Name: Carolina BBQ Rub
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons ground cumin; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper; ¼ cup paprika

Why it works: Cumin and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,382 recipes. Both carry methyl cinnamate, which smells strawberry. The science ↓

Carolina BBQ Rub

Ingredients

Directions

Make the rub

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Use the rub

Use as a dry rub on beef, chicken, lamb or pork.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

71Calories

1 gProtein

1 gFat

16 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 5 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Sugar	1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated	49
Cumin	1 tsp ground (2.1g)	8
Chili	1 tsp (2.7g)	8
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Cumin + peppertop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together4,382 recipes

Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
Sugar + cumintop 32% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together1,140 recipes

Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
Sugar + peppertop 32% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together19,401 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

Sugar and pepper barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 19,401 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Paprika: Adds mild sweet-smoky color and flavor to the rub and browns the meat surface.
Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the surface brown and caramelize during cooking.
Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and molasses flavor, and helps the surface brown during cooking.
Chili powder: Adds warm, earthy heat and aroma to the rub.
Ground cumin: Adds earthy, warm aroma that defines the rub's flavor.
Salt: Seasons the meat and draws out flavor when used as a dry rub.