What's your secret to getting a good bark on your brisket?

Looking to experiment this weekend.

That's all? I'm definitely going for the heavy pepper style.

Broncos said:

---

That's all? I'm definitely going for the heavy pepper style.

---

Be careful or it'll taste like pepper jerky

salt, pepper for the most part. more pepper than salt, maybe 3/1 ratio or so.

Bark is more about how much heat and smoke the brisket receives. Do you wrap at all? if so with what?

If you want better bark dont wrap, or if you do want to, use butcher paper but only after the stall (internal temp of 170+). Foil will absolutely steam a brisket and make for weak bark.

Herbes de Provence is what I use. Well that or salt and pepper

Broncos said:

---

That's all? I'm definitely going for the heavy pepper style.

---

My ratio is 60/40 pepper/salt, which comes out perfectly peppery and not overly salty.

Use course spices to achieve better bark. You can sometimes find course ground pepper in the spice aisle but I've had the best luck using a pepper grinder that allows you to vary how course or fine you want. If you set the grinder to the largest setting, the pepper comes out exactly the same size as course kosher salt. Having salt and pepper the same size make them easier to apply evenly.

tlfw378 said:

---

I subscribe to Franklin's formula 50/50 mix salt/course pepper.

---

Yep...I add a bit of garlic and onion powder as well. And I use Dijon mustard as the binder.

Franklin actually suggests not grinding as he wants it a bit milder. He gives a specific size of you can find it, 16 mesh. 50/50 ratio. Kosher salt of course.

I do 50/50 kosher salt and course ground pepper, + 5% garlic powder. Franklin can kiss my ass.

Badia Butcher Block Black Pepper has been great bc it's close to kosher salt size

Duncan Idaho said:

---

You don't grind your own pepper?

---

Fat up or down?

Fat down for me since I use a Kamado Joe. I've done both fat up and down and found that down renders the fat better and I have less charred edges thanks to the shield from the fat since the heat comes from below.

That is my preference but I recommend trying both and see which you prefer.

I make the best brisket I have ever eaten and plenty of people agree with that. No brag. Just fact.

1 part Kosher Salt
1 part Coarse Black Pepper
1/2 part Paprika
1/2 part Turbinado Sugar
1/4 part Cayenne Pepper
1/4 part Garlic Powder
1/4 part Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 part Ground Mustard

I cobbled that together based on rubs I found in a book I bought years ago, "LEGENDS OF TEXAS BARBECUE COOKBOOK".

Plenty of people will say all that is overkill. All I know is it works.

I use a thin mustard slather ti hold my 60/40 s&p rub. I rub around 5 hours before i put it on. Can't taste the mustard but it helps hold the rub a bit and i think helps make a nice smoke ring.

Yep, rub with yellow mustard then 50/50 course salt and pepper. all you need.

I use the recipe for Big Bad Beef Rub on AmazingRibs.com. Like everything else on the site, it has never steered me wrong. And I don't wrap/crutch.

Don't really know. Have tried it with and without. With seems to turn out better for me. It's just anecdotal. Might make no difference at all. But it definitely isn't hurting anything.

A lot of good advice in here. Thanks everyone. I'll report back with results and things learned Saturday night/Sunday.

I don't believe you so how about you prove me wrong.

Here4Beer said:

---

I don't believe you so how about you prove me wrong.

---

Come visit Fredericksburg and I will feed you.

Cow Hop Ag said:

---

I make the best brisket I have ever eaten and plenty of people agree with that. No brag. Just fact.

1 part Kosher Salt
1 part Coarse Black Pepper
1/2 part Paprika
1/2 part Turbinado Sugar
1/4 part Cayenne Pepper
1/4 part Garlic Powder
1/4 part Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 part Ground Mustard

I cobbled that together based on rubs I found in a book I bought years ago, "LEGENDS OF TEXAS BARBECUE COOKBOOK".

Plenty of people will say all that is overkill. All I know is it works.

---

I got that same cookbook as a wedding present and 12 years later it's still my favorite one. Great recipes but the stories and anecdotes about Texas bbq history and regional differences are even better.

Yep.. Great read. I had forgotten how many stories are in it. I didn't remember the name and had to dig it out. It is a good history of BBQ in the state.

1/2 cup of kosher salt
2.5 TBLS of Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup of Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado Sugar)
2 Tbls of Paprika
2 teaspoon of onion

My favorite and makes a great bark.

Glad to see the S&P only curmudgeons aren't out in force on this thread. So many great ways to do it.

But it is a damn solid option.