Meathead Goldwyn’s spice rub is an ode to barbecue mecca Memphis, where many purists use a dry rub on ribs before and after cooking, creating a crunchy coat that’s out of this world. This rub was designed for pork, but Goldwyn says it can also be used on smoked salmon and even in a Bloody Mary. “People tell me I really ought to bottle and sell it,” Goldwyn writes on his website, AmazingRibs.com, “Nah. You can have it for free.” Thanks, Meathead!

¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup paprika
¼ cup garlic powder
2 Tbsps. ground black pepper
2 Tbsps. ground ginger powder
2 Tbsps. onion powder
2 tsps. rosemary powder

1. Mix ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. If sugar is lumpy, crumble the lumps by hand or on the side of bowl with a fork. If you store the rub in a tight jar, you can keep it for months. If it clumps, just chop it up or spread it on a baking sheet and put it in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes to drive off moisture. No hotter, or sugar will burn.

2. If you have time, sprinkle on ½ tsp. kosher salt per pound of meat up to 12 hours in advance. For most meats, wet the surface of the meat with water and sprinkle just enough Memphis Dust to color it. Not too thick, about 2-3 tsps. per side of a slab. For Memphis-style ribs without a sauce, apply the rub thick enough to make a crunchy crust.

Make sure to check out the ingredients in BBQ Industry’s – The Pitmaster Blend. The blend’s main ingredient is the finest quality peppercorn.  Read all about it by clicking here.

Recipe: Meathead Goldwyn