Four ingredients are all you need for a killer rib rub

Yes, you can make a great rib rub with just four things from your pantry.

The magic combo: 2 parts brown sugar, 2 parts paprika (sweet or smoked), 1 part kosher salt, 1 part black pepper. That’s it. Adjust the sugar if you want less sweetness, swap in chipotle powder for heat, but start here.

Rub it on the ribs at least an hour before grilling—overnight is better. The sugar helps form a bark, the paprika gives color and depth, salt does its thing. Don’t overthink it. Fancy rubs with 15 spices are often just marketing. Your ribs will taste like ribs, not a spice cabinet explosion.

One note: if you’re using a charcoal grill with wood chunks, that smoke will do the heavy lifting. The rub just needs to be bold enough to stand next to it.

This rub also works great on pork shoulder or chicken thighs. Future You will be glad you kept it simple.