Going out for a juicy steak is a treat, but indulging in steak dinners gets pricey. The best way to have delicious ribeye steaks at home while feeling like you’re out is with this brown sugar steak rub.
A steak rub recipe takes your meat to the next level, whether your favorite steak is ribeye, skirt steak, or even a New York strip. This brown sugar rub is so flavorful, you might even want to use it on other cuts of meat like burgers or pork chops.
What Is A Dry Rub?
A steak dry rub is like a seasoning mix, but it’s typically coarser and applied more liberally. Steak rubs are a great way to add flavor and texture to steaks and chops. A rubbed steak also has that delicious caramelized crust most steakhouse meats have.
A dry rub recipe is often used in place of a marinade since it doesn’t add any additional moisture to the surface of the meat. This helps keep the natural flavors inside of the meat. It also prevents the steak from cooking unevenly.
Steak Seasoning Rub Ingredients
The main ingredients for this dry rub for steak include kosher salt and dark brown sugar.
These ingredients work together to help bring out the flavor in the meat. The brown sugar helps keep the meat tender, while the coarse salt draws the water out of the steak. This provides consistent flavor throughout, instead of just the outer portion of the meat.
Other spices that make up the steak dry rub recipe include black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and onion powder.
While I feel like these are the best seasonings for steak, feel free to play with the spice blend to suit your preferences. For instance, add a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes into the spice rub for some heat.
You could also swap out regular chili powder for ancho chili powder for more of a Mexican steak rub flavor.
How to Season Steaks With A Rub
There’s a few steps to take prior to rubbing in order to get the perfect steak ready for grilling.
First, pat steaks dry with a paper towel. This helps remove excess moisture, which ensures the outside of your steak gets that crisp and caramelized texture.
Then brush both sides of steaks with a high heat oil, like avocado oil. This is the secret ingredient that helps lubricate the steak so you get those clean char lines. It also helps the rub stick to the meat.
Once oiled, apply the dry steak rub liberally to both sides of the steaks. Then allow the meat to sit on the counter for at least 40 minutes prior to grilling.
Allowing the meat to sit helps the brown sugar to work its magic to tenderize the beef. It also helps bring the steaks to room temperature, which is important for even grilling.
Once your favorite cut of steak is tenderized, place steaks on a preheated grill or cast iron skillet and cook to your desired internal temperature.
Then allow the steak to rest on the cutting board for at least 5-10 minutes. This allows the natural juices to reabsorb throughout the meat.
Tips
- Use Fresh Spices: Using old herbs and spices lead to a less flavorful seasoning for steak. To test the potency of your dried spices, crumble a small amount in your hand. If you can barely smell it, it’s time to refresh your stash.
- Get Messy: While you can shake the spice mix together in a closed jar, that might not distribute the brown sugar evenly. I add everything into a small bowl and use my fingers to crumble the brown sugar. This helps it blend more evenly into the mix.
- Make A Bigger Batch: This steak dry rub recipe is enough for 3-4 steaks. If you decide it’s the best steak rub you’ve tried, mix up a bigger batch. Store the rub in an airtight container, like a mason jar. Add a label with the description and date.
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FAQs
It’s best to leave the rub on for at least 40 minutes. If you’re short on time, even adding the steak rub for just a few minutes is still helpful.
While you can skip the brown sugar and still have plenty of flavor, a steak rub with brown sugar works well since brown sugar is a natural tenderizer.
If you want a less sweet steak, or you’re worried about the carbs, you can cut back on the amount you use. Also keep in mind that 2 teaspoons of brown sugar over 3-4 steaks doesn’t add that many carbs.
Assuming your spices are fresh, the rub should last in an airtight glass jar for up to a year.
The Best Steak Rub Wrap Up
One of my favorite things about the weekend is a mouthwatering ribeye fresh off the grill. With a few simple seasonings and a splash of oil, you can have steakhouse quality steaks in the comfort of your own home.
Looking for low carb sides to serve with your juicy steaks? These bacon garlic green beans are the perfect choice!
Of course, you can’t go wrong with cauliflower mac and cheese or air fried onion rings either.
Don’t forget to save this easy steak rub recipe to Pinterest for next time. Please share on social media too.
Keep scrolling for the recipe card and nutrition information.
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Brown Sugar Steak Rub
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Brown Sugar Steak Rub
A simple dry steak rub with brown sugar and kosher salt, plus other spices, for a flavorful steak on the grill or a cast iron pan. The steak rub recipe is enough for 3-4 steaks. You can make 4-6 batches and store in a mason jar for an easy dry rub that lasts up to a year.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: Serves 3-4 Steaks 1x
- Category: Keto Dinner Recipe
- Method: none
- Cuisine: Low Carb, High Protein
- Diet: Diabetic
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp pepper
- Β½ tsp garlic powder
- Β½ tsp smoked paprika
- Β½ tsp chili powder
- ΒΌ tsp onion powder
Instructions
Add all ingredients into a bowl or glass jar and mix well.
Notes
- You can use your fingers to crumble to brown sugar so it mixes well with the other spices.
- Make sure to use fresh spices for the best flavor.
- Dry steaks with a paper towel and then rub with oil prior to rubbing on spices.
- Allow the dry rub to sit on the meat for at least 40 minutes for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Recipe Serves 4
- Calories: 12.9
- Sugar: 2.3
- Sodium: 1450.7
- Fat: .1
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3.2
- Fiber: .3
- Protein: .2
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: Brown Sugar Steak Rub, Steak Rub Recipe, Steak Seasoning Rub
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An easy steak rub with brown sugar. Get the perfect grilled steak with this dry rub recipe.
★★★★★