The BEST Brisket Rub
On May 09, 2022 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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This brisket rub is a beautiful salt and pepper-based rub that has 4 added seasonings to bring out the richness of the brisket while amplifying the overall flavor of your perfectly smoked brisket. I’m not kidding when I say it is the best brisket rub around! If you’re looking for a rub for smoking a Texas-style brisket, this is the one!
Smoked Brisket Rub
This rub is a great savory rub when you are looking to kick things up a notch when smoking brisket. A good rub will accentuate the flavors of the beef without overpowering them, and this rub does just that. It only contains 6 ingredients, many of which you likely have in your pantry right now. Simpy mix them in a small bowl and store them in a airtight container (I like using these glass spice bottles) for storing all my homemade spices and rubs, and they will last at least a month. The longer you store this rub, the more you lose the potency of the seasonings. While it can last longer, I highly recommend using in less than 4 weeks.
This rub is gorgeously balanced. Salt and pepper add a classic base, onion powder and garlic powder bring earthy, aromatic elements, and the smoked paprika adds color and a kiss of flavor. The coriander is a bit acidic, and it almost tastes citrusy. It’s a bright note to lift the flavor of the beef.
Beef Brisket Seasoning
This rub is perfect when liberally coated on beef brisket. It begins with a salt and pepper base in equal parts. This simple mixture is often called a Dalmatian rub by Texas pit masters. If you’re a beef brisket purist, you’ll likely stick to these two simple seasonings. Although, if we’re being honest, I’ve spent a lot of time in central Texas, working with pitmasters in some of the biggest restaurants there, and none of them use salt and pepper only, I like to get a little adventurous with my flavors and try something new.
Enter: Susie’s flavor-packed beef brisket rub for smoking. By adding my own flavor profile of onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground coriander to the salt and pepper base, this rub beautifully compliments the richness of beef without being too overpowering.
The most important part of this rub is the pepper and salt. And believe me when I say you can’t use fine ground table salt or fine black pepper like you would put in your shaker for this rub.
For best results, use coarse grind or restaurant grind black pepper and coarse salt (I find the best for rubs is Morton kosher salt). It is a flat, almost flaky salt with a nice, clean flavor. By having more coarse granules on the outside of a brisket, they help to form the crispy bark on the outside of the brisket.
Ingredients for the Best Brisket Rub
The ingredients in this brisket rub are key to having a beautifully balanced, fantastically flavorful brisket. This rub combines 6 flavorful elements to help you achieve the best-flavored brisket around.
- Coarse kosher salt
- Coarse black pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Ground coriander
How to Make Brisket Rub
Once you have all the ingredients assembled you’re ready to make this brisket rub! It’s so ridiculously easy to make rubs from scratch at home, and this one is no exception! Here’s how to make this brisket rub recipe.
- Combine. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Use a fork to evenly mix and break up any clumps that form.
- Use or store. This rub is ready to be used immediately, or you can store it for later use. I like to make my rub ahead of time so it’s ready to go when I make my brisket. I store all my homemade rubs and seasonings in these glass spice jars and they fit right in with my storebought seasonings.
Beef Brisket Recipes
This rub is made to perfectly compliment the low and slow smoked flavor of beef brisket. Check out these recipes below to begin smoking a brisket.
- Texas Crutch: Smoked Brisket in Foil
- Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
- How to Smoke a Brisket
- Drunk Brisket with Bacon BBQ Sauce
Best Brisket Rub Recipe
Here’s hoping this brisket rub recipe helps you make the most amazing Texas-style beef brisket of your life. If you need a quick refresher on making a brisket, best sure to check out my post for Brisket 101. I cover all the basics to making an awesome brisket.
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Quick note: This post was originally published in July 2019. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Brisket Rub
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons coarse black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
Instructions
- Combine. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork to crush any clumps of seasonings.
- Use or store. This rub can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey Susie! This brisket seasoning was spot on for our latest brisket! Been searching for the perfect recipe and you nailed it! Used your coating with a bone marrow injection. Left some extra fat to protect the flat and WOW! Keeping rockin’!
Same here. I heat up a brick on the grill and set in the bottom of the cooler on a towel, then the wrapped brisket, then more towels. After 4 hrs, it will still be at 180.
Right on the money. It will plateau at about 180-185 deg. Just keep at it and it will break through. Longer you rest it, the more tender and juicy it will be. I rest mine in a styrofoam box lined with towels. Seen people rest them in an igloo cooler. Good luck.
Tried this rub recipe and let me say, wow. Didn’t have the coriander unfortunately, we thought we did when we was at the store. When we got home, stores were already closed so all I can say is oh well. The rest of the recipe though worked like a charm. Definitely use the Kosher salt and corse black pepper. The Paprika, while I am not a fan of it, was the perfect compliment to the rub. Excellent and highly recommend.
Hey, I am thinking of smoking a 5 lb. brisket using this recipe. Do I cook at 225 degrees until it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees, then wrap in the butcher paper, put back on the grill, then take off the grill when internal temp is 202 degrees? Then let it rest for how long? 30 minutes? Thanks!
That sounds like a perfect plan! You can rest from 30 mins up to about 4hrs and I’d probably recommend about an hour of resting.
I would recommend a rest for atleast 2 hours. Great rub recipe!
This was really good but going to half the paprika next time, it was a little too much and competed with the natural flavors of the smoked brisket. Thanks for all the great info on trimming and cooking it helped my first brisket go a lot smoother and got a lot of compliments.
Susie, I tried your brisket rub with a mustard rub at first just like you said in the video but I added a half cup of dark brown sugar to it. I had a 19 lb. brisket, I left 1/4″of fat like you said and it was the best tasting brisket I have ever had. It had a smokey taste and very tender and juicy. I’ve been told before to leave the fat on without trimming it. Not any more. I always put my brisket after it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees in a cooler wrapped in foil for 2 hours. I just want to thank you for the recipe, we finally found one we like. Thanks again
Making this today. What if my brisket is 4 or 5 lbs
Would this still be cooked at 225 for 1.5 hours per lb. Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you. Marlene
Yes, just make sure you watch your internal temperature closely!
What should the internal temp be? I’m new….
Check out this post about smoking brisket! https://heygrillhey.com/how-to-smoke-a-brisket/
I don’t care for coriander. Can you suggest a substitute? I, too, am a big fan! Thanks!
You can just omit, it’ll be great!
How long would I cook a smaller brisket in the oven? I don’t have a smoker.
It’s hard to say. I plan about 1.5hrs per pound at 225, but the timing always varies. Make sure to give yourself an hour to rest, and plenty of time if the cook takes longer than expected. Make sure you cook to internal temperature and not time.