Smoked Brisket Recipe

This Smoked Brisket recipe gives me juicy and tender results every time with just mustard, salt, and pepper. My method is simple and straight to the point, no complicated steps. If you’ve got the time and a smoker ready to go, this one’s always worth it.

I love BBQ season, and if I get the chance to fire up the smoker while hanging out with friends and a cold beer in hand, I’m all in. Whether it’s a smoked pork butt or smoked St. Louis-style ribs, this is one of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday at home.

Smoked Brisket

Smoked brisket is the process of trimming the fat cap from a packer brisket, which includes both the flat and the point, then seasoning and smoking it until it reaches an internal temperature between 195° and 200°. This cut of meat is often called the king of BBQ, and it takes some finesse to get it right every time.

And for those who aren’t too familiar with cuts, brisket comes from the breast section of the cow, just under the first five ribs. It’s usually sold boneless and divided into two parts, the flat and the point. As a chef, I can say with confidence that brisket really benefits from low and slow cooking. Whether you’re braising or smoking it, keeping the temperature steady and unhurried is what makes it tender and full of flavor.

The price of brisket can vary a lot depending on the grade. I’ve seen it range anywhere from $4.99 to $80 per pound, from standard choice cuts all the way to Japanese A5. When you’re buying, I recommend asking for a whole brisket that includes both the flat and the point in one cut, that’s what I used for my recipe, and I’ll show you how to nail it next.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Brisket – You will need a full-packer brisket for this recipe.
• Binder – This is used to help the seasoning stick to the brisket. Beef tallow, oil, or plain yellow mustard is best.
• Seasoning – I prefer to use sea or kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. See chef notes for more seasoning options.
• Spritzer – This is a spray used to enhance the flavor and keep the brisket moist while smoking. I use apple cider vinegar, which can be cut with water, beer, or even apple juice for a sweet flavor.

How to Smoke a Brisket

Get the smoker ready: First thing I do is bring my smoker up to 250°. I make sure it holds steady at that temperature before adding the brisket.

Trim the brisket: I start by trimming the fat from all sides of the brisket, leaving about a quarter inch of fat on the top to help keep it moist while it smokes. You can check out the video below for a closer look at how I do it step by step.

Add the mustard: Next, I rub yellow mustard all over the brisket, making sure it’s fully coated on all sides. It helps the seasoning stick and forms a good base for the bark.

Season the brisket: I coat the brisket generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Since it’s a big cut of beef, it really needs a good amount of seasoning.

Position the brisket: I place the brisket fat side up with the point end closest to the main heat source. On a pellet smoker, that means near the fire pit, and if I’m using an offset smoker, I set the point closer to the firebox for more even cooking.

Spritz the brisket: After about 3 hours, I start checking for any dry spots on the brisket and give it a light spritz every 60 to 90 minutes. This helps keep the surface moist and builds a better bark as it smokes.

Wrap the brisket: Once the meat has stalled at a temperature between 150° for 175°, where it will not rise in temperature anymore, I remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap it in butcher’s paper or foil and return it to the grill. Be sure to spray it with the spritzer a few times before wrapping it.

Finish cooking: I let the brisket continue to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature between 195° and 200°. That’s when it gets tender and ready to rest.

Rest the brisket: I take the brisket off the smoker and let it rest on a cutting board or sheet tray for at least 30 minutes. This gives the juices time to settle so the meat stays tender and moist when sliced.

Slice the brisket: After it’s had time to rest, I start slicing against the grain from the flat end. This keeps each slice tender and easy to chew.

Keep slicing: Once I reach the point end of the brisket, I turn it and keep slicing. The grain runs in a different direction there, so turning it helps keep those pieces just as tender.

Serve: I like to serve the sliced brisket warm, either on its own or with classic sides. Noted a few of my favorites in the serving suggestions section below.

chef tip + notes

I highly recommend for making my smoked brisket recipe to check the temperature right where the flat meets the point. That spot gives the most accurate read on doneness. It’s something I always do because it helps me catch that perfect window when the brisket is tender but not overcooked.

