, Hawaiian pulled pork sliders, pulled pork baked potatoes, pulled pork enchiladas or pulled pork mac ‘n cheese. We have pork recipes featured in our cookbook At the Family Table, too!
Enjoy! -Julie
Feedback from a home cook:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Kath says, “This recipe is perfect!!! I rubbed it on a 7.25 lb. Boneless Boston Butt, put it in the crockpot at 11 o’clock for 8 hours and it was restaurant worthy! I had the some rub left over so I refrigerated it to use the next time. Thank you Lizzy T! I’ve search and used other recipes but this is the best. Sweet, smokey, savory and tender, a family and friends favorite. Delicious!”
How Much Pulled Pork Rub per Pound
I use about 1½ teaspoons of rub per pound of pork, which works out to ⅓ cup for a 10-pound pork butt. That gives you a nice, even coating that builds a flavorful bark without being too salty. If you like a thicker crust, use more seasoning mix.
Do you rub in a spice mix or sprinkle it?
I’ve heard people debate on whether to rub in a dry spice mix or just simply sprinkle it on. I’ve never done a side-by-side comparison, but I find that I don’t have to rub in the pulled pork rub. The meat is generally a little damp which means the spices “stick” nicely and there is no rubbing needed.
Pulled Pork Rub
A smoky, sweet & spicy pulled pork rub that is perfect for smoking pork! You can also use this homemade spice blend for slow cooker pulled pork and other grilled meats.
Servings 20
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons chipotle chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl.
- Store in an airtight container.
- To use, sprinkle a 10 pound pork butt (pork shoulder) on all sides with ⅓ cup spice rub.
Video
Notes
This recipe makes about 2 cups of spice rub.
The calories shown are based on the recipe being divided 20 ways, with 1 serving being 1/20 of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 1450mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1695IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Substitutions and Variations
- Light brown sugar: This works fine. You’ll lose a little of the deep molasses flavor dark brown sugar gives, but the rub will still be delicious.
- No chipotle chili pepper: Use an extra tablespoon of chili powder plus a pinch more cayenne. You’ll get the heat but a little less smokiness.
- No dry mustard: Leave it out, or brush the pork with yellow mustard or olive oil before seasoning to get that tangy note.
- More heat: One reader swapped the chipotle for habanero powder and loved the extra kick. You can also bump up the cayenne.
- Milder: Cut the cayenne in half or leave it out. The smoked paprika and chipotle still give plenty of flavor.
- Lower sodium: Leave the salt out of the blend and salt the meat separately. That way you control the salt and can use as much rub as you like.
How do you store pulled pork rub?
This recipe makes a big batch, about 2 cups of spice mix. Use ⅓ cup of spice to cover the outside of a 10 pound pork shoulder. That means this pulled pork rub recipe should be enough to cover about 6 large pork roasts.
This homemade spice mix will keep about 1 year if stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container like a mason jar. Always check the pulled pork rub before using it. It shouldn’t be clumpy and it should still have a good aroma.
Side Dishes for Pulled Pork
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pork butt the same as pork shoulder?
Pork butt, also called Boston butt, is the upper part of the pig’s shoulder. “Pork shoulder” sometimes refers to the lower picnic cut, but both work for pulled pork and this rub.
Should I use kosher salt or table salt?
I use kosher salt in this rub. Table salt is saltier by volume, so use a little less salt if all you have is table salt.
Is ½ cup of smoked paprika right?
Yes! The smoked paprika is the base of this rub. It gives the pork its deep red color and smoky flavor, especially if you’re cooking in the oven or slow cooker without a smoker.
Can I put the rub on the night before?
Yes. Season the night before, then loosely cover in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate.
Is pulled pork rub the same as pulled pork seasoning?
Yes. Rub, dry rub and seasoning or spice mix are all blends of dry spices to use on meat before cooking. Our recipe is an all-purpose pork seasoning.
Will BBQ sauce make it too sweet?
No. The rub has some sweetness to it, but the smoky spices and salt even it out.
That’s some good butt rub for a good rubbed butt!
Great
Ready
Awesome rub, yum
I have now used this recipe twice. It is phenomenal! My son-in-law, who is an accomplished BBQ chef, said my pulled pork was better than his. It was my fist attempt at pulled pork. Now it’s our favorite BBQ meal.
AWESOME! Added this to a butt and fixed the best one I have ever done. REALLY tasty and juicy, thank you!!
Thank you for the wonderful rub recipe! Your barbeque sauce recipe is excellent, too; the best I’ve tried. Now I can throw away those other ones!
I love this rub
This was a perfect rub. I did however substitute the chipotle chili pepper with a habanero powder to give it some more kick. It was a nice touch.
This recipe is perfect!!! I rubbed it on a 7.25 lb. Boneless Boston Butt, put it in the crockpot at 11 o’clock for 8 hours and it was restaurant worthy! I had the some rub left over so I refrigerated it to use the next time. Thank you Lizzy T! I’ve search and used other recipes but this is the best! Sweet, smokey, savory and tender, a family and friends favorite! Delicious!
That is a lot of smoked paprika! I would switch it with the brown sugar in ratio.
Delicious!