The Food Safety Mistake To Avoid When Applying Brisket Rub

If you have raw brisket lying around, you have the perfect opportunity to apply a tasty rub. Infusing spices and adding more flavor to your brisket before cooking it is a delicious way to give it spicy, smoky, and savory notes. But if you're not careful, it's also an easy way to get you or your family sick.

Dry rubs (which are different from marinades) are best massaged into your brisket with your hands, since they may not stick on so easily otherwise. However, anytime you touch raw meat, you'll need to pay attention to where else your hands are going. It's all too easy to stick your fingers back in the mix of spices after you've finished with your brisket since it's difficult to tell the difference between what's touched the raw stuff and what hasn't. But if you do this, you risk cross-contamination, as potentially harmful bacteria from your meat can taint your leftover rub — meaning you'll essentially have to toss it. This also applies to any utensils, which shouldn't go back into your mixture after they've touched uncooked beef.

So how can you apply a dry rub on your brisket without getting everyone in your house sick? As we mentioned, you'll want to avoid sticking your hands back in the bowl after you've touched raw meat, so try to get the full amount that you want to use all at once. Aim for one tablespoon per pound of brisket, and rub it around every inch of surface area to coat your protein completely. 

If you find that you need more rub after your hands have touched the raw meat, you have a few options. You can wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, and stick them back in when dry to dig out more spices. Or, you can use a clean spoon to pour more rub onto your brisket (washing it if it touches your tainted hands). With a wet rub, you'll want to first spread your mixture on your beef with a spoon, then switch to your hands to rub it in fully, so make sure to wash your utensil afterward.

A third option, of course, is to touch your rub again with dirty hands and toss it afterward. However, this would be a waste, since these mixtures can last for up to six months if you keep them in an airtight container. Once you're all done, be sure you thoroughly wash any cutting boards, knives, or countertops that touched your raw brisket.