Meathead’s Memphis Dust Rub

by Meathead Goldwyn

A versatile rub that can be applied to raw food before cooking, adding flavor, texture, and color.

Meathead’s Memphis Dust Rub

  • Servings: About 3 cups

It’s perfect for pork, but also works well on smoked salmon, stuffed raw celery, on the rim of Bloody Mary’s, and even popcorn. This rub is a creation of Meathead Goldwyn, a culinary enthusiast who believes in the power of a good rub to enhance the flavor of any meat. He originally designed this rub for ribs, but found that it works well on a variety of dishes.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup American paprika
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger powder
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp rosemary powder

Directions

  • Mix the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. If the sugar is lumpy, crumble the lumps by hand or on the side of the 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 if you wish, spread it on a baking sheet and put it in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes to drive off moisture. No hotter or the sugar can burn.
  • If you have time, sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon of 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 Meathead’s Memphis Dust on to color it. Not too thick, about 2 to 3 teaspoons per side of a slab depending on the size and your preference. For Memphis style ribs without a sauce, apply the rub thick enough to make a crunchy crust. To prevent contaminating your rub with uncooked meat juices, spoon out the proper amount before you start and seal the bottle for future use. Keep your powder dry. To prevent cross-contamination, one hand sprinkles on the rub and the other hand does the rubbing. Don’t put the hand that is rubbing into the powder.

  • This rub is versatile and can be used on a variety of dishes. For a different flavor profile, you can experiment with different types of paprika or add some heat with chipotle powder, cayenne, or chili powder. The sugar in the rub helps form a crust, known as bark, on the surface of the meat. If you’re watching your sugar intake, remember that only a small amount of the rub actually stays on the meat.