Boston Butt Dry Rub

Ok guys – I cannot believe I’m actually sharing my ‘secret’ Boston Butt Dry Rub!!! After coming up with this, experimenting with different amounts of spices, and finally perfecting it, I have decided to write it out for all the world . . .

I always get Boston Butt at Sam’s Club – at my local club, it’s $1.48/lb. For this recipe, I used about 20 lbs of meat and it was less than $30!! That’s such a steal for a hunk of meat that will last for 4-5 meals for my big family 🙂

Always start with your ‘base’ of the rub – sugar and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, measure out 1/2 cup brown sugar – I think using brown sugar gives a richer flavor to the rub than just using white. Then, add 1/4 cup of white sugar and 1/4 cup of salt. You can always taste test and see if you want to add more salt. I recently cut back on the salt, but feel free to add more (maybe a couple teaspoons) if you want.

Now add all the wonderful spices – 1 tablespoon dry mustard, cumin, celery seed, and chili powder; 2 tablespoons paprika, onion powder, garlic powder; 1 teaspoon black pepper; and 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. If you like spicy, then by all means add more pepper! Not everyone in my family likes spicy food, so I try not to make it too spicy 🙂 But I do think a little spicy with the sweet is what really makes pulled pork!!

I normally use all the rub at one time, but if you are only using half of it or so, I would store the rest in an airtight container, Mason jar, or sandwich bag, and use it within a couple weeks or so.

Check this post on how to get the perfect pulled pork using this dry rub!