Brown sugar?

I think brown sugar used in moderation is a good addition to a rub, just make sure it doesn't burn on

I use the brown sugar mustard rub on pork, beef and venison its absolutely delicious

I'm not even a mustard guy!  The rub Is the only time I ever use mustard. Try it you'll like it.

It really what ever you like.. traditional is salt and pepper that is pure Texas. But cumin and paprika with garlic powder added in works too.. but find your combination and stick with it.. the trick to Brisket is to eliminate the variables.. same temp same Rub same injection.. the piece of meat should be the only variable...

My pig and poultry rubs are on the sweet side, beef much less so. But, ignore the " Rules " and do what YOU like. Born in NJ and was sent to Cali for a job and took my brother along. Went out for Pizza, did the East Coast Pick Up and Fold of a slice and took a big bite. The manager walked over and with a condescending tone informed my brother and l, "Gentlemen, there is a reason there are plates, forks and knives on the table. " I looked at him, smiled and said, " l think it's great that you already have them on the table for folks that don't know how to eat pizza! " I use Liquid Smoke on Pulled Pork when l don't feel like messing with the Smoker. I drink Red Wine with White meat and Fish and put Parm Reggiano Cheese on Shrimp Scampi, 'cause that is what l like!...JJ

Personally, I'm a salt and pepper guy when it comes to brisket. That's how I grew up eating them and that's what I like. But, as stated above, it's all personal preference. If you were happy with the results, who cares! There's really only two hard and fast "rules" or things you Have to do;
1. Put the meat on the smoker

And 2. Wait till it's done

That's it! Everything else is personal choice. Sometimes we make bad choices and we learn. Other times we make good choices and we learn. At the end of the day, outside of competitions or commercial restaurants, we're smoking meat to shove into our faces. So as long as we're happy, it's perfect!

Lance

Chef JJ and Al are experts in my opinion.. Yes its about what you want but the sugar IMHO serves what we would have called in the service collateral duties. First and importantly it offsets some the salt. Sugar and salt are like plus and minus (a sliding scale) although not at equal rates. That balance is important unless you want to re-adjust your rub for lack of that sugar. If you change sugar types, say light brown and raw, they  have different chemical make ups due to how they are produced. Raw sugar or what now referred to as turbinado, has a slightly higher smoke point. I understand from folks much smarter than me that the Turbinado can take more heat hence more forgiving when you get a temperature spike.  That dark color the sugar adds you want to be caramelization and not the burnt char.

I am lucky since I was brought up in sugar cane country to have raw sugar available for free. It was kind of like the difference between a Pop's hair cut on the back porch and getting a real barber's haircut...LOL I couldn't wait to keep brown sugar in my kitchen and not that old raw stuff. Then like everything else the worm turned and it was popular. But I am getting side tracked.

Another reason for the sugar is it ease of change thru the physical properties. With just a hint of any fluid sugar liquefies from its crystalline state. Then with a slight amount of heat it will return to a crystal state. What this helps to achieve is a nice moisture seal while smoking, although too high a temperature it will burn. I think of it like an M&M, that hard candy shell helps keep that chocolate inside. Well I think the sugar does the same helping the meat retain moisture.

I build my rubs without sugar because I apply the rub 24 hours ahead of smoking to get good permeation into the meat. Then just before I add the meat to the smoker I rub it with light brown sugar (my personal preference, its store bought ROFL). Usually it’s all liquefied before I can get it on the smoker. I live in Louisiana and its humid.

It affects the salt taste, it helps hold more moisture & it burns. Three things to remember.

So IMHO sugar means a lot more than just a taste difference. But that’s just me.

I use brown sugar in my pork rub.. But it's like I say the rubs and the smoke are what make each smoker unique, cause at the end of the day we are gonna use what we like!! Keep on smoking! Good smokes

Great observation about carmalized sugar and moisture retention...food for thought.

Walt