So what do you put on your brisket before it goes on the smoker?

I use brown sugar and sucklebusters rub.

Salt & pepper and sometimes a li'l garlic powder.

^^ this plus a little Cumin.

Last December, I drove across TX, and at one point, found myself in a charming small town. I cannot recall the name. Because I am addicted to exploring local food markets, I went into what I believe was the only food market there and found/bought "LOWE'S Mesquite Brisket Rub" I had no great hopes that this would be useful, but HAD TO try it.....if only because it was there. Yesterday, I used it. ....smoked a brisket with this rub liberally applied to all surfaces (along with garlic pdr.). The results were FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!! The meat developed a bark and had a flavor that was identical to the beef rib I had at Louis Mueller's. I mean "IDENTICAL".

Sucklebusters Hoochie Mama and fresh cracked Black Pepper.

For a crowd I use 1/3 each: salt, black pepper, paprika. That's it.

Yep, that's all you need. One thing I learned a long time ago about briskets is this...real simple/tried all sorts of fancy things like stuffing, injecting, marinating etc etc. You need a good piece of meat, a good pit, good wood, and learn what to do with it!

yep, I normally use a bit of onion powder and/or garlic powder ... salt, black pepper and paprika.

I have tried every type of store bought rub I come across (my spice cabinet is full of various rubs that I have used once or twice)... I usually revert back to keeping it simple as it seems to turn out best.

Brown Sugar, Citrus Apple Juice Spritz and my own rub. GARLIC....LOTS OF CHOPPED GARLIC.

Bad Byron's Butt Rub... Stuff is great on everything.

salt
black pepper
garlic powder

and time will produce a great brisket. Ive tried a lot of things and sometimes simpler is better. Those same 3 things is about all Ill put on a steak too. A little brown sugar on a brisket is good too.

I like a simple rub similar to the ones listed above, however for a store bought try Angelos BBQ rub out of Fort Worth. Another one that kicks up a brisket is Montreal Steak seasoning. Basically a salt, pepper and garlic base anyway. Also if you don't mind MSG try Bill's Texas Season All from San Saba. Good stuff

Texjoy mesquite rub or head country rub.

I love Bill's TX Seasoning ... buy it at Hermann Feed Store in Lampasas ... I didn't realize it had MSG ... great on lots of stuff. I did baked catfish fillet's last night using Bill's as the base with a touch more onion powder & black pepper on mine.

Angelo's

TexasBBQrub.com....the best I've had yet...

Tony Chachere's Spice'n Herbs.

http://bigcountrybarbecue.com/
Hard to beat it!

For nearly everything, I make my own rub/seasoning.

Texas style brisket rubs are always pretty much:
garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, season salt, pepper, kosher salt and sugar.

If I'm doing ribs, I'll add brown sugar.

What Robert said plus sometimes I add cayenne.

Claudes brisket marinade and Smoky Jo seasoning out of Mt. Enterprise TX. Good stuff!

Obie Cue's has some good ones-Smooth Moove and the Big Bull's Brisket Rub are both pretty tasty without being too much.

You can also find tons of recipes on the net and adjust them to taste-alot of them amount to chili seasoning with some sugar mixed in.

Black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

fat side only

smoke fat side up....

rick

All you need is kosher salt and pepper

salt n pepper with steady heat and good smoke