Smoked Brisket Recipe (2024)

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Bookmark this page: this is the only guide to smoking brisket you're going to need! Complete with a tallow rub and easy home-mixed seasoning, my Smoked Brisket recipe is flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Even if you're new to smoking beef, it's easy to get started and make a juicy plate of brisket you'll be proud to share!

Smoking Brisket

You've probably heard this before: smoking brisket is too hard to get right at home. It comes out too dry, or the flavor isn't what you're looking for; either way, isn't a whole brisket too costly to risk getting wrong?

Well, I'm here to tell you that just isn't true: you can smoke brisket at home, and it doesn't have to be a big challenge or hassle! In fact, smoking brisket yourself is just about the most rewarding meal you can make for a BBQ party or a fun weekend dinner.

As someone who has smoked brisket plenty of times, it's much simpler than it seems, I promise. Don't let anyone tell you not to try! I'll show you how to cook a brisket so it's fall-apart tender and flavorful, and most importantly, juicy! No dry brisket here!

It was my first time smoking brisket and was told not to try. I used your recipe and it came out magnificently!!! Thank you!!

Xina on Pinterest

Before you get everything ready to go, keep in mind the brisket has to rest overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

Smoked Beef Brisket Ingredients

• beef brisket
• wagyu tallow* (or olive oil or mustard)
• black pepper
• kosher salt
• paprika
• garlic powder
• apple cider vinegar

*Wagyu tallow is beef tallow, or lard, and can generally be found at the grocery store.

I love using beef tallow or wagyu tallow because of its flavor when smoking beef brisket. It's delicious and keeps the beef nice and moist! However, you don't have to use wagyu or beef tallow. In its place, you can use olive oil or mustard. These are simply binders for the rub!

Check out my step-by-step guide on how to make an amazing brisket rub.

How to Trim Brisket for Smoking

When purchasing a whole beef brisket, you may need to trim some of the fat off. To trim brisket, you will need:

• A long, sharp knife
• A large cutting board that will fit your brisket
• Optionally, food-safe gloves for handling meat

Once you're ready to trim your brisket, follow these steps:

1. Place the brisket fat cap down and carefully trim the silver skin away from the meat on the underside of the brisket. The silver skin is a silvery-white membrane that runs along the meat. This step is optional.
2. Identify the large section of fat near the point cut of the brisket. The point is triangular in shape. Lift the fat piece and work your knife, sawing underneath the fat, to cut it away from the meat. Once you've cut off the excess fat and it's level with the rest of the brisket, you've removed all you need to remove from this section.
3. Trim off any excess fat along the sides, being careful not to take too much off or to remove any meat. The brisket should be nicely uniform.
4. Flip the brisket so the fat cap is facing up. Using your knife, trim the fat cap down so it is about half an inch thick. Don't over-trim - your brisket may need less trimming on one side than the other. Make sure to check the levels of fat so you don't trim away too much.

Note: some cuts will come with less fat than others, so this may not be necessary. You can also ask your butcher to trim it for you if you feel it needs more trimming.

How to Smoke a Brisket

1. If needed, trim excess fat off the brisket following the tips above. Some briskets come with more fat than others, so you may or may not need to do this, depending on your brisket cut.
2. Sprinkle the entire brisket with the salt and place it on a cooling rack.
3. Place the meat in the fridge, uncovered, overnight (8-12 hours).
4. Once chilled overnight, before you begin coating the brisket, begin preheating your pellet smoker to 225°F.
5. Then, spread the tallow around the entire brisket and rub it in well.
   
6. Combine the pepper, remaining salt, paprika, and garlic powder, in a large bowl and whisk well. Pour the rub over the entire brisket and rub it on until every outer portion of the brisket is covered.
   
7. Place some apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and have it near the smoker throughout the cooking process.
8. Place the brisket in the smoker and smoke for 4-6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, spritzing the entire brisket with the apple cider vinegar every hour.
   
9. Once it reaches 165 degrees, remove the brisket and tightly wrap it in tin foil.
10. Place it back in the smoker for another 4-6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees.
11. Allow the brisket to rest for at least 10 minutes and no more than 2 hours. Slice against the grain, serve, and enjoy!

I love topping off my brisket recipe with my homemade BBQ Sauce. Best

I made this tonight and it was truly amazing so tender and juicy. Will definitely be making it again.

@bz4u22003 on Pinterest

How Long to Smoke a Brisket

It takes about 10 hours to smoke an 11-pound whole brisket cut like the one we use in our smoked beef brisket recipe, but it can take more or less time depending on your cut.

