Smoked Beef Brisket Recipe - Authentic Texas Style

You've probably tasted the deliciously tender and flavorful Texas-style smoked beef brisket at a barbecue spot. Although it seems simple with just salt, pepper, and time, smoking beef brisket at home takes a lot of patience, precision, and skill. The reward is a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket that will impress even the pickiest of taste buds. In this post, we'll share all the ins and outs of smoking Texas-style beef brisket, from picking the perfect cut to the smoking process itself.

Smoked Beef Brisket Recipe

Ingredients:

• A whole beef brisket (about 12-16 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard or olive oil
• 1 tablespoons cumin
• Wood chips or chunks

Equipment:

• Smoker (offset smoker, pellet grill, or gas grill with smoker box)
• Wireless meat thermometer
• Spray bottle
• Large bowl or container
• Butcher paper or aluminum foil
• Tongs
• Grill gloves
• Large cutting board

How to Choose the Best Beef Brisket to Smoke?

In terms of choosing the best beef brisket to smoke, The key to an amazing smoked beef brisket is starting with a quality piece of meat. Look for a beef brisket that’s:

• Well-marbled: Marbling, also the intramuscular fat, is crucial for added flavor and tenderness.
• Fat cap: Opt for a generous layer of fat on the brisket’s surface, as this will melt during the smoking process and keep beef juicy and flavorful.
• The cut: When choosing your packer brisket, ensure it is a full brisket with point and flat, which has the best combination of fat and lean meat.
• Bright red color: Avoid choosing brisket with a dull gray or brown color, as this indicates it’s old or not fresh.
• Size: Think of the number of people you intend to serve. This meat is best used in large portions, so try to get a brisket of about 12-16 pounds for a big crowd.

Choose Brisket to Smoke

How to Prepare a Beef Brisket to Smoke?

If you’ve bought a brisket and decided to smoke it, here is how to prepare it:

Step 1: Trim the fat. The first step it's to trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving about 1/4 inch layer for flavor and moisture.

Step 2: Season the beef brisket. In a large bowl, combine all the dry rub ingredients and generously massage the seasoning mix on the entire surface of the brisket, covering both the fat cap and the meat side.

Season Brisket to Smoke

Step 3: Rest the brisket. Let the seasoned brisket rest at room temperature for at least a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator to equalize the temperature of the brisket before going into the smoker.

How to Smoke a Beef Brisket?

Choose wood chunks or chips that go well with beef, such as hickory, oak, or mesquite, and get your smoker heated up to a steady 225°F before you put the brisket in.

Step 1: Slip the meat thermometer into the brisket. Insert the meat thermometer into the brisket to monitor the internal temperature. It’s recommended to use a wireless grill thermometer as it lets you monitor on your smartphone without constantly opening the smoker. The INKBIRD IBT-26S, featuring 3 meat probes and 1 oven probe, is perfect for this brisket, but any good thermometer can work too. You can use 1 meat probe to flat and 1 for point.

Insert Meat Thermometer

Step 2: Place Brisket in Smoker. Place the brisket fat-side up on the smoker grades, so that the fat can render and baste the meat.

Step 3: Monitor the internal temperature. With the help of the meat thermometer app, you can check the temperature of your brisket regularly. If possible, spray with apple cider vinegar and beef broth every hour to make sure the brisket remains moist all the time. At some point, the brisket may hit a stall where the internal temperature stops rising for a period. Just be patient and continue smoking.

Monitor Brisket Temperature

Step 4: Wrap the brisket. Once the brisket hits an internal temperature of 160-165°F (71-74°C), wrap it up in butcher paper or aluminum foil. This trick speeds up the cooking process and retains the moisture of the brisket.

Step 5: Smoke brisket to target temp. Continue smoking until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 200-205°F for the flat and 203-205°F for the point.

Step 6: Let the brisket rest. After the preferred internal temperature is reached, remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap it in a clean towel. Leave it to sit for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 to 4, so that the juices will settle back in and make the brisket juicy and tender.

Step 7: Slice and serve. Slice the brisket against the grain to make it tender and easy to eat. We suggest to serve the sliced brisket with potato salad, baked beans or cornbread.

How Long to Smoke Beef Brisket Per Pound?

According to the Food & Wind smoked brisked recipe, the general rule of thumb for smoking beef brisket is about 1.5 hours of cooking time per pound of meat. So, to smoke a 12-pound brisket, you will need a cooking time of approximately 12 hours. However, this can vary depending on the size, the thickness of your brisket, the smoker you’re using, and other variables. It’s significant to check the internal temperature instead of just going by time to know when it’s done. The most accurate way to do this is to use a meat thermometer, aiming for an internal temperature around 200°F to 205°F.