• Save the fat: After trimming the brisket, I keep the excess fat to render down into beef tallow. It’s great for cooking or adding richness to other dishes.
• Try other spices: Sometimes I mix things up with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, or paprika. All of these work well with brisket if you want to change the flavor.
• Use water in the smoker: When I use an offset smoker, I always place a 9×5 metal pan with water about a foot from the brisket. It helps keep the smoker humid so the meat stays juicy.
• Expect some shrinkage: Brisket tends to lose about 20 to 25 percent from trimming and another 20 to 25 percent during the cook. That’s totally normal, so I always plan for it when buying.
• Wood to use: This is subjective, but I believe you can smoke brisket with pecan, oak, mesquite, hickory, apple, or cherry wood.
• Time per pound: You can count on a brisket taking between 45 and 60 minutes per pound to smoke, no matter the size of the meat.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this brisket piled onto a soft hamburger bun with a scoop of my creamy coleslaw on top. If I’m keeping it classic, I go Texas-style with sliced onions, pickles, and my homemade potato salad on the side.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this smoked beef brisket recipe up to 8 hours ahead of time. Keep it covered in the butcher’s paper at low temperatures (165° – 200°) in the oven before slicing and serving.

How to Store: Cover the brisket and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze if you keep it covered in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and slicing it.

How to Reheat: I prefer to add the desired number of brisket slices to a saucepan with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of beef stock. Cover it with foil or a lid and bake it in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s hot.

More BBQ Recipes

• Deviled Eggs
• Vinegar Coleslaw
• Smoked Pork Butt
• Vinegar-Based BBQ Sauce
• Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs

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Smoked Brisket Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

This Smoked Brisket recipe gives me juicy and tender results every time with just mustard, salt, and pepper. My method is simple and straight to the point, no complicated steps. If you’ve got the time and a smoker ready to go, this one’s always worth it.

Servings: 16

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 12 hours hours

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 15-17 pound fat trimmed packer brisket
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/3 cup sea salt
• 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Prepare your smoker by bringing it up to 250°.
• Start by trimming the fat from the brisket on all sides, leaving about 1/4" fat on the top. Please watch the video below to see intricate details on how to do this.
• Next, rub it on all sides with the yellow mustard making sure it is covered.
• Season it on all sides very well with salt and pepper. Remember, this is a large cut of beef that needs a lot of seasoning to taste delicious.
• Place the brisket fat side up with the pointed end closest to wherever the main heat source is coming from. If you're smoking this on a pellet smoker, this end would be closest to the fire pit. When smoking on an offset smoker, the point would be closest to the firebox.
• After about 3 hours or so, spritz the beef on any dry spots every 60 to 90minutes.
• Once the meat has stalled at a temperature between 150° for 175°, where it will not rise in temperature anymore, remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap it in butcher's paper or foil and return it to the grill. Be sure to spray it with the spritzer a few times before wrapping it.
• Cook it until the brisket reaches an internal temp between 195° and 200°.
• Remove the brisket and let it rest on a cutting board or sheet tray for at least 30 minutes.
• After resting, slice against the grain, starting at the flat end.
• Once it gets to the point end, turn it and slice.
• Serve on a sandwich or Texas-style with onions, pickles, plain white bread, and a small bowl of your favorite BBQ sauce.

Notes

I highly recommend for making my smoked brisket recipe to check the temperature right where the flat meets the point. That spot gives the most accurate read on doneness. It’s something I always do because it helps me catch that perfect window when the brisket is tender but not overcooked.

Save the fat: After trimming the brisket, I keep the excess fat to render down into beef tallow. It’s great for cooking or adding richness to other dishes.

Try other spices: Sometimes I mix things up with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, or paprika. All of these work well with brisket if you want to change the flavor.

Use water in the smoker: When I use an offset smoker, I always place a 9×5 metal pan with water about a foot from the brisket. It helps keep the smoker humid so the meat stays juicy.

Expect some shrinkage: Brisket tends to lose about 20 to 25 percent from trimming and another 20 to 25 percent during the cook. That’s totally normal, so I always plan for it when buying.

Wood to use: This is subjective, but I believe you can smoke brisket with pecan, oak, mesquite, hickory, apple, or cherry wood.

Time per pound: You can count on a brisket taking between 45 and 60 minutes per pound to smoke, no matter the size of the meat.

Make-Ahead: You can make this smoked beef brisket recipe up to 8 hours ahead of time. Keep it covered in the butcher’s paper at low temperatures (165° – 200°) in the oven before slicing and serving.

How to Store: Cover the brisket and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze if you keep it covered in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and slicing it.

How to Reheat: I prefer to add the desired number of brisket slices to a saucepan with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of beef stock. Cover it with foil or a lid and bake it in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s hot.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 89gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 264mgSodium: 2738mgPotassium: 1470mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 9mg

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi