Great question because there are a couple of ways you can do this. First, if you are using a large cut of meat such as a whole chicken or if you are using this on a large cut of pork (roasts), I like to apply the rub and wrap it in plastic wrap to refrigerate for 2+ hours. For a smaller piece of meat (chicken pieces, pork chops...) just apply it shortly before grilling. To apply the rub, pat dry the meat well with a paper towel. Sprinkle all sides of the meat with the spice rub, coating it well, then gently press the rub into the meat. You can also smear a small amount of olive oil on the meat after drying it. Then, sprinkle with spice rub and rub it into the meat. I like to use a little oil when I am cooking dryer cuts of meat.