This Smoked Brisket recipe is my brother’s signature recipe. He makes this recipe over and over all summer long and every one is devoured.
If there is one thing I learned, it’s that men love smoked brisket. It’s easy to see why – the meat is rubbed down with my brother’s incredible homemade smoked brisket rub and then smoked low and slow, allowing the smoke flavor to permeate the meat and become unbelievably tender.
Why This Smoked Brisket Recipe Works
In our family, my brother is a resident smoker. He has tweaked and honed his rub and process to come up with a recipe that turns out perfect each and every time.
The first part of the process is the Smoked Brisket rub. It’s a combination of salt and seasonings that gets rubbed all over the brisket. You let it hang out for 12-24 hours so the salt can work its way into the meat and help tenderize it.
Then it’s all about smoking. The secret to the smoking process is the temperature. It’s imperative that you keep it between 180 and 200 Fahrenheit the entire time. This can be the most challenging part – especially if you have rainy or cold weather.
Last, it’s about letting it rest. You have to give all of the juices time to work their way back into the meat before you start slicing it.
How to Cook Brisket in a Smoker – Step by Step
- Prepare the smoked brisket rub: Mix all of the rub ingredients together in a bowl.
- Rub the seasoning into the brisket: Pour a generous amount of the smoked brisket rub all over the brisket and rub it in, making sure to coat all sides of the brisket.
- Refrigerate: Place the brisket in a large pan
or rimmed baking sheet, cover it with foil and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. - Prepare the smoking chips: Soak your smoking chips for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the smoker: Heat your smoker to 180 degrees and add the soaked chips to the smoker.
- Add the brisket to the smoker: Place the brisket, fat side up, on the smoker, and secure the lid.
- Smoke the brisket: After one hour of smoking, remove the brisket and wrap it in foil. Place it back on the smoker and smoke for 6-8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.
- Rest: Allow the brisket to rest for 45 minutes before slicing.
or 
, cover it with foil and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.Can you make a beef brisket recipe oven?
The best way to make smoked brisket is to use a smoker. However, if you don’t have one, you can still get a great tasting and tender brisket by making it in the oven. Here is a great beef brisket recipe oven recipe.
Expert Tips for Making the Best Smoked Brisket
- Choose a quality brisket: Ask the butcher to trim off excess fat, but make sure to leave a thin layer on one side.
- Allow the rub to work into the meat: After you add the rub to the meat, allow it to sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
- Keep your smoker temperature consistent: You want the temperature to be between 180-200 degrees the entire time.
- Allow the brisket to rest: Do not slice the brisket until it has rested for about 45 minutes.
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Smoked Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
Smoked Brisket Rub
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons salt
- 4 tablespoons instant coffee granules
- 3 tablespoons Morton's Tender Quick
- 2 tablespoons celery salt
- 2 tablespoons onion salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Brisket
- 12-14 pound brisket
Instructions
Smoked Brisket Rub
- Combine all of the rub ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
Brisket
- Evenly distribute the rub over the entire brisket, rubbing it all over until the entire brisket is coated.
- Place the brisket in a large pan or rimmed baking sheet; cover with foil and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Soak the smoking chips in water for at least 30 minutes before smoking.
- Prepare the smoker and bring the temperature to 180 degrees.
- Add the brisket, fat side up, to the smoker and attach the lid.
- Smoke for one hour; remove the brisket and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.
- Return the brisket to the smoker and cook for another 6-8 hours or until the meat is 190 degrees.
- Remove the brisket from the smoker and allow it to rest for 45 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the brisket against the grain.
Expert Tips
- Choose a quality brisket: Ask the butcher to trim off excess fat, but make sure to leave a thin layer on one side.
- Allow the rub to work into the meat: After you add the rub to the meat, allow it to sit in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
- Keep your smoker temperature consistent: You want the temperature to be between 180-200 degrees the entire time.
- Allow the brisket to rest: Do not slice the brisket until it has rested for about 45 minutes.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
This might be a silly question, but how do you get the brisket to 190 if your smoker is set to 180?
Great question! The temp of the brisket will continue to rise the longer it sits in the 180 degree smoker.
Why use a curing salt and amount listed is to much
The curing salt helps tenderize the meat. If you don’t like the amount, you can always adjust it to suit your preferences.
I loved this recipe, I’ve also added a pinch of cinnamon….wonderful!
Thank you for sharing
That rub is like magic. So delicious! Thanks for the great tips, they are so helpful!
I am all about smoked meats…This recipe looks absolutely delicious.