Take your meat to the next level with this easy Smoked Brisket recipe. Step-by-step instructions and 6 simple ingredients make this slow-smoking brisket recipe perfect for your next meal.Our favorite dish to make on the smoker is this perfect brisket recipe. This is a simple recipe and the best way to make a whole brisket for your next dinner recipe.
The dry rub only has 5 ingredients (brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, and black pepper)! The best brisket may have a long cooking process, but after a couple of hours, you will have a super juicy brisket to pair with your favorite side dishes and desserts.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make our smoked brisket, you need the following ingredients:
- Brisket
- Brown sugar
- Coarse Kosher salt
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Our Smoked Brisket
- Preheat smoker to 250℉.
- Remove brisket from packaging and use a paper towel to pat dry.
- Combine rub ingredients and generously apply to outside of the entire brisket.
- Put brisket in the smoker, fat side up, and smoke for 8-10 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180℉.
- Once brisket reaches 180℉, wrap brisket entirely in aluminum foil and continue smoking for 3 hours or until internal temperature reaches between 190℉-205℉.
- Let brisket rest in aluminum foil for 1 hour in a cooler.
- Remove from cooler, slice and serve.
Recipe Notes and Flavor Variations
Feel free to add your favorite seasonings like garlic powder or even yellow mustard, or BBQ sauce to the dry rub. This will add even more flavor with the fat cap side of the brisket.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Store the remaining cooked brisket in a large ziplock bag or in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Serving Suggestions
We recommend serving this recipe with our Instant Pot Corn on the Cob, Creamy Pasta Salad, Easy Potato Salad. You can find more classic American recipes here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to smoking brisket, the question that we get the most is how long do you smoke a pound of brisket. Here is a good rule of thumb: cook 1.5-2 hours per pound of brisket between 200-250℉. There are a couple of factors that will determine just how long to smoke your brisket, such as temperature fluctuation, how often you open the door of the smoker, wind, etc. Cook brisket with the brisket method until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 195 degrees Fahrenheit using a meat thermometer for accuracy.
The ideal temperature of a smoked brisket is somewhere around 195℉-200℉ at the thickest part of the meat, but keep in mind that the temperature will continue to rise (even up to 10 more degrees) after you remove it from the smoker.
When it comes to brisket, butchers recommend ½ pound per person. It’s definitely better to have too much than not enough.
After seasoning your brisket, use aluminum foil to create a foil pan to wrap the flat cut seasoned piece of meat in, or if you have butcher paper on hand to wrap the brisket to cook in you can use that as well and you will get the best results.
If this is your first time cooking your first brisket, you will need to make sure that you have wood chips or cooking pellets, with a pellet grill or pellet smoker, drum smoker, or other smoker to start the smoking process. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the surface of the brisket to allow the juice to stay inside during the entire process.
If you end up with leftover brisket (you’re so lucky!), you can easily reheat it in an oven. But for a more authentic smoked taste and to get the juices flowing again, pop it in the oven! Follow these steps: Preheat oven to 325℉. Place brisket in a baking pan and cover with foil. Warm the brisket until it reaches 140℉ (it could take up to an hour).
Enjoy More Delicious Beef Main Dishes
The possibilities for delicious beef main dishes are endless, from cuts of meat like steak or roast, to family-friendly ground beef dishes, explore our comprehensive collection of beef recipes.
- Grilled Ribeye Steak
- Instant Pot Ground Beef Burrito Bowls
- Instant Pot Chipotle Barbacoa
- Instant Pot Pepper Steak
- Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
- Korean BBQ Beef
- Mom’s Steak Marinade
- Oven Baked Beef Tacos
- Tangy Marinated Steak
Smoked Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 pound brisket
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup coarse Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup paprika
- ⅓ cup chili powder
- ¼ cup black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 250℉.
- Remove brisket from packaging and use a paper towel to pat dry.
- Combine rub ingredients and generously apply to outside of the entire brisket.
- Put brisket in the smoker, fat side up, and smoke for 8-10 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180℉.
- Once brisket reaches 180℉, wrap brisket entirely in aluminum foil and continue smoking for 3 hours or until internal temperature reaches between 190℉-205℉.
- Let brisket rest in aluminum foil for 1 hour in a cooler.
- Remove from cooler, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
