This Texas Rub for Brisket recipe celebrates the Houston area BBQ tradition. While this rub is meant for smoked beef brisket, you can certainly use it on beef plate ribs or low and slow-cooked chuck roasts.
The key to a delicious brisket starts with seasoning. This Texas Rub for Brisket is one of your best odds for a good start. Most pitmasters reach for simple ingredients like SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) in Austin, but in Houston, smoked brisket rubs are much more complex. Here you’ll see the addition of dried herbs, sometimes brown sugar, celery seed, and Hungarian paprika.
What is Hungarian Paprika?
Hungarian Paprika is made from sweet capsicum peppers. It is spicier than regular paprika and has a deep, rich red color. You’ll find this ingredient in Hungarian cooking, particularly in dishes like Ghoulash. Because of its deep color and spicy nature, Hungarian paprika makes an excellent candidate for seasoning rubs like this Texas rub for brisket. If you are looking for a good substitute for Hungarian paprika, we recommend reaching for cayenne pepper. We recommend blending 1/2 teaspoon regular paprika with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for the full effect. You can also add a bit of smokiness to this combination and sub out the 1/2 teaspoons regular paprika for smoked paprika.
Texas Rub for Brisket Ingredients:
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Granulated garlic
- Ground cumin
- Hungarian paprika
- Dried basil
- Celery seed
How to Make it:
- Combine Texas rub for brisket ingredients in a small bowl.
- Make it ahead of time and store the rub in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard for up to 1 year. Check on it periodically, and give it a good shake to prevent caking.
- This Texas rub for brisket recipe makes enough seasoning for one 10-12 pound trimmed whole packer brisket (12-14 pounds untrimmed) or two racks of beef plate ribs.
- We recommend doubling or tripling the recipe for future use.
- Discard any rub that has come into contact with raw meat.
- Pair this Texas rub for brisket with our Brisket Injection Marinade for best results.
- Follow our Smoked Brisket Recipe Guide for helpful tips and tricks.
Texas Rub for Brisket
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Combine Texas brisket rub ingredients in a medium bowl. Apply evenly all over brisket or beef ribs and cook as directed.
- If making ahead of time, store tub in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to 1 year after preparation. Double or triple the recipe for future use.
- Discard if rub has come into contact with raw meat.
- This is enough rub for one large brisket, or two full racks of beef ribs.
Nutrition
Not the Brisket Rub you are looking for? Try my list of the Best Brisket Rub Recipes.
