Smoked Beef Brisket
A classic American BBQ centerpiece with a perfect smoke ring and tender, juicy meat. Low and slow smoking creates incredible flavor and melts the fat cap into the meat.
- Total time
- 840 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 14 lb beef brisket (packer cut)
- 3 cups wood chips (oak or hickory)
- 2 cups beef broth
Instructions
- 1
Trim the fat cap on the brisket to a quarter-inch thickness, leaving enough to protect the meat.
- 2
Mix all dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
- 3
Generously coat the entire brisket with the dry rub, working it into all crevices. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 4
Prepare smoker to 225–250°F. Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes, then add to coals.
- 5
Place brisket fat-side up on the smoker grate. Smoke for 6–8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- 6
Spritz brisket with beef broth every 45 minutes to keep it moist.
- 7
Once the bark (crust) is set and color is deep, wrap brisket in butcher paper and continue smoking.
- 8
Smoke until the thickest part reaches 203°F, about 4–6 more hours. The probe should slide through easily like butter.
- 9
Remove brisket from smoker and wrap in foil. Rest in a cooler with towels for 1–2 hours to redistribute juices.
- 10
Unwrap and slice against the grain, starting with the point and flat separately as grain direction differs.
- 11
Serve warm with BBQ sauce, pickles, and onions on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- offset smoker or barrel smoker
- meat thermometer (preferably dual-probe)
- butcher paper
- spray bottle
- sharp brisket knife
- cutting board
- tongs
- cooler with towels
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
