Post Oak Smoked Brisket
A Texas-style smoked brisket with a peppery bark and smoky interior, cooked low and slow over post oak wood. Perfect for feeding a crowd with tender, flavorful beef.
- Total time
- 840 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 487
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion powder
- 1 piece, 12–14 lb Beef brisket (untrimmed whole packer)
- 4 cups Post oak wood chunks (soaked 30 minutes)
- 2 cups Beef broth
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- 1
Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for 1 hour so it reaches room temperature throughout, which helps it cook evenly.
- 2
Pat the entire surface of the brisket dry with paper towels, rubbing firmly across the top, sides, and bottom until no moisture remains.
- 3
Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until evenly combined.
- 4
Sprinkle the rub generously all over the brisket—top, bottom, and all sides—pressing gently so it adheres to the meat.
- 5
Let the rubbed brisket sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, allowing the salt to begin penetrating the meat.
- 6
Fill the water pan of your offset smoker with 6 cups of water, then place the pan on the lower grate below where the meat will sit.
- 7
Arrange the soaked post oak chunks on the hot charcoal fire, adding 3 chunks now; you'll add the remaining chunk in stages during cooking.
- 8
Wait until the temperature inside the smoker stabilizes at 225°F, with steady smoke flowing, about 15–20 minutes before placing the brisket.
- 9
Place the brisket on the upper grate fat-side up, positioning it so it does not touch the water pan or the firebox.
- 10
Maintain the smoker temperature at 225°F by adjusting the air vents and adding charcoal and wood as needed, checking every 60 minutes.
- 11
After 6 hours of smoking, check that the bark—the dark exterior crust—has formed and turned deep mahogany brown.
- 12
Mix the beef broth and apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle, then spray the entire surface of the brisket evenly every 45 minutes for the next 4 hours.
- 13
Continue smoking until the thickest part of the flat (the lean muscle) reaches 203°F when you insert a meat thermometer straight into the center, about 10–14 hours total.
- 14
Remove the brisket from the smoker and place it on a large cutting board, then tent it loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes.
- 15
Identify the direction the muscle fibers run by looking at the flat and point; they should run opposite directions.
- 16
Using a long sharp knife, slice the flat against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices, cutting perpendicular to the fibers so each slice is tender.
- 17
Separate the point from the flat by cutting along the natural seam between them, then slice the point against its grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- 18
Arrange the sliced brisket on a platter with the flat and point sections side by side, and serve warm with the drippings on the side for dipping.
Tools you’ll need
- Offset smoker or barrel smoker with water pan and grates
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Large sharp knife (10-inch or longer)
- Paper towels
- Small mixing bowl
- Fork
- Spray bottle
- Large cutting board
- Aluminum foil
- Charcoal and chimney starter
- Long-handled tongs
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