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Spice Up Your Meats With Rubs From Domino® Sugar

Beef, pork or poultry, adding a burst of flavor to your favorite cuts of meat is as simple as rubbing on a little Domino® Sugar mixed with an assortment of spices. So before you fire up the grill or smoker for your next BBQ, discover the secret known to the world’s finest pitmasters and brought to you today by our own Executive Chef Eleonora.

Categories: | Wings, BBQ, Dips, & Savory Sauces

Spice rub basics, explained

Using rubs to season your grilled or smoked meats is incredibly simple, and a technique far more aspiring grillmasters should try. Rubs are one of the best ways to add incredible flavor to meats, require no additional tools and take just moments to apply, so let us guide you through the basics of better grilling.

1. What is a rub?

A rub is simply a blend of spices that you physically rub onto the outside of meat prior to cooking. In general, they come in two varieties.

  • Dry Rubs are used in the form of a mixed, dry spice blend that requires no more preparation than choosing what spices you prefer, mixing them together and applying them to your meat. They add a flavorful crust to perfectly cooked meats, helping with texture as well as taste.
  • Wet Rubs add just a bit of oil to give them a thick, paste-like consistency. This helps them stick to meat better, adds a bit of moisture and can prevent meats from sticking to the grill. These are popular for leaner cuts of meat that benefit from the touch of fat the oil adds.

2. Why should you use rubs?

Rubs have many, many benefits. Here are just a few reasons you should add them to your repertoire:

  • Add flavor fast by choosing to use a wet or dry rub. Unlike marinades, rubs like our Brown Sugar Burger Rub do not require long resting times in order to impart flavor to your meats. Although, if you prefer, wet rubs can be used as a marinade and left to infuse into the meat as well.
  • Expand your taste horizons with exotic spice blends that take your taste buds on a trip around the globe. Something as simple as a chicken wing can be jerked like in Jamaica, coated with African harissa spices or curried in true Indian fashion by just switching up the spices you use.
  • Get a caramelized “crust” on your ribs, tenderloins and more by using a rub with Domino® Sugar mixed in. In the heat of a grill or smoker, sugars melt onto the surface of meats, giving them notes ranging from simple sweetness to rich molasses (depending on which sugar you choose) that crystalizes once again when the temperature cools. Light or Dark Brown sugars are particularly popular for BBQ, adding incredible depth of flavor.

3. How much rub should you use, and how do you apply it?

Once you’ve chosen your rub, it is time to apply it. Luckily, this requires no tools and just a few simple tips to get it right:

  • A rub ratio of 1 tablespoon of rub for every pound you want to prepare is a good guideline to make sure you season, but do not over-season, your meats. For spicier rubs, you may want to use a bit less to turn down the heat. For milder mixes you may want to add a bit more. But in general, this ratio will work perfectly for both dry and wet rubs. 
  • Think over & under when deciding how, and where, to apply your rubs. For skinless meats like beef, pork or boneless chicken breasts, apply your rub liberally to the outside of the meat. For skin-on choices like whole or quartered chickens, duck breasts or smoked turkeys, be sure to create a pocket beneath the skin and apply a good amount of rub there before covering the outside of the bird as well. This will allow spices to absorb into the meat of the breast, thighs and legs while also covering the skin itself in a layer of spice. One exception to this rule is chicken wings. Because they are thin and small, simply applying our Chicken Wing Rub to the outside is fine—no need to lift up the skin on every drumette and flat. 
  • Take temps into account when considering which rubs to use. Rubs with a higher sugar content can burn at temperatures of 275°F and above, so cook meats rubbed in blends that use a good amount of sugar low and slow. 


Embrace spice rubs, and your BBQ is sure to a fun, flavorful occasion. And remember, even rubbed meats can benefit from sauces like our Zesty Barbecue Sauce or Smoky Barbecue Sauce. After all, too much flavor is never a problem. 

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