Best Smoked Brisket Recipe

Brisket is often overlooked and is treated as a mere recipe.

However, in order to make the perfect smoked brisket, you need to pay attention to details on how to cook it.

Yes, the recipe itself is amazing since it is where you are going to induce as much flavor in it but it is equally as important as the process and the skill that you develop through time.

Take note that you are going to make mistakes the first time that you are going to do it especially when you are new to slow and low cooking or smoking.

The important thing, however, is to remember those mistakes and use them as a stepping stone by treating them as a learned skill and avoiding those mistakes the next time you cook a brisket.

If you are relatively new to smoking meat, we advise that you use pork butts as they are easier to cook.

Even if you overdo it, there would not be as many consequences compared to beef.

If you want to order the best quality brisket then I would suggest you look into Snake River Farms as they have the best quality brisket and beef products.

If you want to make a Poor Man’s Brisket then we have that recipe posted on the blog too.

The great thing about smoking brisket is that you can cook like a pro pitmaster once you have mastered the basics.

From there, it will be nothing but an easy and smooth process.

If you consider yourself as a person who is past the basics of smoking a brisket, then all you need is a few tips and the perfect recipe to make the best tender brisket.

In this post, we have a recipe that will be great and easy to follow and it is the best brisket recipe.

We will also put some tips by the end so your cooking can be easier.

MY BEST Smoked Brisket Recipe

Ingredients

– 15-pound packer brisket 

– A quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil

For the Rub

– 1/3 cup Kosher salt

– 1/3 cup of garlic powder

– 1/3 cup of ground black pepper

Procedure

Step 1. Trimming

The process of making the perfect smoked brisket starts the day before cooking.

You will need to trim off the excess fat from the brisket before going ahead.

Removing the fat will let the brisket absorb more of the spices that you are going to use from the rub.

This way, the meat will be tastier and more tender.

Step 2. The Rub

Mix all the dry rub in a bowl.

Get the brisket and rub it with olive oil, be generous and rub oil all over the meat to make sure that the dry ingredients will stick to it.

Then rub the dry ingredients on the meat liberally.

Make sure that you get it all over the meat and place it on a pan and then refrigerate overnight.

Step 3. The Following Day

Once the brisket has sat with the rub overnight, preheat your smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and get your meat probes ready.

It is best to use wood as fuel to get more smoke.

Insert one meat probe into the flat of the brisket and the other one is to monitor the interior temperature of the smoker or the cooking chamber, particularly.

Step 4. Wrapping

Once the meat probe on the brisket reads 165, remove the brisket from the chamber and then place it on a pink butcher paper and wrap it around.

Remove the meat probe and then wrap the brisket.

Put the meat probe back into the brisket at the general area where the heat will be even or on average before putting the meat back in the smoker.

Step 5. Return the Meat

Place the meat back into the smoker and let it cook again at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

This will take a few hours and once the brisket reaches 195 degrees, remove it from the smoker.

If you go higher, it will still be great.

You can go for a meat temperature between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit and it will still do.

Step 6. Remove the Brisket

If the temperature checks out, you can then remove the brisket out of the smoker and then let it rest for an hour.

Do not remove the wrapper of the brisket to keep it warm and moist.

Place it inside a cooler to keep the temperature of the meat and then cut and serve when ready.

If you do not have the time to wait for the brisket to soak in the rub overnight, then we have another recipe that is quick, in terms of cooking the meat right away.

Smoked Brisket Recipe (on the same day)

Ingredients

– 12 pounds of beef brisket flat and point

– 1/2 cup of ground black pepper

– 1/2 cup of Kosher salt

Procedure

Step 1. Trim and Rub

Again, trim the excess fat of the brisket so it can absorb more of the spices.

Then, mix the ground black pepper and Kosher salt in a bowl.

If the meat is frozen, thaw it until it reaches room temperature and then rub the salt and pepper all over the brisket before letting it rest again for another hour.

Step 2. Preheat

While waiting for the brisket, preheat the smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and bring it up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure to use premium wood for smoking.

Step 3. Cook

Get the brisket and place the point side closest to the heat source.

Close the lid of the brisket and leave it smoking for at least 6 hours and the temperature inside the meat has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is recommended that you keep the lid closed until this point.

Unless truly necessary, do not open the lid to keep the heat inside and the smoke to be induced in the meat.

Step 4. Remove the Brisket

Once it reaches the temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the brisket from the smoker and then turn down the heat to 200 or 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wrap the brisket in aluminum foil and then place it back in the smoker.

Continue smoking the brisket for another 6 to 8 hours.

Step 5. Resting

After it has been smoked the whole day, remove the brisket from the smoker and let it rest while it is still wrapped.

Use towels to cover it and put it in the cooler to insulate the meat.

Bring it out of the cooler after an hour or two, cut it properly, and serve!

You can watch this video guide to have a better view of the process of smoking the perfect brisket for your next dinner.

 

 

Tips

For Moisture

If the brisket is burning inside the smoker, it is recommended that you lessen the fuel that you put in the burner.

This way, the heat will slow down and will keep the brisket moist.

You can also spray any liquid like apple cider vinegar every now and then when the brisket is burning.

This will keep the brisket moist and it will also block direct flames if there are any.

Another tip to keep the brisket moist is to let it rest until serving.

Do not slice the brisket while it is resting or the moisture will evaporate and the brisket will dry out.

Using a water pan is also helpful when cooking. It also catches the drippings and then turns it into vapor which will also help moisturize the meat.

Leftovers

Since briskets are heavy cuts of meat, you are most likely going to have some leftovers so you might want to think about some recipe where you can use it.

One suggestion that we have is pretty common.

You can use it in sandwiches and make the best meat and egg or lettuce sandwich.

You can also dice up the leftover meat and use it as an ingredient for other recipes.

You can use it as the meat for any pasta recipe that you want and it will turn out great.

The Lid

Keep the lid of the smoker closed as much as possible.

This is done in order to keep the temperature of the smoker and the meat inside it.

You will also get more smoky flavor into the brisket and make it more tender.

So if you really need to open the lid, do it less and do it fast.

Conclusion

Brisket is a perfect cut of meat that you and your family can feast on. It packs a lot of nutrients and the meat alone is flavorful.

Now, some of you might ask if you need to rub it with barbecue sauce.

Our answer is no, this cut of meat is delicious and flavorful enough that salt and pepper are the only things needed.

Do not compromise the taste of the meat by putting a lot of additional flavors.

You can add those later on during the meal in the form of sauces.

Smoked brisket is also great with vegetables.

So in order to make your meal healthier, bring out some salad, and get the kids to eat their greens.

You can also be creative with leftover brisket so that it does not go to waste.

You can make salads, pasta recipes, and sandwiches with the leftover meat.

So if you want a large feast of meat with your family on the weekends, make sure to master the basics and cook the best-smoked brisket that will fill your appetite! 

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