The Perfect Smoked Brisket Rub Recipe Without Sugar

What is a Brisket Rub?

A brisket rub is a mix of spices that you rub onto your beef brisket before cooking. This brisket seasoning is perfect for a whole brisket, brisket flat, or beef brisket burnt ends. It’s what gives the brisket its delicious flavor. Our focus today is on a homemade dry rub recipe that’s great for beginners and experts alike.

Ingredients + Substitutions

This homemade brisket rub combines simple spices to create a flavorful mix that’s sure to make your brisket a hit. It’s built on the classic SPG rub, which is equal parts kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and granulated garlic.

The goal is a coarse rub with larger granules that are consistent in size for even flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Kosher Salt – The larger crystals in kosher salt are better for flavor. Do not use fine table salt. We use Diamond Crystal brand.
• Coarse Black Pepper – Note you want to use the coarser grain. You can buy these in any store versus the finer powder of table pepper.
• Granulated Garlic – We opt for granulated garlic because the size is similar to the coarse black pepper and kosher salt. If all you have is garlic powder use 2 tablespoons versus the full portion in the recipe.
• Regular Paprika – Smoked paprika can taste bitter as it smokes on brisket so opt for regular, or Hungarian, paprika.
• Onion Powder
• Cayenne Pepper – You can adjust your heat level as you would like. The portions in the recipe card or for a very mild heat flavor.

Best Salt for Brisket

Hands down the best type of salt for brisket is kosher salt. Kosher salt is larger in size than your typical table salt and has better flavor. Because of the combination of the larger granule sizes with the pepper and garlic you have a more pronounced flavor that shows through when the brisket is done.

In general you should ditch iodized table salt for kosher salt or large crystal sea salt. The smaller and more intense table salt is too “salty” and if used in this recipe will overpower the seasoning with too much salt.

Why No Sugar in a Brisket Rub?

Some recipes recommend adding brown sugar to a brisket rub. But when smoking a brisket low and slow for 12 – 16 hours the sugar adds a sweetness to the meat that we simply do not like. We want the savory beef to shine through, not sweet flavors.

So we opt for savory flavors and avoid using any sugar at all in our brisket seasoning. We recommend you consider not adding any sugar.

Step 1: Mix Together

1. Mix the Spices: Grab a medium sized bowl and mix kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

Seasoning Portions

These are general recommendations on seasoning a brisket based on its size.

Step 2: Preparing Your Brisket

Before applying your rub, be sure the brisket is properly trimmed and pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Then apply a thin layer of a binder as a base for the rub. This helps the spices stick to the meat better. For brisket binders we use olive oil or beef broth.

Step 3: Applying the Brisket Rub

Spread your brisket seasoning generously over the entire brisket. Don’t forget the fat side. For the best results, let the rub sit on the brisket overnight. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat, like a dry brine.

If seasoning in advance, then season and wrap in plastic wrap. Store wrapped brisket on a sheet tray in your refrigerator until it’s ready to cook.

Myth: You do not need to let the brisket come to room temperature prior to cooking. Just take it out of fridge, unwrap and get to cooking. It will not warm up in an hour.

Storing

If you are making in advance or have leftovers, put your brisket rub in an airtight container or a mason jar. Keep it in a cool, dry place. This way, you can use it anytime you want to make a great brisket. It will last for up to six months if properly stored.

Tips for the Best Brisket

• Quality Matters: Use a quality brisket for best results.
• Trim: Be sure the brisket is properly trimmed before it’s seasoned.
• Rub in Advance: For a more potent mix, apply the rub a day in advance and wrap the brisket in plastic wrap.
• Resting Time: Let your brisket rest after cooking to keep it juicy.