Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub 170g — front of shaker on transparent background

Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub 170g — sticky pork belly burnt ends with a red paprika bark in cast iron

Sprinkling Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub onto a raw pork shoulder

Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub 170g — ingredients and nutrition panel, transparent background

Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub 170g — directions and serving suggestions panel, transparent background

LILLIE'S Q: Carolina Dirt BBQ Rub – 170g

Rub Hub Heat Some Warmth — 2/11

BARELY
TICKLES

SOME
WARMTH

SHE'LL BE
RIGHT

COOKIN
NOW

GETTING
FRISKY

BLOODY
OATH

PACK YA
DACKS

FACE
MELTER

NOSTRIL
NUKER

HOLY
SHIT

RISKY
BIZ

Sweet, smoky all-purpose BBQ rub for pork shoulder, ribs, chicken and beef. Paprika, brown sugar, onion and garlic, mild chilli lift. The rub behind a Memphis in May win.

Vendor: LILLIE'S Q

SKU: LILLIESQ-CAROLINADIRT

Availability: Out Of Stock

Product type: Rub

$22.00; $22.00
Unit price: per

On Back Order More stock is on the way.You can still order now — we'll ship as soon as new stock lands.

Subtotal: $22.00

Quantity:

Description

At a glance

Heat: Mild — sweet and smoky with a slight chilli lift (Hub Heat 2/11)

Size: 170g shaker

Origin: Made in the USA by Lillie's Q (Chicago, Illinois), imported to Australia

Awards: The rub behind Lillie's Q's 2016 Memphis in May championship (per Lillie's Q)

Dietary: Vegan, all natural, made with gluten-free ingredients (not certified), non-GMO, dairy free, nut free — contains mustard seed and celery seed — always check the physical label

Best on: Pork shoulder, ribs, chicken, beef, vegetables

The all-purpose rub with a Memphis in May title behind it

Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt is a sweet, smoky, slightly spicy sugar-and-paprika BBQ rub from Chef Charlie McKenna's Chicago barbecue brand, made for ribs, pulled pork, chicken and vegetables. Named after the red clay soil of the Carolinas, it's the rub Lillie's Q credits with its 2016 Memphis in May championship — and it works across pork, chicken, beef and veg without needing a different jar for every protein.

The flavour

Front is paprika and brown sugar sweetness, the middle brings sea salt and onion-garlic savouriness, and it finishes with a mild chilli warmth and a background note of mustard and celery seed.

How to cook with it

Coat a pork shoulder generously the night before a low-and-slow smoke for a deep red bark
Season pork belly cubes for burnt ends, then braise them in sauce until sticky
Rub into chicken wings or thighs before smoking or grilling
Toss through vegetables before they hit the barbecue
Rogue move: dust over hot chips straight out of the fryer

In the shaker

Fine-medium grind and brick red-brown colour — builds a rich, mahogany bark once the sugars caramelise.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: Sugar, paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, spices including chili pepper, salt, onion and garlic powder, mustard seed, celery seed, extractives of paprika (color) and not more than 2% tricalcium phosphate added to prevent caking.

Dietary: Vegan and all natural per the Australian distributor; made with gluten-free ingredients but not gluten-free certified. Lillie's Q lists it as non-GMO, dairy free, nut free and free of high-fructose corn syrup. Contains mustard seed and celery seed. Allergens — always check the physical label.

Questions answered

How spicy is Lillie's Q Carolina Dirt? Lillie's Q calls it slightly spicy — a mild warmth behind the sweetness. We rate it 2 out of 11 on our Hub Heat.

What can I use it on? It's genuinely all-purpose: slow-cooked ribs, pulled pork, chicken, beef and vegetables all work, and it's great on fries.

Did Carolina Dirt win an award? Lillie's Q says Carolina Dirt was the rub behind its 2016 Memphis in May championship.

Is it gluten free? It's made with gluten-free ingredients, but it isn't gluten-free certified. It's also vegan, dairy free and nut free.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Paprika-sweet with a mild chilli lift and a whisper of mustard seed — an all-rounder equally at home on pork, chook, beef and veg. Rub a pork belly heavily, smoke it over Natural Smoke Aussie Oak Chunks, then braise the cubes in Loot N Booty Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce until sticky. One jar, a lot of Sundays.

🏴‍☠️ Darryl's Secret: Carolina Dirt Belly Burnt Ends

Pork candy, built in three stages.

You'll need: 1.5kg skinless pork belly, cut into 4cm cubes; 3 tbsp Carolina Dirt; 150ml BBQ sauce; 50g butter; 2 tbsp honey.

Do this:

Toss the cubes in the rub and smoke at 125°C for 3 hours until the bark has set.
Move to a tray with the butter, honey and sauce, cover with foil and cook at 135°C for 1 hour until tender.
Uncover and cook another 15 minutes so the sauce tightens to a glaze.
Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Shipping & Return

Returns Policy

We don't see many returns — but if something isn't right, get in touch and we'll work through it together. Our full returns process applies to orders within Australia, returned within 30 days of purchase in their original, unopened condition, with proof of purchase.

We're not able to offer refunds for change of mind, so please choose carefully before checking out. Clearance and run-out items are sold as final sale, and gift cards can't be returned or refunded under any circumstances. If your order arrives damaged, faulty, or isn't what you ordered, contact us with a few photos and we'll arrange the best fix.

Read our full Returns Policy for details.

Shipping

We ship across Australia and to New Zealand. Shipping within Australia is a flat rate of $10 AUD, with the option to upgrade to Express at checkout. Orders to New Zealand are calculated by weight and shown at checkout. Orders are processed within 24 hours and typically shipped the next business day.

See our full Shipping Policy for estimated delivery timeframes by region.

Questions? Email info@therubhub.com.au — we're happy to help.