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Salt & Pepper brisket bs

Equal parts by weight on the S&P and a 1/3 part by weight on additions is about perfect to my pallet.
 
bbq1980 said:
Thanks for this advice. I've been keeping tabs on this thread all week. So since changing my rub will be among the adjustments I plan on making for my second brisket, what is typically recommended, with respect to ratios, going by weight as opposed to volume?

Something like 2 parts kosher salt to 1 part course ground black pepper to 1 part granulated garlic? Or cut back on the salt and go 1:1:1?

I'll whip out the kitchen scale and apply the rub lightly, as others have suggested (as opposed to a thick coat like for a butt).
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You don't want more salt than pepper. It is possible to over-salt a brisket. It is nearly impossible to accidentally use too much black pepper.
 
Andrew said:
40% - kosher salt
40% - black pepper
10% - garlic powder
10% - onion powder
a splash of paprika for color

thats all i use on my briskets.

my father in law has been in the cooking business all his life, never used any seasonings, after speaking to a friend and owner of a resturant who spoke to franklin, he switched to S&P (my father in law that is) and will always go that route.

i care not for all the fancy expensive rubs, brisket doesnt need much
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I am wanting to try the more simplified rub on our next brisket cook...taking place this Friday! I like your ratios that your shared there, thanks!

Angel :angel:
 
bander7003 said:
I don't know. If he's winning awards against more than 100 other cooks by using sale and pepper, why would he feel the need to do much else in his restaurant? Maybe he used to use something different, maybe he still does. But if the people love a simple S&P rub, why would he do anything different?
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Meh ... is it flavored salt and special pepper? :wink:
 
Salt&Pepper is a Central Texas classic for beef. I also watched the show BBQ Paradise (Travel Channel). I would think garlic powder is also in the rub. S$P and garlic powder rubs do very well in the Austin, San Marcos and New Braunfels areas and even South towards Victoria, TX.
 
I find it is possible to overdo black pepper on brisket, my tenant does that all the time. All you taste is black pepper, acrid burned black pepper. He loves it.

I do:
3 parts kosher salt, I use Redmond RealSalt
2 parts medium grind black pepper (#16 screen is about right)
no more than 1 part total of any other ingredients, if any. For me, that is typically granulated garlic and onion in equal parts. I see no reason for paprika or chile powder for color. I will add some for flavor, but, it does burn and can become acrid.
 
Not to throw a wrench in the works, but when you are measuring kosher salts, Diamond Crystal salt weighs in at 4.8oz/cup, Mortons at 8oz./cup, so it's important to know the weights of ingredients, as weight is usually more consistent a measure than volume (if you have a good scale!).

Franklin's YouTube vids are fairly interesting and certainly worth a look if you're just getting started. Not sure he reveals everything, but he doesn't appear to hide much either. I don't always agree with him (pecan too strong for brisket?!?), but then that's what makes this a great country - everyone is entitled to their opinion.
 
aawa said:
I also have a hunch that some people are really laying the S&P rub on really thick. You do not want to get the Salt and Pepper rub caked on like you do with regular rubs on a pork butt. You want a nice light even coating of it. I have done 50/50 salt pepper with morton's kosher salt and course ground chef's black pepper and it turned out great.

Watch Aaron Franklin's video that he does prepping the brisket and you will see he only lightly coats the brisket with the S&P rub.
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Yep.

Someone else upthread mentioned Louie Mueller, however. There's a video somewhere out there on the internets in which Wayne Mueller says 90/10 pepper/salt ratio for his rub.
 
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Aaron Franklin is no different than Johnny Trigg or any of a dozen excellent BBQ guys. THEY DON'T TELL ALL THEY KNOW.

Its better to study their technique, than worry about their BBQ secrets.
 
Ole Man Dan said:
Aaron Franklin is no different than Johnny Trigg or any of a dozen excellent BBQ guys. THEY DON'T TELL ALL THEY KNOW.

