Brisket Spice and Bark?

tau_ceti

I’ve only made brisket a few times, making it again this weekend. I feel like the moisture is good and although I love spicy food and pepper (I just went to Tallinn and brought back Olde Hansa pepper schnapps…mmmm…). But I feel like the brisket I’ve made is too spicy and too peppery. Anybody have this dilemma and gotten past it? It’s like a stall, but in my brain.

lousubcap

All I will offer is if it is too spicy and you control the rub then dial the spicy contributors back.  A generic salt, pepper, garlic dry rub will produce some great bark and follow-on eats. Search here for the ratios but the main drivers are the salt and pepper.  I go light on the salt and favor "pepper-forward."
Am I being trolled here?  Short answer-Yes!

Foghorn

Agree with @lousubcap.

Black pepper forward is what I'm looking for.  I have made a batch of briskets that were - in my opinion - too salty.  A couple of my BBQ buddies that I trust most agreed with me.  My wife and many others with good palates did not.  Regardless, the next time I dialed down the salt a little and everyone thought it was great.

My short answer is:  It is hard to overrub a brisket but it is possible.

fishlessman

a little sugar might smooth it out for you. im too far away from texas to follow their rules though

tau_ceti

The sugar is an interesting idea… yeah, I’m in NJ… I should be grilling pork roll. 

I also realized that I got my spices backward. It’s not too peppery, it’s too salty. What was I thinking? Well it’s been a year since I last made it. 

Again probably not a Texas idea, but I wonder if white pepper might be a good choice. It would give it an earthier funkiness, could be good.

Elijah

Foghorn said:

Agree with @lousubcap.

Black pepper forward is what I'm looking for.  I have made a batch of briskets that were - in my opinion - too salty.  A couple of my BBQ buddies that I trust most agreed with me.  My wife and many others with good palates did not.  Regardless, the next time I dialed down the salt a little and everyone thought it was great.

My short answer is:  It is hard to overrub a brisket but it is possible.

Agreed. The one time I oversalted I had a huge brisket and went overboard with the thought that it was so large you couldn't over season. It was was still good, but salty. Same result with the tasters. Some people can't get enough salt and couldn't taste the difference between that and previous briskets

fishlessman

with me, the older i get, the less salt i need or want on food

Botch

fishlessman said:

with me, the older i get, the less salt i need or want on food

Same here; the only bacon I can eat anymore is Oscar Meyer's "Reduced Sodium" stuff.  

fishlessman

Botch said:

fishlessman said:

with me, the older i get, the less salt i need or want on food

Same here; the only bacon I can eat anymore is Oscar Meyer's "Reduced Sodium" stuff.  

i low simmer hotdogs before grilling and give canadian bacon a quick rinse under the faucet before going into the cast iron pan. bet that trick works with regular bacon, just a 3 count with cold water.

TechsasJim

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

fishlessman

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Canugghead

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Dumb question, before or after smoking? Deets please.

fishlessman

Canugghead said:

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Dumb question, before or after smoking? Deets please.

Was a thing back 20 or so years here. Put a .25/.5 inch layer white sugar in a lasagna pa n. Flip a fat around in it. Add another .5 inches on top and let it sin in the fridge about 4hours.  You can stack them, just keep adding sugar.  Wipe it all off and add the salt and pepper for the low and slow. Used to use a forum members rub, ken stones red witchy rub I think it was called. Rrp has the recipe for it

Ybabpmuts

fishlessman said:

Canugghead said:

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Dumb question, before or after smoking? Deets please.

Was a thing back 20 or so years here. Put a .25/.5 inch layer white sugar in a lasagna pa n. Flip a fat around in it. Add another .5 inches on top and let it sin in the fridge about 4hours.  You can stack them, just keep adding sugar.  Wipe it all off and add the salt and pepper for the low and slow. Used to use a forum members rub, ken stones red witchy rub I think it was called. Rrp has the recipe for it

Ken Stone had some good ribs back in the day.

forry77

tau_ceti said:

I’ve only made brisket a few times, making it again this weekend. I feel like the moisture is good and although I love spicy food and pepper (I just went to Tallinn and brought back Olde Hansa pepper schnapps…mmmm…). But I feel like the brisket I’ve made is too spicy and too peppery. Anybody have this dilemma and gotten past it? It’s like a stall, but in my brain.

Yeah I've been there too! Too much pepper and heat can overpower the whole dish. Maybe try dialing it back a notch and adding some other flavors to balance it out?

TechsasJim

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Hahaha.   No sir, I have not and do not see a compelling reason to do so (unless persuaded differently).

fishlessman

Ybabpmuts said:

fishlessman said:

Canugghead said:

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Dumb question, before or after smoking? Deets please.

Was a thing back 20 or so years here. Put a .25/.5 inch layer white sugar in a lasagna pa n. Flip a fat around in it. Add another .5 inches on top and let it sin in the fridge about 4hours.  You can stack them, just keep adding sugar.  Wipe it all off and add the salt and pepper for the low and slow. Used to use a forum members rub, ken stones red witchy rub I think it was called. Rrp has the recipe for it

Ken Stone had some good ribs back in the day.

I still make the happy pappy sauce in canned in quart jars every few years. Dry rubbed ribs with the side cut dragged thru the HP sauce is still my favorite

fishlessman

TechsasJim said:

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Hahaha.   No sir, I have not and do not see a compelling reason to do so (unless persuaded differently).

Typical brisket here is a 7 pound select flat with zero fat cap.  It's compelling

TechsasJim

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

fishlessman said:

TechsasJim said:

To each their own when it comes to food.   As a Texas traditionalist, I favor the heavy handed coarse black pepper version as does my family but whatever makes y'all happy is what matters.   

I take it you have never submerged a brisket in a full pound of sugar for a few hours before😁

Hahaha.   No sir, I have not and do not see a compelling reason to do so (unless persuaded differently).

Typical brisket here is a 7 pound select flat with zero fat cap.  It's compelling

Yikes.   Well that’s that then.  

GoldenQ

In the 90s I would smoke brisket with a lot of brown sugar and pepper.   It was a recipe from Earl Campbell and it was always good but a little sweet for me as I am now much older.

tau_ceti

So, I cut way back on the salt and it was fine. I wish that I'd added more actually! The white pepper was a nice touch too, it added flavor and bark without setting off the spice alarm for some of the bland tastebuds in the family (they say they are supertasters... I say they are just used to bland food).  

tau_ceti

I just finished the last of the brisket and pork today, man that's a sad feeling. 

Botch

tau_ceti said:

I just finished the last of the brisket and pork today, man that's a sad feeling. 

That's why we get a weekend at least once a week.