The Ultimate Smoked Brisket Recipe
Recipe for a whole packer Smoked Beef Brisket. The best steps for perfectly juicy and tender brisket.
Servings: 12 people
Cost: $65.00
Equipment
- Two zone thermometer
- Sheet Tray
Ingredients
- 12 - 15 pound packer brisket, flat and point
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Rub
- 1 cup beef rub
Instructions
- Season Brisket: The day before cooking, trim the excess fat off the brisket. In a separate bowl, combine your dry rub ingredients. Apply olive oil to the brisket, and then liberally apply to the brisket. Leave in the fridge overnight (before cooking) covered in plastic wrap.
- Preheat Smoker: The day of cooking, preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F, we use fruit wood like apple or cherry.
- Smoke Brisket: Place the brisket on the smoker when the temperature is a consistent 250 degrees, and then insert your two-zone meat probes. One for the meat inserted into the flat, and one to monitor the ambient temperature of the cooking chamber. Smoke for up to six hours until it's ready to wrap.
- Wrap Brisket: When the internal temperature of the brisket is 165 degrees, carefully remove the brisket and place it onto two pieces of pink butcher paper to wrap. Remove the meat probe, tightly wrap the brisket, and then add the meat probe back into the same general area. Place back into the smoker to continue smoking until it's done.
- Continue Smoking: Keep cooking at 250 degrees for another several hours until the brisket approaches 195 degrees. At that point, you will use your instant-read thermometer to insert and probe the flat and the point for that smooth buttery texture as you check for doneness. Anywhere from 195 to 205 it may be done.
- Remove and Rest: Once the brisket is done, remove, still wrapped in butcher paper, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (or place into a cooler with NO ice to hold the temperature until ready to serve).
- Slice and Serve: Slice against the grains and serve.
Video
Notes
You can also source brisket from some great online brisket retailers if you can't find one local to you.
If Done Early - Brisket can hold, wrapped in a cooler (with no ice) for up to four hours. It's better to plan for it to be done early and resting the longer time allows the temperature of the brisket to stabilize (or the Texas Crutch), will help speed up the cooking process. If you plan to make this recipe without wrapping plan 90 minutes per pound versus 60. You can wrap with aluminum foil or our preferred peach butcher paper.
Gas Grills - Review our guide on how to smoke on a gas grill. Plan on having two bags of wood chips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pound | Calories: 3279kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 424g | Fat: 160g | Saturated Fat: 54g | Cholesterol: 1266mg | Sodium: 1616mg | Potassium: 6816mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 43mg