Pat your steak dry prior to adding the dry rub Try making this simple three-ingredient dry rub recipe. Simply combine garlic salt, paprika, and brown sugar. Then, add the final product to your steak or even to your sides. The trick to making the perfect rub is ensuring that the rub does not contain too much salt. It should have a mix of brown sugar as well as black and white pepper, all of which help balance out the flavors. Some like to include stronger spices, like paprika or cayenne.