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Got schooled on brisket at a tiny joint in Lockhart, Texas
I was at Kreuz Market last fall, watching them slice a fatty brisket with no sauce in sight. The guy behind the counter saw me staring and said, 'You're overthinking the smoke ring, kid. It's just a pretty color.' He explained their whole deal is simple salt, pepper, and steady heat, nothing else. Came home and stripped my rub down to just those two things on my next cook. Anyone else have a moment where a pitmaster's simple advice flipped your whole method?
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the_robin1mo ago
Wait, they don't even use garlic powder?
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Kreuz is a temple for a reason, but man, sometimes the Texas gospel gets preached a little too hard. I put garlic powder in my rub for years before some guy online told me it was a sin. The smoke ring thing is a perfect example. It looks cool for photos, but my neighbor's brisket had a gorgeous ring last week and was still dry as a bone inside. @the_robin, I'm with you, a little garlic never hurt anybody. The basics are key, but acting like two ingredients is some magic spell feels like gatekeeping.
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