Tender Smoked Beef Brisket (Printable Version)

Tender beef brisket slow-cooked with smoky flavor and a flavorful seasoned bark for memorable meals.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 whole beef brisket (11-13 lbs), untrimmed or lightly trimmed

→ Spice Rub

02 - 3 tbsp kosher salt
03 - 3 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tbsp paprika (smoked or sweet)
05 - 1 tbsp garlic powder
06 - 1 tbsp onion powder
07 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Spritz

08 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 cup water

# How to Make It:

01 - Remove excess fat from the brisket, leaving a thin layer approximately ¼ inch to maintain moisture during smoking.
02 - Mix all spice rub ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly blended.
03 - Generously coat the brisket on all sides with the spice rub and allow it to rest at room temperature while preparing the smoker.
04 - Set smoker temperature to 225–250°F using hardwoods such as oak, hickory, or mesquite.
05 - Place the brisket fat-side up on smoker grates and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest section.
06 - Maintain a steady smoker temperature. Every 2 hours, mist the brisket surface with the vinegar-water spritz to retain moisture and develop bark.
07 - After 5–7 hours, when internal temperature reaches about 160°F and a deep bark is formed, wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper or foil.
08 - Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker and cook until internal temperature reaches 200–205°F, approximately 4–7 additional hours.
09 - Remove brisket from smoker and let rest, wrapped, inside a cooler or insulated container for at least 1 hour.
10 - Cut the brisket against the grain into slices and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The payoff is extraordinary—what starts as raw meat becomes impossibly tender and juicy, rewarding your patience with every bite
  • It's a showstopper that makes you look like a pitmaster, even if you're just learning the ropes
  • You'll develop a genuine connection to the cooking process that you don't get from most recipes
02 -
  • Temperature is everything—invest in a good meat thermometer and trust it more than time. Every smoker is different, and a brisket that reaches 93°C in ten hours elsewhere might take fourteen hours at your house, and that's okay.
  • The stall is real, and it's not a failure. Around 70–75°C (160–170°F), the brisket will seem to stop climbing in temperature. This can last two to three hours. Patience here is everything. This is where the wrap saves the day.
  • Resting isn't optional—it's where the magic finalizes. Those carryover cooking and the redistribution of juices are what separate a good brisket from a great one.
03 -
  • Keep your smoker temperature steady—wild swings between 110°C and 130°C will extend cooking time and dry out the meat. A water pan helps moderate temperature fluctuations.
  • Spritz consistently from hour three onward; this is where the patience becomes rhythm, and the ritual becomes part of the experience

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