Julie Clark
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Pulled Pork Rub
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A smoky, sweet & spicy pulled pork rub that is perfect for smoking pork! 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 I’ve been undeniably hooked on smoked pulled pork ever since. Last fall we played around, testing different rubs and bbq spices for the outside of the pulled pork. This was the winner as the best pulled pork rub recipe!
Our Best Pork Rub
The best pulled pork rub has to have a good amount of both sweet and spicy. We used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar to give it a rich, deep & sweet flavor. You can use light brown if that’s all you have on hand.
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.
Once you have the pulled pork made, whether on the smoker or pork butt in the oven, use 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
Rub in Spice Mix or Sprinkle Spice Mix?
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 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 roast 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
Storing Bulk Homemade Spice Mix
This recipe makes about 2 cups of spice mix. We 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
Is this course salt because salt makes a big difference, why is this not clear on that.
That’s a lot of smoked paprika just wanted to make sure a 1/2 cup is right
Great rub
I use this rub with ribs, chicken, any meat to taste the delicious flavour
The Best Pork Dry Rub ever!!
Add a 1/3 cup of white sugar also……
Do you have a slow cooker pulled pork recipe that you use for this spice mix?
This rub is similar to another one I tried. It offers lots flavour and variety.
I am a Chef, owned 3 restaurants and have tried many recipes for pulled pork and this one is the best!
Hi, what will the best liquid part to be added to the cooking of pork shoulder ?
Thanks
I only have light brown sugar. Also dont have chipotle chili pepper or dry mustard.
Will it still be good without those two anand with LBS?
Can I add barbecue sauce to the pork or will it be too sweet ? This will be my first time making it. I want to use this recipe for barbecue pulled pork sandwiches.
Perfect for Sunday Afternoon Football. Got up eeeaarrrrly to start the crock pot – but totally worth it. The smoked paprika is a MUST. Dressed up the sandwich with brioche buns and bread and butter pickles! Whoa Mamma! This rub is a keeper – thanks so much.
All the best,
Karen W.
Maryland
Thank you for allowing the public to use this Great Recipe !!!!
What about the sauce on it. How do we make that. It looked gooood