Brisket rubs?

[gillgetter]

I'm going to smoke my first Brisket! Couple of questions for the experts out there. Do you apply rub to the brisket all the time or do you sometimes smoke without rub?
Any suggestions for a real good rub?
Also, do you run the smoke the entire time the brisket is in the smoker? or do you only run the smoke for a few hours and only use heat for the final hours?
Thank you for your help!

[Gizmo]

Most of the time I will use some kind of rub but have done one or two with some simple seasoning like celery salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Doesn't take much more to have a full blown rub though. 

Most will only apply smoke for a maximum of 4 hours.  The rest of the time is just heat.

There are lots of good commercial rubs, or you can make your own. 

click on the recipe site below my post and you can find a lot of recipes and rubs to try.  This link http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137 will take you to the site and Bassman's Brisket Rub.  Here is another link to Habanero Smokers' Beef Rub.  http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=136
Ones that I usually throw together look more like a combination of the two as I use celery salt and worcestershire powder in mine in addition to most of the other ingredients except with the celery salt, I won't put the kosher salt in.  I also use some white pepper as well.   For sugar, when I have added it, I have used turbinado and brown suger (not at the same time though).  My best recommendation is try both.  See if you prefer one more than the other, then modify them to suit your tastes.   

[gillgetter]

Thanks for the info! Also, do you spray apple juice on the brisket when it comes out of the smoker anddo the FTC and is one application of juice all you do right before you wrap it in foil?

Hoping to smoke a brisket this weekend.

[Gizmo]

I will usually sprits with AJ anytime I open the door.  I use a foil boat and put 1/4 inch of AJ or Jack in the bottom.  I pull the brisket out of the Bradley after 4 hours of smoke and finish it in the foil boat in the house oven.  The bradley is just an oven after the smoke is done and my house oven is a convection oven with a temperature probe that I can set for the proper IT and once it is reached, the oven goes to a 150 deg hold mode for 2 hours until I take it out and let it rest.

[gillgetter]

Well, I put a rub on it and it sat in the fridge for 24hrs, I put the 10 lb brisket in the smoker last night and 12 hours later  (this morning) IT was at 196 deg ( i wanted 190 but slept in a little late) took out and applied AJ and FTC left in cooler for 2 1/2 hrs, then sampled. It was very good! It will be the dinner today!!! I was a little concerned that the smoker didn't get above 215 deg, because I read some sites want to have the cabnet temp at 235-250, but it worked out great even tho the outside temp was only 33 deg.
Thanks to everyone that helped with info!!!!!!!

[Gizmo]

I typically don't go over 210 except for any temp swings that may happen with large loads.   Sounds like your efforts were a success.   :D