The Core Difference
A dry rub is a blend of dry spices applied directly to the surface of the meat. It seasons the outside, builds bark during cooking, and creates the crust that defines great BBQ. The flavors are concentrated on the surface where you taste them immediately with every bite.
A marinade is a wet mixture (usually oil, acid like vinegar or citrus, and seasonings) that the meat soaks in. The acid tenderizes the surface, the oil carries fat-soluble flavors, and the liquid helps lean cuts retain moisture during cooking.
They solve different problems. Rubs are about surface flavor and texture. Marinades are about moisture and tenderness. Choosing between them depends on the cut, the cooking method, and the result you want.
When to Use a Dry Rub
Dry rubs are the better choice when:
You are smoking or grilling low-and-slow. Bark only forms on a dry surface. Moisture is the enemy of bark formation. It steams the surface instead of letting the Maillard reaction and sugar caramelization do their work. A dry rub applied to patted-dry meat gives the smoke something to stick to and creates the dark, flavorful crust that makes BBQ worth the wait.
The cut is fatty. Brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, chicken thighs. These cuts have enough intramuscular fat and connective tissue to stay moist through a long cook. They don't need a marinade to prevent drying out. The fat renders during cooking and bastes the meat from the inside. A dry rub lets that fat do its job while building flavor on the outside.
You want bold, concentrated flavor. Rubs sit on the surface where your taste buds hit them first. A bite of smoked pork rib with a good bark delivers an intense burst of spice, then the meat flavor, then the smoke. A marinade dilutes that experience because the flavor is distributed more evenly (and more faintly) throughout the meat.
You are cooking skin-on poultry. Wet marinades trapped under chicken skin create steam, which makes the skin soggy and rubbery. A dry rub under and over the skin keeps things dry, which means crispier skin on the grill.
Every recipe on this site, from the Classic All-Purpose BBQ Rub to the Cajun Blackening Rub, is built for this approach.
When to Use a Marinade
Marinades are the better choice when:
The cut is lean and thin. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pork tenderloin. Flank steak. Skirt steak. These cuts dry out quickly over high heat because they have little fat to protect them. A marinade adds a layer of oil-based moisture that helps them survive the grill.
You want acid-based tenderness. Citrus, vinegar, and yogurt break down surface proteins and create a softer texture on the outside of the meat. This is especially useful for tougher thin cuts like flank and skirt steak that benefit from some surface tenderization before a quick, hot sear.
The cooking method is fast and high-heat. Stir-fry, quick-sear, broiling. These methods don't give a rub time to form bark. The cook is over before the sugar can caramelize or the spices can set. A marinade pre-seasons the meat so the flavor is already there when it hits the pan.
You are cooking kebabs or small pieces. Cubed meat on skewers has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, which means it dries out fast. A marinade coats every surface and helps retain moisture during the short, intense cook.
When to Use Both
The best pitmasters often use a two-step approach:
Step 1: Dry brine with salt. Apply kosher salt to the meat (about 1/2 teaspoon per pound) and refrigerate uncovered for 4 to 24 hours. This seasons the interior deeply and dries the surface for better bark.
Step 2: Apply the dry rub before cooking. If you do this, reduce or eliminate the salt in your rub since the meat is already seasoned. Focus the rub on sugar, base spice, and accent spices for surface flavor and bark building.
This approach gives you the deep seasoning of a brine with the surface intensity of a dry rub. It's especially effective for large cuts like pork shoulder and brisket where salt alone can't reach the center in a short rest.
Some cooks also do a quick marinade (30 minutes to 1 hour) for flavor and tenderization, then pat the meat dry and apply a rub. This works well for chicken thighs and pork chops. The marinade softens the surface and the rub adds bark. Just make sure to dry the surface thoroughly before the rub goes on.
Decision Guide by Protein
Beef
Brisket, beef ribs, chuck roast: Dry rub. These are fatty, collagen-rich cuts that need long cooks. Bark is everything. Use the Coffee and Ancho Chile Rub for a bold, dark crust.
Steaks (ribeye, strip, sirloin): Dry rub for thick cuts going on the grill. Marinade for thinner cuts going in a hot pan.
Flank and skirt steak: Marinade first (acid-based, 1 to 4 hours), then optionally a light rub before grilling.
Pork
Shoulder, ribs, butt: Dry rub, always. These cuts have the fat and time to develop serious bark. The Memphis-Style Dry Rub and Kansas City Sweet Heat Rub are built for exactly this.
Tenderloin: Marinade or a light dry rub. Tenderloin is lean and cooks fast, so it doesn't have time to build bark.
Pork chops: Either works. Thick bone-in chops do well with a dry rub and indirect grilling. Thin boneless chops benefit from a quick marinade.
Chicken
Whole chicken, thighs, drumsticks: Dry rub. The skin needs to be dry for crispiness, and the dark meat has enough fat to stay juicy. The Smoky Poultry Rub works well here.
Boneless breasts: Marinade for high-heat cooking. Dry rub works if you're grilling indirect.
Wings: Dry rub. Always. Toss in rub with a little oil and grill until crispy.
Seafood
Firm fish fillets (salmon, halibut, swordfish): Light dry rub, applied just before cooking. The Lemon Pepper Seafood Rub works well here.
Shrimp: Either works. A quick marinade (15 minutes in olive oil, garlic, and lemon) or a dry rub toss. Both deliver great results.
Delicate fish (tilapia, sole): Marinade. These fillets are too thin and fragile for a heavy rub.
Vegetables
Grilled vegetables: Dry rub tossed with oil. The Smoky Sweet Grilled Vegetable Rub and Herb Garden Vegetable Rub are made for this.
Roasted vegetables: Dry rub tossed with oil. Marinades add too much moisture and prevent caramelization in the oven.
The Bottom Line
If you're firing up the smoker for a long cook with a fatty cut, reach for a dry rub. If you're doing a quick sear on a lean cut, reach for a marinade. And if you have the time, do both: dry brine first, rub second.
The rub is where the flavor lives. The marinade is where the insurance lives. Know what your cut needs and choose accordingly.