# Brisket dry rub question



## micker (Jul 31, 2008)

When I did my first smoke, I got a 5lb brisket from a local grocery store, it came in a cryovak pack so I blotted it somewhat dry before putting the dry rub on it.  

I thoroughly covered it with rub, worked it in well and then put it in an aluminum roasting pan in the fridge for the night.  

The next morning I opened the fridge and discovered that my dry rub had turned in to... sludge?  There was a good amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan and the rub was sludge.  The end result was good, but I wondered if shouldnt have put a rack in the pan to elevate the brisket from the liquid.  Or should I just plan better and get my brisket from a butchers shop that isnt cryovack'ed in liquid?

Since it turned out well, should I just keep doing what I did before or change things up?


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## walking dude (Jul 31, 2008)

welcome to MY world mick..........my ribs do the same thing...........thats why I stopped rubbing the nite before. I rub bout 1/2 hour before putting it on the smoker.

If fact.......this weekend, at the IOWA gathering, buzz and I rubbed up the brisketts, and butts, and then put em str8 on the smoker.


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## pitrow (Jul 31, 2008)

that's perfectly normal... it's because the salt in the rub causes an osmosis process that draws the moisture out of the meat. Personally I wrap it tightly with clingwrap before I put it in the fridge overnight, so the "rub juice" will stay in contact with the meat.


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## walking dude (Jul 31, 2008)

mike, that is why i said welcome to my world
i USED to do that with the saran wrap.........it STILL would turn into sludge, and was a mess trying to put it on the grate.........why I stopped doing it the nite before..........just too messy for me


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## micker (Jul 31, 2008)

Well, I'm going to try and wrap it in cling wrap friday and Ill see how that goes.


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## tybo6 (Jul 31, 2008)

Hey Mick,
   I also rub my briskets the night before. I usually do briskets no less than 10 lbs.I always rub em the night before(Try to rub at least 24 hrs before....no less)....After I rub em I wrap very tight in seran wrap and refrigerate.With fat cap up in fridge.....I dont mess with em until bout an hr or hr and half before goin on smoke. I get it out of fridg and let it come up to bout room temp. seems to draw some of juice back up into brisket....I do have a lil juice in the wrap but don't sweat it too much.I throw it on the beast ( my smoker)  fat cap up and let er go.
     If it is workin for ya ,.....dont worry bout the sludge.


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## walking dude (Jul 31, 2008)

ty, don't you find fat cap up, maybe washing off some of the rub?

and who's bubba?   lol


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## micker (Jul 31, 2008)

Well, I don't know if I'll be able to give it 24 hours in the rub...  I wont have a chance pick up the meat until after work friday.  I'll try doing the rub early in the day friday (5 or 6) and see how it goes.


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## abelman (Jul 31, 2008)

I always rub my brisket around 24 hours before and wrap it. When I'm ready to smoke, it's mushey as well. I put on some more rub to dry things up before it hits the smoke. 

I let the smoke and the heat do the work and the bark is fine. I also do fat cap down as I prefer a good bark. One mistake I think some people make is mopping too early. I never mop until I have a good bark and internal temps are 140-150. Then, don't mop too heavy or it goes soft again. 

I usually marinate my brisket so I'm not too concerned about mopping. I also marinate in Italian dressing. So, when I'm done, I don't add mustard. I just put the rub on top of the leftover dressing which serves as a glue. I get plenty of flavor that way and really don't need to mop.

That said, when I go to foil, I pour some apple juice in the bottom of the foil, wrap it up, and let it finish to 180, pull it off and into the cooler it goes for an hour or two. I usually always do flats so I slice it (the 180). 

Here's what we get and I like it sliced thin:


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## walking dude (Jul 31, 2008)

nice looking briskett there abel...........tho i am not a big fan of Itie. Dressing as a marinade.......i LOVE it on sandwiches and salads, but the smoke must have summin to do with changing the flavor of it........also, NICE smoke ring.......our brisketts and butts speed raced to finish last weekend, so it didn't have much smoke ring AT all........  =(


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## Dutch (Jul 31, 2008)

Yep, that rub sludge is normal. I'm like Abel-apply rub the night before and wrap with plastic wrap-pull from the fridge while getting the smoker up and running and apply another coat of rub to the meat before putting it into the smoker.


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