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Get ready for effortlessly flavorful, mouthwatering pork with my Pork Butt Rub Recipe! Using easy pantry ingredients, this Boston Butt rub recipe has the perfect balance of flavors and is the rub for pork butt when smoking, grilling, and more! Try it for pulled pork sandwiches. You won't be disappointed!
Jump to:
- Boston Butt Rub Recipe
- Rub for Pork Butt Ingredients
- What makes this the best rub for Boston Butt?
- Boston Butt Rub Recipe Instructions
- Pork Butt Rub Recipe Tips
- What to Make with Rub for Boston Butt
- Pork Butt Rub for Smoking
- Pork Butt Dry Rub FAQ
- Storing Leftover Pork Butt Rub
- Seasoning Recipes
- Dry Rub for Pork Butt
- Pork Butt Dry Rub
- Reviews
Boston Butt Rub Recipe
My family and I are big fans of pork cuts, from pork chops to pork steak. But my personal favorite is, and has always been, pork butt. It brings to mind endless possibilities! Barbecue pulled pork, smoked pork butt, grilled pulled pork, barbacoa, and carnitas... It's the cut that can do anything!
Needless to say I have done plenty of experimenting with different pork butt rub recipes, and this one is my favorite. It's perfect for everything, whether you need a smoked pork butt rub, or a rub for grilling, roasting, or even cooking in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.
You can even make this pork butt rub recipe into a butter rub! Mix this tasty blend of spices into softened butter, slather it over the pork, and get ready for the most mouthwatering pulled pork you will ever taste. Hungry yet? Let me show you how to make this rub!
Rub for Pork Butt Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is ideal for pork: the rich, caramelized flavor is unbeatable! Don't skip sugar; pork is best with some sweetness.
- Salt and Pepper: Make sure to use a coarse salt like sea salt flakes or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Paprika: I almost always add regular paprika to my pork. The earthy flavor brings out the best in the meat. But, if you have smoked paprika, you can use that, too!
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is best for long-cooked recipes like pork butt as it's less likely to burn than fresh garlic.
- Minced Onion or Onion Powder: Use either, as both will produce the same flavor.
- Chili Powder: Chili powder adds a deliciously earthy flavor that pairs with paprika and brown sugar to make for unbeatable flavor depth.
- Optional: Cayenne pepper, cumin, dry mustard, herbs like rosemary and thyme
What makes this the best rub for Boston Butt?
- The taste: Sweet, savory, and salty with a kick of heat, this pork butt rub has the perfect balance of flavors to use for basically any recipe.
- It's easy: All of the ingredients used are most likely already in your pantry. You can very easily mix this pork butt rub in minutes.
- It works for everything: Yes, this is a pork butt rub, but you can use it for any cut of pork! I have also used it to season pork chops and pork steak. You'll just have to adjust the amounts depending on what you're making.
- It makes the BEST pulled pork: I am not kidding. You have to try this as a pork butt dry rub for pulled pork. I'll share some recipes below you can use it with!
Boston Butt Rub Recipe Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until well incorporated.
- Spread the seasoning all over the pork rub by rubbing it first with butter or olive oil, then sprinkling it with pork seasoning and patting it down on all sides.
For the best pulled pork you've ever tried, pair this rub with my homemade BBQ Sauce!
Pork Butt Rub Recipe Tips
- If you have extra seasoning, save it in a jar! This dry rub for pulled pork is delicious on pork chops and pork ribs, too!
- You can adjust the balance of flavors as you see fit! I like to add more paprika and chili powder for barbecue pork butt.
- To create a nice crust on your pork, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the dry rub.
- You can secure the rub to the pork with any fat; I like using olive oil, but softened butter can be delicious, too!
What to Make with Rub for Boston Butt
- Use it to make Smoked Pork Butt
- Try it out for Grilled Pork Butt
- Use it to make Pork Loin Pulled Pork
Pork Butt Rub for Smoking
If you plan on making smoked pork butt, this is the perfect recipe for you. But when you're using this dry rub for smoking pork shoulder, keep in mind that you'll probably want to divide the brown sugar into two half cups. Add half to the dry rub, then the other half an hour into cooking, alongside a stick of butter to the top of the pork. This will help ensure the meat doesn't lose its moisture and dry out.
Another great way to ensure that the pork doesn't dry out is to spritz it every hour with apple juice or apple cider vinegar. You can also try wrapping the pork in aluminum foil, but if you do so, consider transferring it to the oven to save on wood chips.
Pork Butt Dry Rub FAQ
I always recommend seasoning pork shoulder before cooking it, even if you plan on adding sauce. Using a good pork rub recipe can add a lot of depth of flavor to the meat that sauce alone can't capture. The savory, smoky flavor of a good dry rub can't be passed up!
This dry rub recipe for pork shoulder is perfect for all sorts of pork cuts! While essential for slow-cooked pulled pork cuts like shoulder and butt, the flavor is perfect for pork roasts, pork tenderloin, pork loin, and more.
Storing Leftover Pork Butt Rub
- Pantry: Because only dry ingredients are used, this rub can be stored in a small mason jar or air-tight container in the pantry for as long as the seasonings themselves are good for! This homemade spice blend is great on chicken, beef, and even vegetables!
Seasoning Recipes
Dry Rub for Pork Butt
Can you tell pork butt is one of my favorite cuts of pork to prepare? You're going to love my pork butt dry recipe! It's perfect for grilling, slow-cooking, smoking, roasting - any cooking method you can think of. Leave a rating and a comment below to let me know what you think of my pork butt seasoning!
Pork Butt Dry Rub
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Salt
- ¼ cup Black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Dried garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Minced onion
- 2 Tablespoons Chili powder
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until well incorporated.1 cup Brown sugar,2 Tablespoons Salt,¼ cup Black pepper,3 Tablespoons Paprika,2 Tablespoons Dried garlic,2 Tablespoons Minced onion,2 Tablespoons Chili powder
- Spread the seasoning all over the pork rub by rubbing it first with butter or olive oil, then sprinkling it with pork seasoning and patting it down on all sides.
Notes
- If you have extra seasoning, save it in a jar! This dry rub for pulled pork is delicious on pork chops and pork ribs, too!
- You can adjust the balance of flavors as you see fit! I like to add more paprika and chili powder for barbecue pork butt.
- To create a nice crust on your pork, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the dry rub.
- You can secure the rub to the pork with any fat; I like using olive oil, but softened butter can be delicious, too!
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