patricia_king23•1mo agoProlific Poster

Switched to a dry brine for my last brisket and wow what a difference

I always just rubbed my brisket right before throwing it on the smoker. Then a buddy at the local comp in Kansas City told me to try dry brining it overnight. So I salted that 14 pounder 12 hours ahead of time and left it uncovered in the fridge. The bark came out way crunchier and the salt actually worked its way into the meat. The flavor was more even all the way through compared to my old method. Has anyone else noticed a big change from just a little extra prep time?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.jamie1mo agoOG Member

Hold the phone. I've tried dry brining a few times and honestly I think it's overrated for brisket. Most of that salt just sits on the surface and makes the bark salty as hell instead of seasoning the inside. I get way better results just doing a heavy rub with salt and pepper right before it hits the smoker, letting the fat render and carry the seasoning down. Plus leaving a 14 pound hunk of meat uncovered in the fridge for 12 hours dries out the surface way too much for my taste. The crust gets hard and almost leathery, not the crispy bark I want.

carter.julia1mo ago

Tbh I think the real magic with dry brining isn't just the salt penetration but letting the moisture redistribute. If you wrap it tight in cling film for 24 hours instead of leaving it uncovered, you get way better seasoning without the crust turning into leather. Then just pat it dry right before the cook.