Basic BBQ Rub For Smoking Meat

When I first got my Masterbuilt electric smoker, I set out to find a good basic BBQ rub for smoking meat that would work on anything I wanted to smoke. That barbecue rub also had to be one that suited the tastes of everyone in my family.

So, I did what I do many times… borrowed from several different rub recipes to create one that my family would love. The result is this basic BBQ rub. It’s sweet and smokey… and definitely not too spicey or overpowering.

St. Louis Style ribs with Basic BBQ rub for smoking meat.
St. Louis style ribs smoked using this Basic BBQ Rub and smoked using the Team 275 method.

I smoked the St. Louis style ribs, pictured above, using this Basic BBQ Rub and the Team 275 method. First, they were slathered in yellow mustard, coated in rub, and then smoked at 275 degrees for 4 hours. At that point, a toothpick insert easily into the meat.

A note on using yellow mustard…

Take note, using yellow mustard as a binder to get the rub to stick will not cause your meat to taste like mustard. I’m the only one in my family that likes mustard… but everyone in my family has loved this rub on everything I’ve used it on. In fact, they were surprised when I told them that I had used the yellow mustard. If you would prefer a different binder you could also use olive oil.

I’ve used this basic BBQ rub on pork butts, St. Louis style ribs, sprinkled on grilled burgers, and even on grilled cauliflower and deviled eggs. And you know what? I have found that it tastes great and enhances the flavor on everything I’ve tried it on! I’m even planning to use it the next time I make ham balls.

In conclusion, if you want a good BBQ rub for smoking meat… this is it!

Basic BBQ Rub

This Basic BBQ Rub tastes great on just about everyhing. It's great "as is" but you can certainly adjust it to flavors you like.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 c Packed Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 2 tbsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Oregano
  • 2 tsp Ground Mustard
  • 2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • 1 tsp Old Bay

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended.

Notes

I’ve used this rub on pork butts, chicken, ribs, and even sprinkled it on burgers and veggies. It’s sweet, smokey, and not too overpowering.
Keyword Barbecue, Barbeque,, BBQ, Rub, Seasoning

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Copycat Raising Cane’s Sauce

Raising Canes is new to our area and it has quickly become a family favorite. In fact, it’s the one place we all can agree on. I like the simplicity of their menu. It’s just chicken strips, fries, bread, and coleslaw… and a delicious dipping sauce.

I thought I’d set out to recreate that sauce in my own kitchen… and with this recipe I’ve come pretty darn close. It has definitely upped my air fried chicken nugget game… and will fill the void in-between visits to an the actual Raising Canes.

This copycat Cane’s sauce is so good… and so easy to make!

Copycat Raising Cane’s Sauce

I love Raising Cane's… and their Cane's Sauce. This is a copycat version I can make at home in-between visits.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Mayonaise
  • 1/4 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Worchestershire Sauce

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients into a bowl and stir.

Video

Notes

This sauce is great for chicken strips, nuggets, fries, tater tots, mozzarella sticks, and more! It’ll keep in the refrigerator for a week or two… but you’ll probably finish it way before then.
Keyword Condiment, Dipping Sauce, Sauce

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Basic BBQ Rub For Smoking Meat

First-Time Ham Balls

I can’t believe I’ve lived in Iowa for more than four decades without trying or making ham balls. Most of my friends rave about them… and It seems like many have their own favorite recipe passed down from family. “I have my Grandma’s recipe,” is a comment I hear often.

Every Thursday night on Facebook I host a “Food Fight”. It’s a chance for people to share their favorite food pics and recipes from the previous week. Ham balls make a regular appearance so I added them to the list of foods I wanted to make in my kitchen. Then, when Fareway had their ham loaf on sale I knew I had to do it.

Without a family-favorite recipe of my own to use, I set out to create one my family would love and settled on this one. It didn’t disappoint. Geat flavor and really easy to make.

Ham balls are a favorite Iowa comfort food.

First-Time Ham Balls

If you've never had ham balls before this is a great recipe to start with.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 20 Ham Balls

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs Ham Loaf (A mixture of ground pork, ham, and bacon.)
  • 1/2 Small Onion Finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Crushed Graham Crakers About 4 whole ones
  • 1/2 Cup Crushed Ritz Crackers About 12
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
  • BBQ Sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13 cake pan with cooking spray.
  • Place ham loaf, cracker crumbs, milk, egg, and Worchestershire sauce in a large bowl and mix together with your hands. (Don't over mix.)
  • Shape meat mixture into 2" balls and place in the 9×13 cake pan. (I used a small ice cream scoop to get a uniorm amount in each ham ball).
  • Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and brush with your favorite BBQ sauce.
  • Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature of the ham balls reaches 165°.

