Superhot Dry Rub for Smoking
Superhot peppers and low-and-slow smoking are a natural pair. The long cook disperses capsaicin through the bark, and the rendered fat tempers the heat. This rub uses a blend of superhot powder and standard BBQ spices for serious heat with proper flavor.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
n/a
Servings
16
Max SHU
1.5M
Heat Level
1,500,000 SHU — Superhot range
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon superhot pepper powder (Reaper, Scorpion, or 7 Pot)
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly — the superhot powder must be evenly distributed.
- 2
Apply generously to meat. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight for best bark formation.
- 3
Smoke as usual. The capsaicin is thermally stable — it won't cook off.
- 4
Store remaining rub in an airtight jar. Lasts 6 months.
At smoking temperatures (225–275°F / 107–135°C), capsaicinoids are completely stable — the boiling point of capsaicin is 410°F (210°C). The Maillard reaction in the bark doesn't affect capsaicin either. What does change is distribution: as fat renders, capsaicin dissolves into it and spreads through the meat.