There are some recipes that feel like they belong in a kitchen cabinet.
And then there are some recipes that feel like they belong in a jar with a hand-written label, waiting beside the grill.
This is one of those.
Our Roadstead Farms Kick-Ass BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning (Need a better name!) is meant to be bold, smoky, a little sweet, a little salty, and full of herbal backbone. It is the kind of seasoning you can rub into ribs, sprinkle over chicken, dust onto potatoes, wake up roasted vegetables, or stir into butter before it melts over corn on the cob.
It is not fussy.
It is not delicate.
It is a farm-seasoning blend with enough power to stand up to smoke, flame, fat, char, and summer appetite.
And because this is Simples & Worts, we are going to treat it not just as a recipe, but as a small act of herbal living.
Why Make Your Own BBQ Rub?
Most store-bought BBQ rubs have one problem.
They tend to be a let-down based on shelf life issues and an over abundance on salt and stabilizers. They may be sweet. They may be salty. They may be hot. But many of them are built around sugar, salt, artificial smoke flavor, and old powdered spices that have been sitting around too long.
When you make your own rub, you get to control the whole thing.
You control the salt.
You control the sugar.
You control the heat.
You control the herbs.
And best of all, you can tune the flavor to your own cooking style.
At Roadstead Farms, we want a rub that can do several jobs:
build a good crust on grilled meat
bring smoky depth before the food ever touches the fire
add herbal lift so the flavor does not become heavy
work on seafood, chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, and vegetables
taste like summer cooking on Cape Cod
That means the blend needs more than paprika and sugar.
It needs structure.
The Roadstead Farms Flavor Compass
A great dry rub has four directions.
1. Sweet
A little sweetness helps the rub brown, caramelize, and form a beautiful crust.
For this, we use brown sugar.
Not too much. Just enough.
2. Smoke
Smoked paprika gives the rub its deep BBQ soul.
This is the flavor that says: “Something good is happening on the grill.”
3. Heat
Cayenne, black pepper, and mustard powder give the rub its snap.
The goal is not to burn your face off.
The goal is to wake up the food.
4. Herbal Backbone
This is where Simples & Worts comes in.
Thyme, oregano, rosemary, and optional bay leaf give the rub a real herb-garden character.
The herbs keep the rub from being flat.
They also help the seasoning work beautifully on chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, pork, and grilled summer vegetables.
Roadstead Farms Kick-Ass BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup smoked paprika
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less if you want it milder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed fine
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaf, optional
1/4 teaspoon allspice, optional but excellent
How to Make It
Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Whisk until the mixture looks even.
For a finer rub, pulse the blend briefly in a spice grinder or small food processor. Do not turn it into dust. You still want a little texture.
Transfer the rub to a clean, dry jar.
Label it:
Roadstead Farms Kick-Ass BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning
Add the date.
Store in a cool, dry cabinet.
Use within three months for best flavor.
How to Use It
For chicken, pork, ribs, or beef, use about:
1 tablespoon rub per pound of meat
Rub it in well.
Let the food sit for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
For deeper flavor, season the meat several hours ahead and refrigerate it.
For vegetables, use less.
Sprinkle lightly over:
potatoes
onions
mushrooms
carrots
squash
corn
cauliflower
cabbage wedges
Then add olive oil or melted butter and roast or grill.
For seafood, use a lighter hand.
This rub is excellent on:
grilled shrimp
bluefish
striped bass
salmon
swordfish
scallops
For fish and shellfish, season shortly before cooking. Do not let seafood sit too long under a salty rub.
Best Uses Around the Farm Grill
This rub is especially good on:
BBQ Chicken Thighs
Rub chicken thighs with olive oil and seasoning. Grill over medium heat until cooked through and lightly charred.
Pork Ribs
Rub ribs generously, let sit overnight, then cook low and slow.
Grilled Potatoes
Toss parboiled potatoes with olive oil, dry rub, and chopped parsley after grilling.
