totally understand how intimidating it can be to smoke a huge, expensive brisket for the first time. That’s why I’ve tested and re-tested many different methods and recipes to help you achieve perfect results every time using a relatively simple process.
Ten hours on the grill with a slather, a rub and a mop give this brisket an extraordinarily robust flavor. Paul Kirk's recipe calls for a whole packer brisket, which includes both the flat (the larger, leaner portion) as well as the point (the smaller, fattier part for the burnt ends). When slicing the brisket, cut perpendicular to the grain to keep the meat juicy.
Research = less umm. more Yumm.
We do the research so you don't have to wade through 1000s of recipes. We've spent months watching and reading the best guides, cookbook, recipe sites, celebrity chefs, pitmasters, and specialty forums to get down to the best options, flavor variants, and techniques that make a difference.
Topline - Top Recipes
Follow the steps in the recipe and you'll have a wonderful product. Jump down to the breakdown for detailed questions.
Best
Yeah, I-Lived-in-Texas, Smoked Brisket
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238689/yeah-i-lived-in-texas-smoked-brisket/
Recipe Steps
- 1Trim the brisket
- 2Cover generously with salt and pepper
- 3Heat smoker to 250F
- 4Add brisket to smoker and insert temperature probe. Add two fist-sized chunks of wood to the fire.
- 5Remove from smoker when skewer or thermometer can probe all parts of the brisket with no resistance
Easiest
Smoked, Spice Rubbed, Texas-Style Brisket on Texas Toast
Fastest
Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
Ultimate
Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/barbecued-brisket-and-burnt-ends
Food/Drink Pairings
Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/barbecued-brisket-and-burnt-ends
Equipment
Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/barbecued-brisket-and-burnt-ends
Breakdown - Advanced Techniques
Step
- Flavor Profile
- Meat
- Injection
- Rub
- Wood
- Smoker Type
- FAQ
Cooking Technique
Do you want more smoke flavor?
Low & Slow allows for the smoke to penetrate for a longer time.
What type of smoker do you have?
Pellet grill/smoker - Low & Slow. Pellet smokers need more time to generate more smoke.
Charcoal smoker - Hot & Fast. Similar result with less time.
Hot & Fast vs. Low & Slow
- Recipe:
- Key Ingredients: salt, pepper
- Who will like this? Texans. People that want to keep it simple and want the meat to shine through.
Should I wrap? Foil vs Butcher Paper?
These are the absolute best commercial rubs.
- Kosmos Cow Cover
-
Flavor Profile / Cuisine
Texas - Easy, cheap
- Recipe:
- Key Ingredients: salt, pepper
- Who will like this? Texans. People that want to keep it simple and want the meat to shine through.
Commercial - Easy, more expensive, more flavor
These are the absolute best commercial rubs.
- Kosmos Cow Cover
-
Texas + Bonus
- Recipe:
- Key Ingredients: salt, pepper
- Who will like this? Texans. People that want to keep it simple and want the meat to shine through.
Jamaican
Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
Meat
How do I choose the right brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- Buy a full packer brisket (14-20 lbs). It gives you both the point and the flat muscles. The point is often called the fatty part of the meat. The flat is the lean part. Typically, the flat is used for slices. The point can be used for burnt ends.
- Buy Prime grade, if you can find it. Choice is good. Certified Angus Beef is slightly better than choice. I would avoid select because it's going to be hard to get tender because there will not be very much intramuscular fat.
- Buy from a club store. Costco, Sam's Club, Restaurant Depot have great quality at better values. Otherwise, checkout your local store.
How do I trim a brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- How do I Identify the flat vs the point? There will be a diagonal seam of fat that will separate the two muscle. The grain of the two muscles will be perpendicular to each other.
- Trim the fat on the flat to 1/4" thick. Too much fat and people won't like it.
- Trim all the fat off the point. There is enough intramuscular fat that you don't need any more on the surface.
- Cut out the big hard fat in between the point and the flat. This is often called the deckle. Other wise you might have large fat chunks in your final slices.
- Save the trimmings to make sausage or tallow.
- Don't split the point and the brisket in most cases. A lot of people just cut lean slices from the flat and fatty slices from the point.
- Optional: Split the point if you want the best burnt ends. Separating the point creates more bark on all sides of the point, which is the muscle you will use to make burnt ends. You can still make them if you don't, but the extra bark makes it even better.
How do I trim my brisket?
What’s a Rich Text element?
Jamaican
Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
Injection
How do I choose the right brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- Buy a full packer brisket (14-20 lbs). It gives you both the point and the flat muscles. The point is often called the fatty part of the meat. The flat is the lean part. Typically, the flat is used for slices. The point can be used for burnt ends.
- Buy Prime grade, if you can find it. Choice is good. Certified Angus Beef is slightly better than choice. I would avoid select because it's going to be hard to get tender because there will not be very much intramuscular fat.
- Buy from a club store. Costco, Sam's Club, Restaurant Depot have great quality at better values. Otherwise, checkout your local store.
How do I trim a brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- How do I Identify the flat vs the point? There will be a diagonal seam of fat that will separate the two muscle. The grain of the two muscles will be perpendicular to each other.
- Trim the fat on the flat to 1/4" thick. Too much fat and people won't like it.
- Trim all the fat off the point. There is enough intramuscular fat that you don't need any more on the surface.
- Cut out the big hard fat in between the point and the flat. This is often called the deckle. Other wise you might have large fat chunks in your final slices.
- Save the trimmings to make sausage or tallow.
- Don't split the point and the brisket in most cases. A lot of people just cut lean slices from the flat and fatty slices from the point.
- Optional: Split the point if you want the best burnt ends. Separating the point creates more bark on all sides of the point, which is the muscle you will use to make burnt ends. You can still make them if you don't, but the extra bark makes it even better.
How do I trim my brisket?
What’s a Rich Text element?
Jamaican
Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
Wood
How do I choose the right brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- Buy a full packer brisket (14-20 lbs). It gives you both the point and the flat muscles. The point is often called the fatty part of the meat. The flat is the lean part. Typically, the flat is used for slices. The point can be used for burnt ends.
- Buy Prime grade, if you can find it. Choice is good. Certified Angus Beef is slightly better than choice. I would avoid select because it's going to be hard to get tender because there will not be very much intramuscular fat.
- Buy from a club store. Costco, Sam's Club, Restaurant Depot have great quality at better values. Otherwise, checkout your local store.
How do I trim a brisket?
- Recommended Video:
- How do I Identify the flat vs the point? There will be a diagonal seam of fat that will separate the two muscle. The grain of the two muscles will be perpendicular to each other.
- Trim the fat on the flat to 1/4" thick. Too much fat and people won't like it.
- Trim all the fat off the point. There is enough intramuscular fat that you don't need any more on the surface.
- Cut out the big hard fat in between the point and the flat. This is often called the deckle. Other wise you might have large fat chunks in your final slices.
- Save the trimmings to make sausage or tallow.
- Don't split the point and the brisket in most cases. A lot of people just cut lean slices from the flat and fatty slices from the point.
- Optional: Split the point if you want the best burnt ends. Separating the point creates more bark on all sides of the point, which is the muscle you will use to make burnt ends. You can still make them if you don't, but the extra bark makes it even better.
How do I trim my brisket?
What’s a Rich Text element?
Jamaican
Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket
Our Sources
We do the research so you don't have to wade through 1000s of recipes. We've spent months watching and reading the best guides, cookbook, recipe sites, celebrity chefs, pitmasters, and specialty forums to get down to the best options, flavor variants, and techniques that make a difference.
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