Black Pepper Free Kansas City Spice Rub
Most store-bought spice blends and BBQ rubs sneak black pepper in as a near-universal ingredient, making them a no-go for anyone who needs to avoid it. This Kansas City-style rub sidesteps that entirely by leaning on a bold lineup of coconut sugar, maple sugar, turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon to build that signature sweet-smoky depth. Garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano round out the savory backbone, so nothing feels missing — just different in the best way. The warm heat from ginger and the earthiness of turmeric do a lot of the heavy lifting that pepper usually handles, giving you real complexity without the irritant. Whisking everything together takes only a few minutes, and once it's sealed in a jar it keeps for up to three months, so you can batch it ahead and have it ready whenever the grill calls. Press it firmly onto your protein before roasting, grilling, or smoking and you'll get that gorgeous crust and caramelized bark that makes Kansas City BBQ so craveable. It's the kind of pantry staple that quietly solves a problem you've probably been working around for years.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup granules sugar or maple sugar
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- 1
Combine the coconut sugar, maple sugar, turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, thyme, and oregano in a small bowl and whisk until evenly blended with no visible streaks of turmeric.
- 2
Transfer to an airtight jar and store at room temperature for up to 3 months.
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