Homemade Brisket Rub

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Give your meat a sweet and smoky burst of flavor with this homemade brisket rub. You’ll want to make brisket again and again with this seasoning.

There is nothing better than a brisket cooked to perfection. Well actually, one that’s covered in this rub and then cooked to perfection would be even better. You all know I love to prepare a brisket, be it my Jewish brisket, root beer brisket, or a slow cooker brisket. They are up there with one of my favorite meals to prepare.

You can buy a pre-marinated brisket or dry rubs at the store, but why spend more when you already have all of the ingredients at home? And this way, you can control the flavors that go into your meat and make it sweeter, spicier, or smokier. Once you taste this homemade brisket rub, you will want to put on everything.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It is so rewarding making your own rubs and spice mixes for your food because you really have control over the flavors that go in.
The smoky flavor of the smoked paprika is divine with this meat.
You can make as much of this rub as you like, then store it for later use.
It takes just 5 minutes to make!

Ingredients

This is a recipe that can be altered to fit whatever you have in your spice cabinet, but most of these ingredients are readily available at your local grocery store.

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp coriander seeds, gently crushed
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mustard powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

How to Make Homemade Brisket Rub – The Steps

Step 1: Pour all the ingredients into a bowl and mix with a spoon until nicely combined.

Step 2: Place in an airtight container and store in a dry place.

Variations

You can alter this rub as much as you like. Use what you have on hand, or go to the store and pick up some new ingredients to change the flavors! Here are some ideas:

Spicy brisket rub: Make an even spicier rub by incorporating more cayenne pepper and/or add in some ginger powder, chili powder, and cumin.
Asian-inspired brisket rub: Mix together some soy sauce powder, brown sugar, Chinese five-spice, ginger powder, sesame seeds, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder for an Asian-style brisket.
Mocha brisket rub: Yes, coffee and chocolate are amazing on a brisket. Mix some ground coffee, cocoa powder, brown sugar, chili powder, salt, and pepper. It will rock your world.

Serving Suggestions //

This recipe is obviously to go on a brisket, but don’t feel limited to just this type of meat. You can also rub it on chicken, steak, pork chops, ribs, or lamb. I hesitate to recommend this rub for fish because the flavors can overpower a delicate dish, but feel free to try your hand at any of these.

FAQs

My rub is really spicy, why is this?

Some smoked paprikas are a little spicy, so look for a sweet one if you aren’t a fan of chili. You can also leave out the cayenne pepper if you prefer, but I find that most of these spices level out once cooked.

I don’t have garlic powder, can I use fresh garlic instead?

You can use fresh garlic in the brine when cooking the brisket, but you can’t put any fresh ingredients into your rub as it will clump and won’t stay fresh if stored. The same goes for any herbs.

What size brisket can you use this rub for?

It can be used for a 6-pound brisket or smaller. You can easily double or triple the quantity of your brisket rub, or make even more if you like, because it can be used over and over.

How to Store Homemade Brisket Rub

Be sure to store your brisket rub in an airtight jar or container. Keep it in a cool, dry place like the pantry of cabinet for up to 4 months. The sugar may clump over time, so if you are planning on keeping your rub for upwards of a couple of weeks, combat this by placing a few grains of rice in your rub to absorb any moisture.