There’s nothing better than a juicy, tender brisket that has been cooked low and slow by smoke all day long. This is a recipe that takes time, but it is well worth it! A simple rub, time and smoke is all that is needed to create this tender, melt in your mouth Texas Brisket recipe.
Serve this meat with some sliced bread, cheese, pickles, and pickled red onions for a truly Texan dish. Serve a little Coleslaw, Homemade Mac and Cheese, or Potato Salad on the side to round things off.
Why this is the BEST Smoked Brisket Recipe:
- Keeping things simple with the rub allows the flavor of the meat to shine through. To go truly old school Texan, you could even use a Dalmatian rub of just salt and pepper.
- Smoking at a low temperature ensures that the meat will be tender and juicy, rushing cooking with this particular cut of meat will produce nothing but dry meat.
- Wrapping the meat once it hits 165℉ helps us push through the stall and keep the temperature rising at a steady rate.
- Letting the meat rest before slicing allows time for the juices to be retained by the meat, giving us a juicier slice of brisket.
Ingredients Needed:
Notes on Ingredients:
- Whole Packer Brisket: this is a whole cut that is wrapped and sent from the packing house, no additional butchering is done to it. It contains both the point and the flat, which are two different muscles, one fatty and one lean. This creates a tender bite when cooked properly.
- Coarse salt & Coarse pepper: this is the base of our rub, we want our salt and pepper to be equal in size for a more consistent flavoring. This is why many cooks will use a 16 mesh ground black pepper (affiliate link).
- Granulated Onion & Garlic: use a granulated form of these spices, not the powder form. We want the granules to be able to stick to the meat.
- Chili Powder & Coriander: this is just for extra flavoring, you can use your favorite chili powder, or a chipotle chili powder for a little more depth of flavor. Of course you can always leave these spices out of your rub. All that is needed is classic salt & pepper.
Serene’s Tip: I find that a binder is not needed, I don’t have any issues with the seasonings not sticking to the meat. If you want to use a binder common ones would include: yellow mustard, vegetable or extra virgin olive oil. Simply rub the meat down with the binder then sprinkle with the rub.
How to Make (step by step):
- Step 1: prepare the spices that you will be using for the rub. Stir to combine.
- Step 2: trim and prepare the brisket (a step by step guide and video link are included in the recipe card below that outline this step in detail). Then sprinkle both sides of the brisket with the rub.
Serene’s Tip: add the rub to a shaker to apply to the brisket, this helps ensure an even layer of rub being applied to the entire cut of meat.
- Step 3: Smoke the brisket. Keep your smoker at a consistent temperature of 225℉ and monitor the internal temperature of the brisket using a probe thermometer. For a true Texas smoked brisket use an Oak wood or pellet.
- Step 4: Wrap the brisket in peach butcher paper when it reaches an internal temperature of 160℉, then continue smoking until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 203℉.
Serene’s Tip: When starting the cook, place the brisket on the grill fat side down (my preference) this helps the bark develop nicely over the top of the meat.
Tools Needed:
These are all some important tools that will be needed for making this recipe. The following are all affiliate links.
- Shaker: to help apply the rub evenly over the surface of the meat.
- Probe Thermometer: this allows you to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it cooks without having to open the smoker to check it.
- Instant Read Thermometer: this is a very accurate way to check the temperature during the last phase of cooking.
- Peach Butcher Paper: this is a food grade paper, another option would be foil. Reasons to use paper instead of foil is that the paper is more breathable, it traps less steam, which helps keep the meat juicy and keeps the bark from getting soggy.
F.A.Q’s:
At 225℉ expect at least 1 hour per pound of brisket.
Yes! This is often the method I prefer to use. You can plan on starting it late and wrapping the brisket in the morning, or starting the brisket earlier in the day and wrapping late at night and getting up early to pull it off the smoker.
If prepared and smoked correctly.. no. True Texas BBQ doesn’t use sauce. There is often a vinegar based BBQ sauce available if desired. But good brisket should not be slathered in any BBQ sauce.
More Texas BBQ Recipes:
- Switch from beef to pork with this Easy Smoked Pulled Pork recipe, perfect for making pulled pork sandwiches with!
- If you need a quick smoker recipe, these Smoked Pork Ribs are quick and easy to make, perfect for an easy dinner.
- Whip up some Texas BBQ Style Potato Salad for a side dish that will suit any smoked meats.
- This Homemade Mac and Cheese comes together on the stovetop quick and easy and is always a hit!
If you tried this recipe please leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Thank you so much!
Photography done by the talented @KJandCompany.co
