What Should I Season My Brisket With? [& How Much To Use?] (2024)

Smoking brisket takes time and skill, but more than anything, a good brisket requires a good recipe. Part of any good brisket smoking recipe is good seasoning. There are several ways to season a smoked brisket; some are better than others, but which are the best brisket seasoning recipes?

Season brisket with spices and seasonings that complement the meat’s natural flavor. Texas-style salt and pepper rubs are excellent choices, while spiced rubs with paprika, onion, and garlic are good options. Use a seasoning spray to add flavor and moisture while smoking a brisket.

The best brisket seasonings are straightforward and easy to apply. Likewise, the best BBQ recipes are the simplest ones, and a good brisket does not need much help to taste delicious.

Let’s explore the best ways to season a brisket to highlight the meat’s flavors and add as much flavor as possible during the smoking process while creating the perfect bark.

What Should You Season Your Brisket With?

Seasoning a brisket is one of the most critical aspects of the smoking process. Without good seasoning, the brisket will not be as good as it could be, and the natural flavors of the brisket will become lost to the flavors of the wood that the brisket is smoked with.

There are several ways to season a smoked brisket, each of which has its own characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. The best way to decide which seasoning method is best for your brisket tastes is to try various recipes to discover what you prefer.

Salt and pepper Texas-style seasoning is a favorite among smokers and is widely regarded as one of the best smoked brisket seasoning recipes. This brisket seasoning style is simple and designed to form a perfect, dark, crisp bark on the brisket while seasoning the meat to perfection and highlighting the natural flavors of the brisket.

Spiced brisket rubs are another popular method for seasoning a brisket. These seasoning recipes involve using various spices, salt, pepper, and some intense flavors such as garlic and onion powder for seasoning the brisket and adding strong flavor to the meat.

Of all of the famous brisket seasoning recipes, two recipes stand out, while there is one method that many people are unaware of! So lets’ begin with some of the best brisket seasoning recipes that you can try yourself to help you determine your own brisket preferences.

The Best Brisket Seasoning Recipes

Two seasoning styles are widely regarded as the best for briskets. The most commonly used is the Texas-style salt and pepper rub, and the other is a spiced brisket rub that adds intense flavor to the meat.

Here are examples are standard recipes for both of these brisket seasoning styles.

Salt And Black Pepper Brisket Rub

The salt and pepper rub is the most straightforward style of brisket seasoning, and many argue that it is the best way to season a brisket.

This simple rub consists of two parts coarsely ground black pepper and one part coarse kosher salt. These ingredients are mixed together and poured liberally over the brisket until there is a thick, even coating of salt and pepper over the entire brisket.

This seasoning helps form a thick, crispy Texas-style bark on the brisket when smoked while helping to lock in the meat’s natural flavors.

Use this seasoning method for the highest quality briskets. Ensure you use nothing else but salt and pepper to experience the full, rich flavors of the brisket without any other interfering flavors.

Spiced Smoked Brisket Rub

A spiced smoked brisket rub is another popular option typically used on lower-quality briskets. This rub is suitable for high-quality briskets, but it masks some of the meat’s natural flavors.

This rub adds a lot of intense flavors and is ideal for a strong bark. Best used on a long-smoke brisket.

The ingredients for this rub are:

• 30 grams of coarse ground black pepper
• 30 grams of coarse kosher salt
• 15 grams of onion powder
• 15 grams of garlic powder
• 15 grams of smoked paprika
• 30 grams of coriander
• Strong mustard

This recipe is simple. Combine all of the spices and seasonings into a small bowl, and be sure that they are mixed well.

Spread a liberal layer of mustard onto the brisket to help the spice mix bind to the meat. The mustard also begins to break down the surface layer of proteins on the brisket, which helps to form the crust while smoking.

After spreading the mustard, rub and pat the spice mix onto the brisket. Cover all sides of the meat and be sure that the rub is not falling off as you go along.

This seasoning rub will add intense flavor to the brisket and form an excellent crust while smoking.

The Best Brisket Spray Seasoning Recipe

Another method for seasoning a brisket that not many people use, but I feel should be more widely known, is using a spray for seasoning a brisket as it smokes.

Many brisket smoking methods include spraying the brisket to add moisture to the meat, prevent it from drying out, and increase cooking time to render the meat’s fat properly. However, not all barbecuers realize that this spray is ideal for seasoning a brisket.

The best brisket seasoning spray recipe includes:

• 15 grams of salt
• 7.5 grams of black pepper
• 15 grams of paprika powder
• 7.5. grams of onion powder
• 7.5 grams of garlic powder
• 4 grams of cumin powder
• 4 grams of cinnamon
• 1 liter of hot water
• A shot of good whiskey (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

To prepare this spray:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, and mix them thoroughly.
2. Add in one liter of hot water and allow all of the ingredients to dissolve.
3. Filter the liquid through a paper coffee filter and add the whiskey and Worcestershire sauce.

Pour the seasoning liquid into a spray bottle and use this to spritz the brisket as it smokes to add delicious, juicy, tender flavors to the brisket. This is best used if the brisket is pre-seasoned with only salt and pepper, or the flavors may become too intense.

Conclusion

The best brisket seasonings highlight the flavors of the meat itself. Briskets are delicious, and the seasoning on the meat should add to the taste while never detracting from the flavors.

Texas-style salt and pepper rubs are excellent for seasoning brisket, while using rubs with more mild flavors such as paprika, and garlic powder are great options.

Using a spray to season the meat is an excellent method, as this also traps moisture and keeps the brisket tender while smoking.

Related Article

• Mustard or Olive Oil On Brisket?
• Do You Season The Fat Side of A Brisket?
• Why Do You Spritz Brisket?
• Can You Rotisserie A Brisket?

Sources

https://www.thespruceeats.com/texas-style-brisket-rub-335887