Smoky BBQ Rub

Perfect for beef, chicken and especially pork, this Homemade BBQ Rub is what makes grilling so amazingly delicious. Just dig in!

We love this on grilled chicken, smoked brisket or pork ribs! It’s great on everything! Heck, I’d add it to roasted brussel sprouts or broccoli and it would be amazing! Ooh, and I totally need to do a salmon recipe with this rub too!

Why Make You’re Own Rub

In my opinion, rubs are a tastier alternative to marinating meat as they give a fuller flavor. We prefer to dry rub the meat so that it can get all flavorful before any BBQ sauce is even added. In fact, sometimes we enjoy meats dry because they are so good on their own.

Making your own seasoning blend is the best way to go since you can fine tune the ingredients to exactly what your palate is craving. Whether or not if you feel like having a sweet, spicy, or smoky flavor — or a mix of them all! — it is very easy to do when you start with the right base. It is great on meats that are smoked, grilled or roasted.

How to Make a Dry Rub

When creating any bbq dry rub, the base typically starts with your sugars and salts abd then you add spices for flavoring. 

Sugar

There are many different kinds of sugar (brown sugar, dark brown sugar, turbinado, regular refined sugar and so on) that will give you different flavors. Experiment to see what you like best, and keep in mind that it may be a combination of them as well.

Salt

There are a lot of different salts as well (kosher salt, sea salt, table salt…etc). We prefer kosher salt, but if you don’t have it, you can use table salt. See section below for the differences in salt.

Spices

After getting you sugars and salts picked out, move onto choosing how much and what kind of pepper to use, as well as the other spices that are typical among many rubs, like cumin, chili powder and paprika. Then, start adding in combinations of other spices to make it to your very own liking.

The best part about making a barbecue spice blend is that if you start with very small increments then it’s hard to screw up. When I first started playing around with how much to put in, I forgot to write down what I put in and how much, so don’t make that mistake :).

Here is one of our rub recipes that we really enjoy with any meat.

What’s in This Homemade BBQ Rub?

As I mentioned above, there are so many flavor combinations to choose from when creating a bbq dry rub. Here’s what we used in this particular recipe:

• Kosher Salt
• Brown Sugar
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Chili Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Thyme
• Grou

Honey Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken [+ Video]

Grilled chicken is the perfect meal for summer! Add a simple marinade of the best flavors, and you’ll be making this Honey Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken all summer long! It is a healthy and easy chicken recipe your whole family will enjoy!

Our easy grilled lemon pepper asparagus or our simple roasted garlic veggies make the perfect side dishes for this easy grilled chicken.

The marinade is made with just 4 ingredients and produces tender, juicy and plump chicken that is delicious on its own, or it can be sliced up and added to your favorite salad or pasta. Try it in our Lemon Chicken Caesar Panzanella Salad or in our 20 Minute Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta! It is also great just over some simple white rice.

One thing I like about Utah is that there are definitely 4 distinct seasons. While I enjoy certain seasons more than others (winter, I’m looking at you!), there is at least one thing I love about each season. Grilling is one of the things I love about summer!

Pulling the grill out or the Traeger just makes me happy! I love the smoky flavor of food on the grill, and I love getting friends or family together for a fun BBQ. Let’s get to the details of making this simple grilled chicken!

How to Marinate Chicken?

Creating perfectly grilled chicken starts with a good marinade. A marinade infuses the chicken with flavor and helps the chicken stay tender. For this easy grilled chicken recipe, just a few simple ingredients are needed. You probably have them in your house already. No need for a trip to the grocery store!

• Lemon zest: adds bright fresh flavor
• Fresh lemon juice: helps tenderize the chicken
• Honey: adds natural sweetness and helps caramelize the chicken
• Montreal seasoning: adds flavor

Combine all the marinade ingredients together and reserve a couple of tablespoons for later. Place the chicken thighs in a glass dish and pour the marinade over the chicken. Flip the thighs over so they get coated on each side. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least an hour (up to overnight).

Is It Healthy to Eat Grilled Chicken?

Yes! Skinless chicken is a healthy protein, though a chicken thigh is going to have more fat than a chicken breast. If you want a lean meal, go with a chicken breast. Our motto is balance and moderation in all things. Eating grilled chicken for every meal everyday wouldn’t be a healthy practice and pretty extreme, but a nice piece of grilled chicken paired with some healthy fruits and veggie

Mustard Carolina BBQ Sauce Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs

Beef short ribs that fall apart and are bathed in a tangy mustard based BBQ sauce from South Carolina! And you only need 30 minutes and an Instant Pot!

Cade grew up in South Carolina so we are always trying to find new ways to get back to his roots through delicious Southern food. These Instant pot beef short ribs smothered in mustard Carolina sauce is our latest and greatest! And our mustard sauce is the best with a couple of surprising ingredients you won’t believe!

You all have loved our world’s best Carolina pulled pork, so you’re going to go crazy for these short ribs! Pile them on top of some steakhouse smashed potatoes!

