What started out as a gift idea for foodies has become a reader favorite. This sweet and spicy meat rub goes great on chicken, pork, beef, ribs, and can be used as a seasoning for vegetables and other foods as well.

Here’s a cheap and easy food-as-gift idea for the Holidays: a sweet and spicy rub for meats.

Many people get overwhelmed with sweets this time of the year, so shake things up a little by giving a savory treat.

Spice rubs are great because they flavor meat almost as much as a marinade. Simply pat the spice rub onto the meat (no need to actually rub it in) and you’re ready to prepare the meat as usual.

• This rub is great on:
• Ribs
• Country style ribs
• Pork
• Chicken
• Beef

I have also used it to flavor butter. This spice rub was used to make the best grilled sweet corn I have ever eaten. The spiced butter would also be great on grilled bread, along with the meat you’re grilling.

The combination of sweet and spicy is irresistible when it comes to flavoring meat. Make this for a gift – but seriously, don’t forget to keep some for yourself!

Where To Buy Affordable Spices

Here are a couple of options for buying cheap spices:

1. Buy in the bulk food section. You may be able to find certain spices in the bulk food section. Start with sea salt, and go from there.
2. Buy generic. I bought my spices at Walmart for this recipe, many of which cost right around one dollar. However, most grocery stores have their own store brand of spices which can also be really cheap.

What makes this spice mix especially gift-worthy is the way it’s packaged. I bought individual tins at Michael’s craft store for $1.00 each. All in all, each gift cost less than $2.00.

Recipe Ideas

Use this seasoning blend to make the following recipes:

Summer’s best BBQ sweet corn

Grilled veggie and ring bologna kebabs