Unpopular opinion: The brisket at that new joint in Austin is way too sweet

I was at Franklin Barbecue last week and tried their new brisket rub. The first bite hit me with a sugar taste that was just too strong, like they added a full cup of brown sugar to the mix. It totally covered up the good smoke flavor from their post oak. I get trying new things, but this felt like a dessert mistake. Has anyone else tried it and thought the same thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

sageellis26d ago

Funny you mention that, my buddy who works in a kitchen said a lot of rubs use sugar to help with bark formation. Maybe they went too heavy trying to get that perfect crust.

gray_patel26d ago

That's a great point about the sugar. It reminds me of how often we ruin a good thing by pushing it too far. You see it everywhere now, from coffee that's more dessert than drink to bread so packed with seeds it turns to dust. The chase for that one perfect feature, like a bark or a crust, ends up throwing the whole balance off. We forget that sometimes good enough really is good enough.