I just smoked a brisket over the Memorial Day holiday and it was really good. Used the modified ECB and found it is labor intensive but all in all when the meat came off the smoker everyone inhaled it readily. I do have a question on your rub. I know you don't like to use sugar on the beef but in following your rub recipe exactly it did seem a bit salty. Sooooooo I have a couple of questions. The first is this, will the sugar burn if I control the temp in the 225 range? Second, in using your steak rub is it supposed to get really dark, but not really crispy along the fat layer on the top of the brisket? Should I turn the brisket over periodically to get that nice bark? Thanks

Hey rugster, welcome!!

Sorry the rub came out a bit salty! I actually use Kosher salt and that is probably the problem. I better make that clear in my recipe! You should use about 1/2 as much table salt as the recipe calls for....thanks for pointing that out!!

Sugar burns at about 265º, so, if you keep your temps below that it will not burn. HOWEVER, it will turn real black. But, ANY meat will turn almost black when exposed to heat for many hours....no matter if you are using sugar or no sugar.

In regards to the brisket and the fat cap....don't even bother seasoning that fat...NOTHING will penetrate it. I suggest doing one of 2 things...they both work out very good in the end product.

Trim the cap completely off and season both sides. When the meat hits 160-165º, foil and put back in the smoker until it is done. Use a probe to poke and check for doneness. Once done, open the foil and add 1/4 - 1/2 cup beef broth, re-season the brisket and wrap back in foil and let rest for 1 hr. minimum.

Leave the fat on and cook your brisket with the fat cap down. Season only the top. Then, mop at about the half way point and then again at the half way point...eg....in a 10 hr. cook, mop after 5 hrs., then again 2 1/2 hrs. later, then again 1 1/4 hrs. later, etc. Once finished, place the brisket on a large piece of foil fat side up, scrape that fat cap completely off and pour aboput 1/4 - 1/2 cup of beef broth over it. Then season that top side and wrap. Let this rest for at least 1 hr.

In both cases, when ready to serve, reserve the juices and mix in with your sauce.

The foiling will help to soften that bark...after cooking for that long it can get really dry and end up much too hard. You will still have the concentrated flavor of the bark, it will just be a little softer.

Hope this helps!