Handmade Gifts for Guys: Simple Rib Rub Recipe

One of the meals that my husband enjoys cooking- and perhaps one of the only ones that he actually loves- is ribs cooked in the oven.

He usually has someone help him in the kitchen by sprinkling various spices onto the meat while he rubs it in.

This gave me the idea to create a pre-mixed recipe for the spices that he adds to ribs for a homemade rib rub that he can use on his own and won’t require a helper.

This is the recipe that is my husband’s favorite:

The Best Simple Rib Rub Recipe

Ingredients:

• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Pepper

According to rub enthusiasts, the ideal ratio for meat rubs is 8:3:1:1. This means that 8 parts will be sugar, 3 parts salt, 1 part chili powder, and 1 part the rest of the spices.

I divided the measurements in quarters to make things a little easier on a smaller scale. These are the measurements I used:

 Step 1

Mix 2 cups of sugar with ¾ cup of salt. Remove any large lumps of sugar. Set aside for now.

 Step 2

Place ¼ cup of chili powder and 1/8 cup of garlic powder and 1/8 cup of pepper in a separate bowl and mix the three spices together.

Step 3

Add the spice mixture to the salt and sugar mixture. Make sure to shake it up well and mix everything in evenly. This can take a while. I found using a fork worked great.

Step 4

Place the rub in an airtight container. If you use a container that isn’t airtight, the sugar will get hard and it will be difficult to use. One of those cheese shakers that you see at pizza restaurants would be ideal for shaking this onto the meat, but if you don’t have one of those (we don’t right now), you can use whatever you have.

I put mine in a mason jar for gifting, but if you use a jar container, you have to make sure you don’t contaminate the spice mix with raw meat. So just always make sure you use a clean spoon to remove the rub or sprinkle it on. Never grab a pinch of the spice rub with raw meat on your hands.

You can modify this basic recipe for almost any meat rub. Pinterest has tons of ideas for different rub mixes. Add a pretty bow and it makes the perfect handmade gift for guys!

Now, my husband also adds vinegar and honey while making the ribs, which makes quite a bit of difference in flavor. Make sure to note this on your recipe card if you make one.

This best thing about this gift is that it is simple and perfect for a last-minute gift idea or for a stocking stuffer!

Just as an FYI, I used these printable Christmas tags from Lia Griffith. They are free and customizable!

Check out these other handmade gifts for guys!