The BEST Steak Rub (Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill)

Amp up your next steak by coating it in this Homemade Steak Rub, a custom blend of spices and herbs based on Bobby Flay’s popular rub at Mesa Grill. This steak rub recipe is a nice departure from the classic Montreal Steak Seasoning and Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning.

Steak dry rub adds a dynamic flavor to all your steak recipes, including Picanha, Sous Vide Ribeye and Smoked Tri Tip.

Steak Rub Recipe

This is the best dry rub for steak as it compliments the flavor of the beef, without masking it. This specific steak spice rub is Southwest inspired, as those flavors are Bobby Flay’s speciality. 

Other popular Spice Mix recipes: Carne Asada Seasoning, Lamb Seasoning, Prime Rib Rub, Turkey Rub and our popular BBQ Rub.

Ingredients

Wondering what’s in this steak seasoning rub? This steak rub recipe requires 8 different spices, however many you probably already have in your pantry: 

• Spanish Paprika – Regular, smoked or sweet will also work.
• Dry Mustard
• Dried Oregano
• Ancho Chili Powder – don’t worry – it won’t be spicy!
• Ground Coriander
• Ground Cumin
• Garlic Powder – not found in Bobby’s official recipe.
• Onion Powder – not found in Bobby’s official recipe.

Bobby Flay’s version does not include garlic or onion powder, however we love both flavors therefore included them. Feel free to omit.

Salt and pepper are also included, but everyone has these pantry staples.

Binders

If you need a good binder, we highly recommend using beef bouillon or Dijon mustard recipe. They add a flavorful twist compared to basic olive oil. Just coat the steak with your selected binder before adding the steak rub.

If you’re wondering what the heck a “binder” is: A binder refers to a wet ingredient slathered on meat before adding the dry rub. It helps the dry steak rubs to stick, as well as, aides in creating a delicious crust.

How To Season 

To season, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, coat in olive oil (or your selected binder), and a healthy dose of spice mix. We recommend 1 tbsp of spice mix per pound (16 oz) of meat.

Try and dry brine the meat for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours, to ensure flavor absorption. The longer it marinates in that time frame the better. If you don’t have that much time, aim for 30 minutes!

Uses

There are many recipes to use this dry rub for steak on, including Smoked Recipes and Sous Vide recipes:

Smoked Recipes

A few great smoked beef recipes to use this steak rub on: Smoked Chuck Roast, and Smoked London Broil.

Sous Vide Recipes

A few great Sous Vide recipes to use this steak rub on: Sous Vide Chuck Roast, Sous Vide London Broil, and  Sous Vide Tri Tip.

More Ideas

Dry rubs aren’t just for steaks! Here are a few more creative uses for it:

• Sprinkle over roasted vegetables
• Add to burger patties
• Sprinkle on potato wedges
• Mix into smoked meatloaf
• Sprinkle on smoked baked potatoes
• Add to creamy pasta dishes

Variations

This steak seasoning is perfect as is, but we still wanted to provide some popular variations:

Spicy – Amp up the heat by doubling, or even tripling, the red pepper flakes.

Want A Hint of Smoke? Use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika.

Like it Sweet? Add a teaspoon of brown sugar.

Like Garlic? This homemade steak seasoning can handle a double hit of garlic powder.

Low Sodium Version

Looking for a low sodium beef rub? Just omit the salt altogether and add, to personal preference, after the meat is cooked.

If you prefer to add it to the mix, in advance, we recommend starting with 1/4 teaspoon at a time until your desired salt level is reached.

Tips

Here are some tips to making the best dry rub for steak:

• Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your taste preferences.
• Marinate your meat for at least an hour to ensure maximum flavor absorption.

Storage

Whip up a huge batch of best steak rub and keep it on hand, in an airtight jar, to use as needed. The mix will stay fresh for 6 months.

Dry Steak Rubs