Corn Butter
Mix 1 teaspoon of rub into 4 tablespoons softened butter. Spread over hot corn.
Roadstead Farm Burgers
Add 1 teaspoon of rub per pound of ground beef before shaping patties.
Smoky Deviled Eggs
Sprinkle a tiny pinch over deviled eggs just before serving.
Roasted Chickpeas
Toss chickpeas with oil and rub, then roast until crisp.
The Herbal Notes
Let’s pause for the herbs.
Because the secret of this rub is not just heat.
It is the herbal lift.
Thyme
Thyme gives the blend a savory, woodsy quality. It works especially well with chicken, pork, mushrooms, potatoes, and onions.
Oregano
Oregano adds warmth and a slightly wild edge. It helps the rub work with grilled vegetables and tomato-based BBQ sauces.
Rosemary
Rosemary brings piney strength. Use it carefully. Too much rosemary can take over, but just enough gives the rub a rugged, fireside character.
Coriander
Coriander is not always expected in BBQ rubs, but it is wonderful. It adds a citrus-like brightness that keeps the blend from becoming too heavy.
Bay Leaf
Ground bay leaf is optional, but it gives a quiet old-kitchen depth. Use only a little.
Optional Variations
Once you make the base recipe, you can create different Roadstead Farms blends.
Cape Cod Smokehouse Blend
Add:
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon extra black pepper
Best for fish, shrimp, chicken, and summer vegetables.
Hot-Hearth Blend
Add:
1 extra teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Best for ribs, wings, burgers, and pork shoulder.
Herb-Garden Blend
Add:
1 extra teaspoon thyme
1 extra teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Best for chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, squash, and roasted vegetables.
Low-Sugar Grill Blend
Reduce brown sugar to 1 tablespoon.
Best for high-heat grilling, seafood, and vegetables.
A Note on Salt
Salt is powerful.
This recipe uses kosher salt because it blends well and seasons evenly.
If you use fine table salt, use less.
Fine salt is denser and can make the rub too salty.
A good rule:
If replacing kosher salt with fine salt, start with half the amount.
You can always add more.
You cannot take it back.
A Note on Sugar and Heat
Sugar helps make a good BBQ crust.
But sugar can burn over very high heat.
For low-and-slow cooking, the brown sugar is your friend.
For very hot grilling, use less rub or use the low-sugar variation.
This is especially true for thinner cuts of meat, fish, and vegetables.
How to Turn the Rub Into a Paste
For a stronger coating, mix:
2 tablespoons dry rub
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
Stir into a paste.
Rub over chicken, pork, or vegetables before grilling.
This paste version is especially good when you want the seasoning to cling.
How to Turn the Rub Into a Quick BBQ Sauce
In a small saucepan, combine:
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons dry rub
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar or molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Taste and adjust.
This gives you a quick Roadstead Farms BBQ sauce without starting from scratch.
Storage and Freshness
Dry rubs are only as good as the spices inside them.
Store this blend in a clean, dry jar.
Keep it away from steam, heat, and sunlight.
Do not shake the jar directly over a hot grill or steaming pot. Moisture will get into the jar and shorten the life of the blend.
For best flavor, make smaller batches more often.
A fresh rub is always better than a giant old jar.
Roadstead Farms Field Note
This is the kind of recipe that becomes part of a place.
A jar by the grill.
A spoon in the drawer.
A little dusting on potatoes.
A pinch in burger meat.
A rub for chicken thighs on a Friday evening.
A smoky edge on corn in July.
A farm seasoning does not need to be complicated.
It needs to be useful.
It needs to be memorable.
And it needs to make people ask:
“What did you put on this?”
That is when you know the jar is doing its work.
Final Thought
A good BBQ rub is not just a seasoning.
It is a little stored summer.
It is smoke, herb, salt, heat, and sweetness waiting for fire.
And when you make it yourself, it becomes more than flavor.
It becomes part of your household rhythm.
So mix a jar.
Write the label.
Set it near the grill.
And let the next cookout begin.
Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!