We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Greatist only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission.

Mediterranean foodShare on Pinterest
Fertnig/Getty Images

The secret to expertly seasoned meat, fish, or veggies is actually stupidly easy: Don’t even think about letting anything touch the grill without giving it a good rub down first.

A dry rub usually has these three ingredients: salt, pepper, and brown sugar, which gives meat and fish a healthy dose of flavor and some sweet caramelization (thanks to the sugar) when it hits the heat.

But once you’ve got those as your base, you can go crazy from there, adding whatever spices make sense with the natural flavor of what you’re cooking. (Cayenne, for example, is pretty awesome on fish.)

But don’t stress if you’re not a flavor chemist. Each of these 11 ready-to-buy rubs is a delicious flavor bomb that’ll add texture, too, without you having to lift a finger. Some of them even skip the sugar (it’s your life, live it how you want), but bring all of that crazy-good taste.

This legendary pit outside of Austin serves up some of the most flavorful barbecue in the area. Thankfully, you can skip the drive (and the massive lines) and make your own version at home with this rub that’s a smoky mix of salt, black pepper, cayenne, and other spices.

Buy the Salt Lick’s Authentic Texas BBQ dry dub.

Everything but the Bagel seasoning isn’t the only bottle to make a beeline for in the Trader Joe’s spice aisle.

Grab this deep, complex, and delectable rub too and give your burgers, brisket, and pot roast a jolt with coffee and garlic. Yep, the bitter grounds, when mixed with roasted garlic, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, and dried orange peel makes a sweet treat with smoky flavor on the grill.

Buy Trader Joe’s BBQ rub and seasoning with coffee and garlic.

Craving Korean barbecue? This bulgogi-inspired blend of light brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, red chile flakes, and ginger is a great shortcut to tons of flavor. You could obviously use it on steak and other cuts of beef — or even pork — but we have a feeling it would be dynamite on shrimp too.

Buy the Woodland Foods bulgogi seasoning.

James Beard Award-winning Seattle Kitchen chef Tom Douglas came up with this dry rub, and trust us, it’s the best way to visit the Pacific Northwest without ever having to leave home.

Sure, you could use this one on chicken or pork chops, but the blend of paprika, thyme, and brown sugar is perfect for salmon fillets, and a portion of sales goes towards the Alaska Wild Salmon Fund.

Buy the salmon seasoning and rub by Tom Douglas.

If you’re hosting a boat-shoe-clad crowd (or just a bunch of land-locked pals who have dreams of living oceanside), give the meal an East Coast vibe with this hand-blended rub. It’s an ideal pairing with flaky white fish like haddock or cod. (It’s also extra tasty when added to chowder or steamed shellfish.)

Just don’t forget to ask someone to bring a six-pack of Narragansett beer.

Buy Stonewall Kitchen’s Maine seafood rub.

You’ve heard of de-boning a chicken, but how about de-boring it? Take your basic chicken to new heights with this Tuscan mix of garlic, pepper, rosemary, and dried oregano. Two teaspoons per pound of chicken should do it, and presto! It’s what we imagine living in central Italy for the summer would taste like. Someone please confirm.

Buy Sur la Table’s Tuscan garden herb rub.

Why stop at Chinese five spice when you can crank it up to 12? Another Tom Douglas mix, this rub contains fennel, cloves, cardamom, star anise, and sumac berry, just to name a few fragrant ingredients. Try it on anything, really, but don’t sleep on grilled duck breast.

Buy the Rub with Love Chinese 12 Spice Rub.

This dry rub is just like a margarita cocktail: We’ll have it with anything and any day of the week. Its ingredients are family simple — chile pepper, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, spice, and lime oil — but it adds major personality to almost everything it touches. (Just like a round of margs, amirite?)

It’s as mouth-watering on beef as it is on shrimp or veggies, and it even looks pretty on your spice rack.

Buy the Spiceology chile margarita spice mix.

And this dry rub is just like a pizza! The blend of herbs, spices, tomato, and nutritional yeast (for that authentic cheesy flavor) could definitely be used on meat or poultry, but try it on grilled veggies too. If you like mushrooms on your pizza, use this as a rub on a meaty portobello burger for a delicious vegetarian barbecue dish.

Buy the Williams Sonoma What’s Gaby Cooking Tastes Like Pizza seasoning.

Give your at-home grilling party a major steakhouse feel with a rub that’s got dehydrated blue cheese in it (along with paprika, garlic, onion, and salt).

Once your steaks hit the grill, you’ll get a tangy, rich crust that’s even better than what you’d find at a white tablecloth joint. Hot tip: It’s even great sprinkled over popcorn.

Buy Spiceology’s Black & Bleu seasoning.

It’s totally cool if you haven’t made it to Morocco yet (#bucketlist) because this rub can transport you there in mere minutes. It has all the good herbs and then some: paprika, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, lemon, chili powder, and caraway.

Together, they make the most divine beef rub you can get without a plane ticket.

Buy Serious Foodie’s Moroccan grill spice rub.