Texas Pulled Pork Rub

By James Kimble February 12, 2024 3 mins read 203 Views

This easy, homemade Texas Pulled Pork Rub will amp up the flavor of smoked pork roasts. Make up a large batch and use it again and again!

Texas is widely known for its mouthwatering beef brisket, but the state has a lot more to offer in terms of barbecue. This particular recipe features a Texas-style pulled pork rub that strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and heat. This recipe makes enough rub for a large pork shoulder. Remember to adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

Brown sugar
Paprika
Smoked paprika (see note below)
Chili powder
Salt and black pepper
Granulated onion (or onion powder)
Mexican oregano (see note below)
Granulated garlic
Celery salt
Cayenne pepper

Making Texas Pulled Pork Rub

Combine all pulled pork rub ingredients in a medium bowl.
Transfer rub to a large metal shaker, and apply rub evenly to pork shoulder. You can coat the pork shoulder with a thin layer of yellow mustard before applying the rub—cook roast as directed.
If making rub ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the cupboard for up 6 months after preparation.
Increase amounts called for in the recipe if cooking multiple pork roasts.
Discard any leftover rub that has come into contact with raw meat.

Notes on Spices

Oregano: Most of us use oregano in our Italian or Greek-inspired dishes, but Mexican oregano is an entirely different herb. The Mediterranean variation has a distinctly minty flavor, while Mexican oregano has more citrusy notes. If you do not have Mexican oregano for this rub, use Mediterranean oregano instead.
Paprika: This Texas pulled pork rub recipe calls for two types of paprika: smoked and regular. Smoked paprika has a robust flavor that can overpower meats, particularly smoked meats. Combining the two helps balance the flavor. However, if you are partial to smoked paprika, you can increase the amount called for in this recipe.

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Texas Pulled Pork Rub

This Texas Pulled Pork Rub is the perfect balance of sweet and heat. This recipe makes enough for one large pork roast. Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper in this recipe to suit your tastes.

Course Rubs

Cuisine American BBQ

Keyword pulled pork, pulled pork rub

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings cups

Calories 337kcal

Ingredients

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper more as desired

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard (or binder of choice) on pork shoulder before applying the rub. Use a shaker for even application.
If making rub ahead of time, simply store in an airtight container in the cupboard for up 6 months after preparation. Increase amounts called for in recipe if cooking multiple roasts.
Discard any leftover rub that has come into contact with raw meat.
For finer rub, grind with mortar and pestle or spice grinder for a "dust" like consistency.

Notes

Things to think about with this recipe:

Oregano: Most of us use oregano in our Italian or Greek-inspired dishes, but Mexican oregano is an entirely different herb. First of all, the Mediterranean counterpart we are all familiar with has a distinctly minty flavor, while Mexican oregano has an almost citrus element. If you do not have Mexican oregano for this rub, simply use Mediterranean oregano instead.