Watched a pitmaster in Lockhart, TX bark up a brisket with pure black pepper and nothing else.

I was down in Lockhart last weekend visiting family and stopped at this little place off the main drag. The guy running the pit let me hang out for a bit, and I saw him season a whole packer brisket with just coarse black pepper. No salt, no paprika, no nothing. I asked him about it, and he said the meat's got enough salt in it if you do it right, and pepper gives you the bark without hiding the smoke. Has anyone else tried a minimalist rub like that and had it work out?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly_craig1mo ago

Nah, salt brings out the beef. Pepper alone sounds like a gimmick.

kevinrivera1mo ago

Honestly thought the same until I tried it, the pepper really works on its own.

brian32825d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, are we really pretending pepper doesn't need salt to do its job? I mean, pepper is the backup dancer, not the lead singer. Without salt, you're just chewing on dry seasoning that sits on top of the meat. It's like having a burger with no bun - you can do it, but why would you want to? Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a balanced bite where everything plays nice together. Pepper alone feels like showing up to a potluck with just a bottle of water.