The most important part is the time smoking after wrapping the brisket in foil - this will determine how tender it is. The internal temperature should reach around 195 to 205°F. Make sure to use a probe thermometer.

Best Smoked Brisket Recipe Temperature

We smoke brisket at 225°F. Cooking it low and slow gives you the juiciest, most delicious BBQ brisket you will ever eat.

Smoke unwrapped until your brisket temperature reaches 165°F. Then, wrap it in foil. Once your smoked brisket internal temp reaches 205°F, it's ready. Use a meat thermometer for the best results! Follow my Brisket Temp Chart.

Smoked Beef Brisket in the Oven

To cook beef brisket in the oven, you will want to use a smaller cut of brisket, as brisket needs plenty of time to cook. I recommend using a 4 to 5-pound cut instead of the 11-pound whole brisket used in this recipe.

1. Follow the recipe steps as instructed to chill the brisket overnight and to season it for cooking. Let it come to room temperature once ready to cook.
2. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Cover a rack, resting in a roasting pan, with two sheets of foil long enough to wrap around the brisket. Place the brisket, fat side up, in the foil, and loosely wrap. You want a little space between the foil and the brisket.
3. Roast brisket for about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound. That's approximately 4 hours and 36 minutes for a 4-pound brisket. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 185°F, uncover it from the foil and roast it for another hour.
4. Top it off with your favorite barbecue Sauce.

It is truly a match made in heaven! My other favorite way to cook a brisket is in the slow cooker! This recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Brisket can also be prepared in the slow cooker. It's super easy and so delicious! My favorite way to serve this recipe is with Elote!

Best Way to Smoke a Brisket Tips

• You don’t have to use wagyu tallow. You can replace it with 3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil or mustard. These are simply binders for the rub.
• Some cuts of briskets will have a lot of fat on the outside, which you’ll want to cut away since there’s plenty of fat on the inside. This creates a much better setup for cooking the brisket.
• The brisket has to sit so it can reabsorb the juices. If not, you could end up with a slightly dry brisket or a juicy mess.
• If desired, once you wrap the brisket in butcher paper, you can preheat your oven to 225 degrees and let it finish the cooking process that way. The final steps are still the same.

How to Reheat Smoked Brisket Recipes

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
2. Let your leftover beef brisket reach room temperature on a baking sheet, for about 30 minutes.
3. Pour leftover juices from smoking or beef broth over the smoked beef brisket so it will absorb the moisture when reheating and stay juicy.
4. Cover the entire pan of brisket with two layers of foil and tightly seal it around the edges. For cut brisket, reheat for about 20 minutes. For a whole brisket, reheat for about 1 hour.

Beef Brisket Smoker Recipe FAQ

Brisket Cuts

Brisket is a large cut of beef from the front of the cow made up of two parts separated by a layer of fat: the flat cut and the point cut.

• The point cut is also known as the second cut or deckle, though you may also see it called fatty brisket due to its fat content compared to the flat cut.

• The flat cut is leaner than the point cut and has that familiar rectangular shape you might associate with brisket. In BBQ restaurants, you'll see this cut referred to as "lean brisket".

• If you look for a "whole packer brisket", you can also buy the whole cut, which will weigh between 10 and 20 pounds. We're using a whole beef brisket for this recipe. If you have trouble finding a whole brisket at your local grocery store, look for a local butcher.

• Smoker: Pellet smokers like this Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker are perfect for smoked beef recipes. Your smoker must be able to maintain 225°F.
• Aluminum foil: It is key to wrap the brisket in foil after it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
• Meat thermometer: A meat thermometer will help you determine the internal temperature of your beef, and is necessary.
• Spray bottle: You'll need a spray bottle to spritz the brisket every now and then as it cooks. This helps keep it nice and moist throughout the cooking process.
• Cooling rack/baking sheet: You need a baking sheet with a cooling rack to keep the salted brisket in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered.
• Large cutting board: You'll need somewhere to slice the brisket, so I recommend having a large cutting board ready!
• Sharp knife: Have a sharp knife ready for when it comes time to carve.

What to Make with Leftover Brisket

• I love using leftover brisket to make Birria Tacos
• Use brisket instead of roast beef in my Roast Beef Sandwich
• Brisket instead of steak in my Beef Quesadilla
• Brisket Mac and Cheese
• Substitute brisket in this Prime Rib Pasta... it is amazing!

Smoked Beef Recipes

• Smoked Chuck Roast
• Smoked Prime Rib
• Smoked Burgers
• Smoked Tomahawk Steak
• See all of our Best Smoked Beef Recipes and my guide to Roast Beef Cuts!

📋 Recipe