Notes

When I made this for the first time I left the BBQ sauce off a few of them just to see if it made a difference. It really did! Next time I’ll sauce them all.
Next time, I’ll also take a suggestion from my daughters. They thought it would be good to finish them in the air fryer… to add a little crust and texture to the outside of each ham ball.
This is a basic recipe that you can start with and then make it your own. Don’t like onions? Leave them out. Want it a little sweeter? Use only graham cracker crumbs. Wanna spice it up a little? Add your favorites.
Ham balls are comfort food at it’s finest and goes great with other comfort foods… like cheesy or twice-baked potatoes.
This recipe makes 20 ham balls.
Keyword Comfort Food, Ham, Ham Balls, Pork

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Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese

Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese

I love bacon cheeseburgers. I love mac and cheese. So, it only makes sense that I’d love it when you combine the two into Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese.

This recipe has quickly become a favorite in my family. It’s not overly cheesy… which allows all the flavors to come through. One of the keys is to not chop the bacon too small. About 1″ chunks are perfect… so, when you get a bite with bacon… you really get a bite with bacon… just like you would in an actual burger.

After serving, I like to add a little mustard, ketchup, and a few pickles. It really enhances the “burger” flavor. Give this Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese a try.

Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese

What do you get when you combine a bacon cheeseburger with mac and cheese? Deliciousness!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 10 Slices Cooked Bacon Roughly chopped into 1" pieces
  • 1 Pound Ground Beef
  • 1 Onion Small, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 16 oz Elbow Noodles
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 16 oz Cheddar Cheese Sauce
  • 1 Cup Cheddar-Jack Cheese Shredded
  • Bread Crumbs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Brown the ground beef and onion together and drain.
  • Mix in the bacon and Worcestershire sauce and set aside.
  • Cook the pasta in salted water for two minutes less than recommended.
  • Drain in a colander and return to the pot without rinsing.
  • Mix in the browned ground beef mixture, cheddar cheese sauce, shredded cheese.
  • Spray a 9×13 pan, crock, or baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Add the meat and noodle mixture and spread smooth with a spatula.
  • Top with bread crumbs.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Notes

You can enhance the burger flavor by topping each serving with a little mustard, ketchup, and a few pickles.
Keyword Bacon, Cheese, Hamburger, Pasta

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Mini Cheesecakes

If you’re looking for a perfectly portioned, sweet treat these mini cheesecakes are for you! They’re easy to make… and they freeze well.

Once you have them made you can dress your mini cheesecakes up however you want. Fresh fruit, pie filling, chocolate or caramel sauce, crushed cookies or candy bars… the possibilities are endless.

Mini Cheesecakes

These are a perfectly portioned, sweet treat that you can top however you want.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 3/4 Cup Crushed Graham Crackers
  • 3 tbsp Melted Butter
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 8oz Bricks of Cream Cheese Room Temperature
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix graham crackers, melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar in a food processor.
  • Press 1 1/2 tbsp crust mixture into the bottom of 12 silicone baking cups and set aside on a baking sheet.
  • In a stand mixer, mix all the filling ingredients, except the eggs.
  • When the cream cheese mixture is blending, slowly beat in the eggs. It will look like a cake batter.
  • Add the filling mixture to the crust-lined, baking cups. Fill to 3/4 full.
  • Gently lift and tap baking sheet holding the cheesecakes on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the center is almost set.
  • Turn off oven heat and leave in the oven with the door partway open for 5 minutes. Then allow to cool completly before serving.
  • Serve plain… or top with your favorite fresh fruit, pie filling, jams, or crushed candy bar.

Notes

If you want a chocolate crust you can use chocolate graham crackers, or crushed Oreos.
We make these in our air fryer toaster oven and it works great.
Keyword Cheesecake, Dessert

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Air Fried “Hard-Boiled” Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are great to have on hand. They’re an inexpensive and nutritious snack… and are perfect in salads and deviled eggs. With this technique, you can use your air fryer and have “hard-boiled” eggs that turn out perfectly every time.

Air Fried “Hard-Boiled” Eggs

It's easy to make hard boiled eggs in an air fryer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • Eggs

Instructions
 

  • Place eggs in the air fryer and carefully close.
  • Air fry for 15 minutes at 270 degrees.
  • When they are done cooking leave them in the air fryer for 5 minutes.
  • Cool in an ice water bath.

Notes

I’ve done as few as 4 eggs and as many as a dozen at a time.

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Cast-Iron Skillet Fritatta

Not sure why… but it took me forever to discover how delicious and easy fritattas are. Now that my eyes have been opened I plan on making these often… with whatever leftover meats and veggies we have in the refrigerator. If you have a cast-iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) you should try one.

Cast-Iron Skillet Fritatta

This is an easy recipe idea! Take it and make it your own.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 10" cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 5 Slices Bacon
  • 1/2 Small Onion, diced
  • 2 Potatoes Sliced thin
  • 8 Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Milk
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • Cheddar Cheese

Instructions
 

  • Brown bacon in a 10" cast iron skillet.
  • Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
  • In the remaining bacon grease sautee onion and potatoes.
  • Crumble cooked bacon on top of onions and potatoes.
  • Top with cheese. Use how much or little as you prefer.
  • Mix eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper and pour over the ingredients in the cast-iron skillet.
  • Cook on the stove top 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat until the edges start to set.
  • Place in the air fryer toaster oven, preheated to 350 and bake bake for 20 minutes

Notes

If you don’t have a toaster oven you can make this in your regular oven.
Us this as a guide to get you started on frittatas. Feel free to substitute any meats and veggies you have on hand.
Keyword Eggs., Fritatta,, Toaster Oven

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Air Fried Tortilla Chips & Easy Guacamole

When avocados are in season and a good price… I love to make this for a quick lunch. This basic guacamole would also be good with tacos… or any Mexican dish.

Air Fried Tortilla Chips & Easy Guacamole

If you have the ingredients and 10 minutes you can make this great snack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Soft Flour Tortillas
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Tajin Seasoning
  • 1 Avocado
  • 3 tbls Salsa
  • 1 tbls Sour Cream

Instructions
 

  • Use a pizza cutter and cut the tortillas into chip shaped wedges.
  • Add the wedges to the air fryer basket, spray with olive oil, and sprinkle with Tajin.
  • Air fry 4-6 minutes at 400 degrees (no preheating necessary). Shake the basket a few times during cooking. Add more olive oil and Tajin after the first shaking.
  • While the chips are cooking, it's time to make the guacamole. Carefully cut the avocado in half and scoop the insides into a bowl, discarding the pit.
  • Mash with a fork.
  • Stir in salsa and sour cream.
  • Season to taste with Tajin.

Notes

Be sure and keep an eye on your chips and shake while they are cooking to your desired level of doneness. Some people prefer softer chips… while others like them really crispy.
The salsa and sour cream ratios are a good starting point. You can adjust to your taste preferences. If you like a little heat, you could stir in a little sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
Keyword Air Fryer, Chips, Guacamole, Tortilla

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Air Fried S’mores

One of my favorite events of the year is my family’s annual reunion camp out. It’s great seeing relatives I don’t get to see very often. It’s a weekend of great fellowship… and food. This late-night, fireside treat is one of my favorites. Now, I can make them anytime I want in my air fryer.

Air Fried S’mores

You can make delicious s'mores in your air fryer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 4 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • Graham Crackers
  • Mashmallows
  • Chocolate Bars

Instructions
 

  • Place graham cracker in air fryer.
  • Carefully use a sharp knife to score on side of a marshmallow. (This reveals the internal stickiness and helps it stick to the cracker and not fall off while cooking.)
  • Gently press the scored side of the marshmallow onto the graham cracker in the air fryer.
  • Air fry at 370 for 4 minutes. (Do not preheat your air fryer for this recipe.)
  • While the marshmallows are toasting, arrange a graham cracker and piece of chocolate on a plate. This will be the top of your s'more.
  • When done, carefully remove the graham cracker and toasted marshmallow from inside the air fryer and top with the chocolate and another graham cracker.

Notes

It’s best to use refrigerated or frozen chocolate bars. This helps prevent the chocolate from getting too melty and messy.
Keyword Chocolate, Graham Cracker, Marshmallow, S’more

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