Its better to study their technique, than worry about their BBQ secrets.
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Excellent sage advice
 
Hearing people say that the 50/50 salt and pepper is too salty reminds me of when people on BBQ forums talk about Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning the same way. Read the label. Nowhere does it say that Tony's is a rub. Its a seasoning. More accurately a seasoned salt. You have to use it for what it is. If you put on a heavy coat of Tony's on anything it will be both too salty and too spicy.

The S&P is the same.
 
I used John Lewis's recipe on a 5lb flat this week. Had never heard of using pickle juice before so I was a little hesitant, but it turned out fantastic. Best brisket I've done in 3 years of smoking.
 
Just a few years ago I took Paul Kirk's class. I was talking with him about different regional styles. Having never had Texas BBQ I mentioned that I had heard that many great places over there only put salt and pepper on their briskets.

He looked at me and said that's almost right. Its not salt and pepper. Its pepper and salt. This would support the measure by weight philosophy.

I know Paul Kirk is not a Texan, but lets face it. He knows what's up.
 
Pickle Juice? Really? Sometimes I think these guys just say things to throw people off. If you do put pickle juice on the brisket, I think it would have the same effect as mustard... nothing other than a binding agent for the rub. Now, if you inject with pickle juice, I think the results would be a bit more noticeable... and I for one, don't think I would want to notice that! Just saying.
 
Jramey0406 said:
50% salt, 25% pepper and garlic powder is great on anything
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This is exactly what I use. And I don't bother with weighing it either. Not for BBQ. I think that the real reason that some people think that mix is too salty is because they are using standard table salt and don't wrap. A half cup of iodized table salt will weigh more than a half cup of coarse Kosher. I use Kosher and it comes out perfect for me every single time, even for grilling. I also wrap so I know that quite a bit of that outside salt will liquifiy off and into the juice so when I do brisket I LOAD that guy up.... Many variables at play.
 
thunter said:
Pickle Juice? Really? Sometimes I think these guys just say things to throw people off. If you do put pickle juice on the brisket, I think it would have the same effect as mustard... nothing other than a binding agent for the rub. Now, if you inject with pickle juice, I think the results would be a bit more noticeable... and I for one, don't think I would want to notice that! Just saying.
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Dude, it really is a thing. To add acid and a little other flavor. A homemade mustard using red wine vinegar would be superior. IMHO
 
BBQchef33 said:
I cooked almost 1000lbs of brisket with Aaron last year at meatopia... he mixed his rub in a 5 gallon pail right in front of me..

salt & pepper. That was it.. 45 briskets, cooked on a double lang using oak. He did spray the briskets during the cook.


it was a peoples choice event with over 100 chefs cooking their specialties.



Aaron won.
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I have known John since 2010, when I met him at Smokin in Mesquite. He is a great guy who will help most anyone. I know that he likes to help people cook better BBQ, and even gave another team some advice and sauce at a contest. If he says he has never cooked a brisket with salt and pepper (only), you can take that to the bank. That is not to say that Aaron doesn't do it that way now, but John didn't do it that way when he cooked there.

John is a guy who wants to cook the best product that he can. He doesn't buy premade/precooked products. Everything served at la barbecue starts out raw and unseasoned.

John is able to give advice because there is more to cooking than just the recipe. The spices are just part of the equation. A good cooker is critical, but there are some skills that the cook must possess.

I consider John a very strong competitor at a contest. He was wearing out his shoes at awards in Mesquite last time I was there.
 
Bludawg said:
'


:twitch:I smell something I think it is an opinion. Lots of folks on here boil their BBQ... what's this you say?¿ The boiling point of water at sea leveled is 212° F stocks, juices ect are 99.9% water.Cook temps over 212°F when added to a closed foil pouch will boil, if your meat is in the pouch YOUR A BOILER OF BBQ.
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I know we're talking symantics here but foiling meat is not boiling its braising.:rolleyes: You're right though most people foil(me included):clap2:
 
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