Juicy Smoked Brisket Recipe (Step-by-Step)

Whether you’re firing up your offset or pellet grill, this Texas-style Smoked Brisket recipe will guide you through the steps to create a tender, mouth-watering slice of perfection. With just the right balance of spices and smoke, you’ll be serving up piles of championship brisket overnight.

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Achieving a juicy, flavorful smoked brisket takes time (and practice), but with a few tricks and the right technique, you’ll be smoking them like a pitmaster.

Try some of our other low and slow barbecue recipes, such as Smoked Beef Ribs, or Smoked Pulled Pork!

Ingredients & Equipment

There are only a few things needed to create an amazing smoked brisket, and that starts with the meat. I’ve linked a few products below that I use as well:

• Brisket – Purchase a whole packer brisket, aiming for at least 12-14 pounds. Look to see that the flat end isn’t too thin, at least 1 1/2″ thick or greater if possible.
• Seasoning – Kosher salt & 16-mesh black pepper are classic, but I’ll share a specific recipe below as well as recommend our Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning, designed for briskets and beef ribs.
• Pink Butcher Paper – Use this for wrapping and resting the brisket. This handy box comes with a slide cutter and plenty of length, so you won’t run out for a long time.
• Food Grade Plastic Spray Bottles – Handy to have for spritzing the edges of the meat during the smoke.
• Temperature Probe – Having one of these is key for checking temperature and tenderness. They call it “probe tender” for a reason!
• Beef Tallow – You can make your own or purchase it online, but it’s a handy addition for moist brisket during the wrapping phase.
• Brisket Slicer – Use a long blade such as this 14-Inch Slicer to cut even slices with ease.

How to Trim a Brisket

The goal for preparing a brisket for smoking is to remove the hard pockets of fat, trim any of the soft and awkward pieces of fat and meat that will likely burn, and create a fairly smooth surface around which will promote smoke flow and even cooking.

It’s important to know where the two muscles are located. The flat muscle fibers will run most of the entire length of the whole packer. The point muscle is the thicker side, with more fat (see below).

Step 1: Trim the Edges

Cut about 1/4-inch thick slice off the sides of the brisket. This removes the dry, brown edges while revealing more details about the muscle structure. Every brisket will be slightly different, so it’s important to be familiar with the general anatomy.

Step 2: Remove Excess Fat

Start with the fat cap (shown above) on the flat muscle. Trim the top, leaving about 1/4-inch of fat to protect the meat.

Repeat the same process with the point muscle. Remove all of the hard deckle fat, this does not render down when smoking brisket and will be very unappetizing to consume.

Step 3: Round Off Edges

Round out the sides, removing any bits of brisket that are extremely thin and prone to burning. This also encourages the smoke to flow more evenly across the surfaces.

Trim off any excess bits of fat on the bottom of the brisket. This side does not have a fat cap, but it will generally have some silver skin and thin bits of fat.

Trim and season the brisket the day before. Not only will it save time and stress, but it also allows the brisket to absorb the seasonings, which aids in the development of bark.

Seasoning Choices

Choosing a seasoning for the brisket is critical for the development of a crusty, dark bark. There are traditional Texas-style spice blends, and also competition-style blends. Each has its own benefits, with a wide variety of tastes.

Measure out the salt & pepper first, and I recommend no more than 20% volume for additional flavors. Purists will stick with the basics, but feel free to customize to your preferences.

Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning is our hand-crafted recipe using these methods, designed for big cuts of beef. You will have a crusty bark packed with flavor should you choose to purchase some!

Do you have to put a binder on a brisket?

Binders are not necessary if you’re planning to season ahead of time. Dry-brining is the process of seasoning and allowing the meat to rest in the fridge, uncovered, for a period of time before smoking the brisket. Salt will draw out moisture from the brisket, helping the seasoning to adhere. Over time the salts will dissolve and be absorbed back into the meat.

Binders are used to create a wet or sticky surface that allows the spices to stick better to the meat. It can also be an additional layer of flavor if you choose the right type of binder.

Most cooks will choose a binder such as yellow mustard due to the lack of flavor and high water content, which will dissipate during the process of smoking a brisket. Hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce is also quite common, but it can add additional sodium to the surface.

How to Smoke Brisket

Prepare for a very long day (or night) of cooking. Smoking a brisket can take 12-20 hours, or even longer depending on the size and quantity.

Remove the brisket from the fridge and warm the smoker to 250°F. This method is the same for smoking a brisket whether using a pellet grill or offset smoker. This temperature allows for plenty of smoke flavor and will generally create a nice smoke ring.

Place the meat in the smoker with the brisket point facing the heat source. Allow the brisket to smoke for about 3-4 hours undisturbed.

Should I smoke the brisket fat side up or down?

This depends on your smoker and the heat source. Generally, I will cook with the fat side up. Use the fat to insulate the brisket against the hottest areas of your smoker.

Some pellet grills have the heat source flowing from the middle, underneath the brisket, and may require it fat-side down. Test it out and determine what works best for your smoker.

Do I need to spritz brisket?

Doing so will keep the edges moist and also help develop bark. Get ready to spritz with a spray bottle after the first 3-4 hours. Spritz the edges lightly every 45-60 minutes until it’s time to wrap.

The most typical recipe is to simply use apple cider vinegar, or a mix of it with some water.

My preference is to mix a little water with coffee and Worcestershire sauce. The combo adds a dark, savory flavor and promotes a deeper black color for the bark.

