Smoked Beef Brisket

I have three “go to” meats for smoking year-round that are on our regular rotation. They include pork shoulder (or Boston butt) for pulled pork, pork baby back ribs, and beef brisket. Of these three, I have found that beef brisket is the hardest one to get right. But after multiple attempts to master smoking this meat, I have identified the secrets for a fail-safe, moist and delicious beef brisket every time!  

I love cooking meats in my smoker. I’ve had the same smoker for about 15 years now, and it’s completely black (meaning, perfectly seasoned!) on the inside. It’s also an electric smoker, which means it comes with a thermostat that keeps a consistent temperature during cooking – that’s quite difficult if not impossible to do if you are using a gas or charcoal grill. Finally, I love it because I don’t have to pre-soak my wood chips – the low and steady temperature of the electric coil in my smoker means the chips never overheat and catch on fire – they just smolder, releasing their smoke for hours on end.

I have seen hundreds of different smoked beef brisket recipes over the years, and even though each of them claims to produce the absolute best brisket ever, they are all pretty much alike. They might differ in the rub that’s used, or the type of wood to use for smoking, but the recipes rarely vary in terms of cooking time or temperature. Still, after trying six different smoked beef brisket recipes, I have identified a few secrets that are the key to producing a perfect brisket every time. Here they are:

• The bigger the brisket the better. I never cook anything less than an 8-pound brisket and in fact, have found that 8 pounds is the perfectly sized brisket for smoking. Anything smaller than that and you run the risk of overcooking and drying out the meat. Briskets larger than that tend to try my patience with the long smoking time and require me to change out my wood chips midway through the smoking process.

• Prime is prime! If you can find a prime beef brisket, I guarantee you it’s worth the extra price. There is more fat marbling (which keeps the meat moist while cooking), and it also has a deeper, more intense flavor as well. You can usually get prime grade brisket at your local butcher’s market.

  
  

• Put the dry rub on the brisket at least 24 hours before cooking. You can even go longer if you want, but 24 hours is plenty. Doing so will allow time for the rub to penetrate and flavor the meat before cooking starts.

  
  

• Lower and longer is better. Smoking the meat at a slightly lower temperature, and for a slightly longer period of time will result in a tender, moist brisket every time. I usually lower the recommended temperature by 5-10 degrees and smoke the meat for an additional hour to get that perfect tender result.

  
  

• Wrap and rest is essential as well. I have found that cooking the meat in three different stages is also key to a perfect beef brisket. First you smoke the brisket uncovered for  period of time. Then you cover tightly and cook the brisket wrapped for another couple of hours (which allows the brisket to steam for additional moistness). Finally, I let the brisket rest, covered, for at least one hour before unwrapping and slicing. This resting time allows the juices to reintegrate back into the meat so they don’t end up on your cutting board instead!

  
  

Now that I’ve shared my secrets with you, it’s time for you to give this recipe a try! Enjoy the brisket on its own with your favorite BBQ sauce, or make brisket sandwiches with toasted buttered potato rolls, smoked gouda cheese and BBQ sauce. Either way, you’ll love the final result!

Slicing the smoked brisket!

Smoked BBQ Brisket (Serves 8)

This smoked brisket recipe takes advantage of the “low and slow” cooking method to produce the juiciest, most tender brisket you have ever tasted! To save time, use your favorite store-bought dry rub and BBQ sauce. Serve with potato salad, baked beans, and corn bread for the perfect meal!

Ingredients

1 8 lb. beef brisket (flat cut), and prime grade if you can find it

1/3 cup dry rub (our favorite is Bone Suckin’ Sauce Steak Seasoning and Rub)

Wood chips for smoking (I prefer hickory wood for this brisket recipe)

½ cup apple juice

BBQ sauce for serving (Lillie’s Smoky BBQ Sauce is the best!)

Directions

Prep the brisket. Rub the brisket all over with the BBQ rub. Wrap tightly with Saran Wrap and then wrap again in foil and place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, and up to 48 hours.

Smoke the brisket. Unwrap the brisket and let set for 30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, if using a smoker, place wood chips/pieces in the smoker box and heat the smoker to 220-225 degrees. If using a grill, place wood chips in water and soak for one hour. Then, place the wood chips on foil and wrap until sealed. Punch 8 to 10 holes onto the top of the foil to release the smoke. Place foil packet directly on the coals or briquettes and turn on one burner to heat the grill to 220-225 degrees. Once smoke forms, place the brisket in the smoker or on the non-heated side of the grill for indirect cooking. Smoke the brisket for five hours unwrapped, maintaining the temperature of the smoker or grill at 220-225 degrees. Spray the brisket with the apple juice using a bottle sprayer every hour or so.

After five hours, remove the brisket from the smoker or grill and wrap tightly in heavy duty foil. Put wrapped brisket back in the smoker/grill and cook for another 2 hours, maintaining the temperature at 220-225 degrees. Remove the brisket from the smoker/grill and let rest on a cutting board for 1 hour. Slice the brisket against the grain. Trim fat as required. Serve with BBQ sauce of your choice, along with potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread (or serve as sandwiches)!