Smoked Beef Brisekt

This Smoked Beef Brisket is melt-in-your-mouth good. Tender, juicy, and smoky, you won't want to miss this delicious and easy recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 8

resting time 1

Total Time 9 30

Servings people

Calories 352kcal

Author Dina

Ingredients

10-14 lb beef brisket
Black and white rub (salt & pepper)
Hickory pellets for the smoker
BBQ sauce for serving

Instructions

Trim the brisket- Use a sharp knife to remove hard pieces of fat off of the brisket. On the fat cap, you want to make sure that your fat layer is about a quarter-inch thick. You don’t want it more than a half-inch thick. Your seasoning and smoke won’t go through that much fat. On your meat side, you want to remove any membrane or larger pieces of fat. It is okay to remove some meat to give your brisket an overall even shape. If you have a small thin corner of meat, you will want to remove that because it will be get burnt. Here is an excellent and detailed video on how to properly trim your beef brisket.
Season your brisket- Now you want to add a generous layer of your choice of seasoning. I prefer coarse salt and coarse pepper. But you can use whatever seasoning you prefer. You want to season the top, bottom, and sides. This will help give you a nice bark to your beef brisket. You want a generous layer because this is a large piece of meat and you want all that flavor to get inside the meat. Let the beef brisket sit for about 30 minutes before putting it on the smoker. This will let the seasoning adhere to the meat. It doesn’t need to marinate for very long.
Smoking the beef brisket- Preheat the smoker to 225°F. I use a Traeger pellet smoker along with hickory pellets. Once your smoker is preheated put the beef brisket on with the fat cap up. Everyone has their opinion when it comes to placing your brisket with the fat cap up or down. I have tried it both ways and they are both delicious. Knowing your individual smoker and its hot spot is also important. You want the thickest part of your brisket to be at the hottest part of the smoker. This first step can take about 4 to 6 hours, depending on the size of your brisket. You want the internal temperature of your brisket to be between 160 and 170°F. Be sure to use an instant-read thermometer to constantly check the temperature of the brisket. Now it is time to take your brisket off and wrap it in either butcher paper or heavy-duty foil. Then place the beef brisket back on the smoker with the fat cap up. This step can take from 2 to 4 hours, depending on your brisket size. Knowing when your brisket is done is key for delicious and tender beef brisket. You want the internal temperature to be between 200-210°F. However, you are trying to get the beef brisket soft and tender, and every brisket will get there at a slightly different temperature. Using your meat thermometer probe your meat and make sure it feels like it is going into softened butter. That is when you know you’re fat is rendered out and your beef brisket is complete.
Let it rest! Make sure to let the beef brisket sit for at least one hour. I recommend letting it sit for several hours before seeing or cutting it. You want to place the brisket in a warm place where it won’t lose any heat. Most people place it in a cooler for this step since they are insulated. Coolers are not only great for keeping food cold, but also keeping food warm as well.
Now slice up your meat. Cut your brisket in half. This will helps separate the flat from the point. Slice your brisket against the grain. In 1/4 inch slices. Then turn your brisket point 90 degrees and slice in half again. Slice the brisket point against the grain. TIP: a good way to know if your brisket was cooked perfectly is if it passes the bend test. Do this by placing a thin slice of brisket over the thin edge of a knife. If the two ends bend without breaking, it’s cooked perfectly.

Notes

HOW TO TRIM BEEF BRISEKT

Here is an excellent and detailed video on how to properly trim your beef brisket.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

Store this Smoked Beef Brisket wrapped in foil and in an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, let the brisket come to room temperature, then pour some of its leftover juices on top (or spritz some apple juice or beef broth if you didn't save any juices). Cover it tightly with foil and heat it in a 200-250°F oven or smoker until warm.

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