Liquid may start to pool on the top of the brisket. If that happens, gently tip the brisket and allow the liquid to run off, otherwise the bark may not form in that spot. You may also use a small ball of foil underneath the brisket to keep it propped at an angle.

How do you get past the stall on a brisket?

Keep your cool. You can either continue to cook the brisket as-is, unwrapped, or you can move on to the next phase of wrapping with butcher paper to speed up the process.

There is a moment during the cook where the brisket stops rising in temperature, and remains at the same temperature for potentially HOURS.

Brisket stalls will typically happen between 155-170°F. Look for the temperature to actually stall, meaning that it has slowed down or halted its rise in temperature. Don’t just wrap at a specific temperature, check and monitor the meat!

Wrapping with Butcher Paper

Once the brisket enters the stall and you’re happy with the formation of the bark, it’s recommended to wrap it in butcher paper. This step is not mandatory, but drastically cuts down on cooking time.

Roll out two sheets of pink butcher paper, long enough that you can roll the brisket at least twice. Lay them out on a flat surface, overlapping each other. Give the brisket and the butcher paper a final spritz, and start wrapping.

Roll the entire brisket into the paper, tucking in the sides after the first roll. Make sure you pay attention to which side is the top and place it back onto the smoker, with the top facing up.

Pour on a little melted beef tallow instead of spritzing the brisket before wrapping. This adds moisture and flavor without softening the bark as much.

Should I wrap the brisket in foil or pink butcher paper?

Foil tends to soften the bark quite a bit, steaming the brisket and making it exceptionally tender. Butcher paper works better, containing the moisture without overcooking the brisket.

Smoke Until Probe Tender

Place the wrapped brisket back on the smoker, remembering which side was facing up during the smoking phase. Turn up the heat to about 275°F and continue to cook the brisket. At this point it is no longer taking on smoke flavor, it’s slowly cooking to finish.

Continue to smoke the brisket for a few hours until it reaches around 200-205°F. There is no ideal internal temp for brisket, it’s all about the feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Rest the Brisket

Learning how to smoke a brisket is half of the battle. Resting is the other half and can transform a potentially tough brisket into a tender, juicy slice.

DO NOT take the smoked brisket and transfer it to a cooler directly from the smoker. This is NOT resting, this is promoting additional carryover cooking and you’ll have an overcooked, dry brisket sitting in a pool of juice.

Allow the brisket to rest, still wrapped in butcher paper, for at least 45-60 minutes at room temperature. Do not let it fall below 145°F internal temperature for an extended period. Use that quick reading temperature probe to verify.

Various Methods for Resting Brisket

• Loosely tent with foil. This will help shield it from the cooler air temperatures, whether you have A/C running or if it’s winter.
• Place it in the oven, temperature off. This will slow down the cooling process significantly
• Place it in a cooler after the initial rest period. The smoked brisket will remain quite hot for a significant amount of time. You may use towels to insulate it further at this point.
• Place it in the oven at the lowest setting, ideally 170-175°F or below if possible. This is my preferred option. This is a tested method used by many, replicating what most BBQ restaurants will use but at a slightly higher temperature. I recommend allowing the brisket to cool at room temperature first to about 170°F and then placing it on a baking sheet with a wire rack (still wrapped). Allow it to stay in the oven for at least 2 hours, up to 8-10. Let it cool to about 150°F before slicing.

Slicing Smoked Brisket

Using your brisket slicer, cut half where the point meets the flat (shown above). You will see a slice that has both muscles separated from the thin layer of fat that was rendered.

• Slice the flat muscle into pencil-thick slices across the grain.
• Slice the point muscle in half, lengthwise, which is ideal for slicing to serve.

From here, you can either reserve the brisket point for something like Brisket Burnt Ends or Smoked Brisket Chili. Or just go ahead and slice it up to serve!

Top Barbecue Tips for Brisket

What is the secret to good brisket? Keep practicing, and you’ll nail the cooking process. Many of these tips will enhance the overall process but are not all required.

• The brisket rest phase is just as important as the smoking phase. Magic happens, as the brisket cools, tenderizes, and reabsorbs the juices it was about to squeeze out.
• Season the brisket the day before, allowing it to rest in the fridge uncovered. This will improve the overall bark and flavor.
• Coarse spices create a crustier, darker bark with more flavor. Nooks and crannies will pick up more smoke flavor and crisp up much more than finely ground seasoning.
• Brown sugar may create a sticky, bitter bark. Competition cooks might disagree, but if you’re looking for that classic flavor, stay away from the brown sugar.
• Add a water pan if your air is dry. Sometimes during winter when the air is dry and crisp, it’s beneficial to have a water pan near the heat source. Humidity will speed up the cooking process and aid with bark formation.
• Edges are dry? Wrap them with a little foil. Sometimes the flat will start to get dark and dry because it’s too thin. Take a piece of foil and carefully wrap the edge to help protect it from drying out too much.
• Tip the brisket if liquid is pooling on top. Let the juices run off, otherwise, the bark will have a bald spot. This may happen throughout the cook, but if you keep monitoring and adjusting you’ll have the best results.

Recommended Sides

Nothing beats a generous plate of juicy Texas brisket, but sides can definitely help! Here are our top choices to serve up:

• Smoked Baked Beans
• Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
• Creamy Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Southwestern Coleslaw
• Grilled Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Quick Pickled Jalapenos, or a batch of Quick Pickled Red Onions
• Southwest Creamed Corn