Smoked Brisket

Name: Smoked Brisket
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 20 min
Yield: 36 servings
Cuisine: North America, Southern
Ingredients: 1 fresh whole beef brisket (12 to 14 pounds); 3 tablespoons yellow mustard or olive oil; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper; 2 teaspoons onion powder, optional

Total Time Prep: 20 min. + standing Cook: 12 hours + standing

Yield 36 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

After using this method to test almost 20 smokers and pellet grills, I can definitively say it's the best way to smoke a brisket. This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender smoked brisket with a delightfully peppery bark.

Ingredients

1 fresh whole beef brisket (12 to 14 pounds)
3 tablespoons yellow mustard or olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder, optional

Directions

Place brisket on a cutting board, fat side down. Trim silver skin and fat from top of brisket. Turn brisket over. Trim fat to 1/4-in. thickness. Brush mustard over both sides of beef. Combine salt, pepper and, if desired, onion powder; rub over both sides of beef. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat smoker to 225°. Add wood chips or pellets to smoker according to manufacturer’s directions. Place brisket in smoker fat side up with point facing toward heat source. Smoke until a thermometer inserted in beef reads 165° and a dark bark has formed, about 8 hours.
Wrap brisket securely in unwaxed butcher paper; smoke until a thermometer inserted in beef reads 202° and meat is very tender, 4-5 more hours.
Let wrapped beef stand at room temperature for 1 hour before slicing; cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Nutrition Facts

4 ounces cooked beef: 193 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 64mg cholesterol, 384mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 31g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat.

Barbecue enthusiasts will love bringing the smoker out to cook up this tender and juicy beef brisket. This recipe is the perfect starting base, with mustard, salt, pepper and onion powder seasoning. Flavor it up with your favorite seasonings, or keep it as it is and use it in a dish like tacos or sandwiches. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Recipe Creator