So make a side of Southern macaroni and cheese or this Southern English pea salad, and get all your favorite people around the table the for this one!

Ingredients for Mustard BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Before we jump into the recipe for these Instant Pot short ribs, you need to make the Carolina Barbecue Sauce. It is the most fabulous combination of ingredients you’re already going to have on hand. Here is what you need:

• Yellow Mustard
• Honey
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Ketchup
• Brown Sugar
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Texas Pete’s or Franks Hot Sauce
• Butter
• Nutmeg
• Liquid Smoke

Those surprise ingredients…melted butter and nutmeg! I could almost drink this stuff it’s so good! Once the mustard sauce is made, you just need a few more ingredients…

• Beef Short Ribs
• Pineapple Juice: braising liquid
• BBQ Rub: Kosher Salt, Brown Sugar, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, Thyme, Ground Cumin and Nutmeg

The measurements and details for the all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

We love our BBQ rub because it’s the best ever, but feel free to use whatever your favorite BBQ rub is! Once the sauce and rub are ready, then we can start the ribs!

How to Make Mustard Carolina BBQ Short Ribs

Our oven braised beef short ribs has been a popular recipe on the site for years, so we are speeding things up with this recipe and cooking them in the I

Southern English Pea Salad

This Southern English pea salad is a refreshing and delicious side dish, perfect for any gathering. Made with peas, bacon, herbs, and a creamy dressing, it’s sure to be a hit at your next potluck or holiday dinner.

It’s the perfect side dish for Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. I don’t know where English pea salad originated from, or why it’s so dang good considering it’s the world’s shortest list of ingredients, but I do know that any time someone shares a photo of a Southern Potluck or church spread, there’s that pea salad!

Last Fourth of July, we had Cade’s mom, brother, and his family and a friend over for a fun day of swimming and eating. Yes, I did wear a red bathing suit. Yes, I did get mistaken for the lifeguard 100 times. I have had the worst time trying to find a bathing suit that wasn’t cut crazy high or crazy low all year and this one I love, though I will watch where I wear it now. 

But back to the BBQ — we swam, the kids became exhausted, and we headed back to the house where we cooked up classic burgers thanks to our 2 hamburger secrets post, and a selection of our favorite summer salads including this green pea salad, our tomato mozzarella salad, and Nancy’s Southern Grape Salad. We finished the night off with our dreamiest Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting EVER.

Green pea salad is considered to be low-carb, gluten-free, and a slightly healthier option to pasta salad (though we have a pasta version of this recipe too if you prefer). But this doesn’t mean it’s straight up healthy — it contains bacon, cheese, and mayonnaise, after all.

What Ingredients Do I Need for This Salad Recipe?

Although English pea salad has a few different names, it’s all the exact same thing — cold pea salad. You may hear it called pea salad, English Pea Salad, Southern Pea Salad, Green Pea Salad, or, as we’ve called it, Southern English Pea Salad.

Here’s what goes into this easy potluck side dish recipe: 

• Frozen Peas
• Mayonnaise
• Apple Cider Vinegar 
• Salt and Pepper
• Red Onion
• Bacon
• Cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese is our favorite)

Some recipes also call for hard-boiled eggs, which we left out this time as I’m really enjoying it as a straight up pea salad lately. I’ve added it into the recipe as optional in case

Air Fryer BBQ Salmon [+Video]

Impress your friends and family with this easy and flavorful BBQ salmon recipe in the air fryer. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious and healthy dish that everyone will love.

When you cook salmon fillets in the air fryer, the edges getting all crispy and delicious while center stays flaky and moist. It’s so fabulous! It only takes 3 quick (less than 15 minutes!) and easy steps to make this no hassle salmon recipe!

Ingredients for Air Fryer BBQ Salmon

You will only need 5 ingredients to make these air fryer salmon fillets and there is practically no measuring needed! This is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight when you still want to eat something healthy. Here is what you will need:

• Salmon Fillets
• BBQ Rub or Honey Hog BBQ Rub
• Butter
• BBQ Sauce
• Honey

The details for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make BBQ Salmon in the Air Fryer

1. Prep: Preheat the air fryer and rub the fillets with the BBQ rub and butter (or olive oil).
2. Cook: Place the salmon filets in the air fryer skin side down and cook for 7-9 minutes. Time may vary based on the size of the fillets and the size of your air fryer.
3. Serve: Brush some barbecue sauce and honey on top and serve!

These instructions can also be found in the recipe card down below. The recipe can also be saved or printed from there.

Watch How to Make Airfryer Salmon

Do You Season Both Sides?

Only the flesh side of the salmon fillet needs to be seasoned since we cook the salmon with the skin on but we won’t eat the skin. And don’t hold back on the seasoning! I love my salmon with lots of flavor!

Do You Remove Salmon Skin Before Cooking?

I always cook salmon with the skin on. It’s almost like a little protective barrier in the air fryer to keep the salmon from getting dried out. Once it is cooked, it is super easy to remove the skin and serve it.

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