Texas-style smoked Brisket is one of the most amazing things you'll ever eat. The beefy flavor shines in this tender, melt-in-your-mouth, low-and-slow brisket recipe. And it does not disappoint. The wood used is essential, as are the temperatures, techniques, and seasonings. So follow along, and you'll be a Texas Pitmaster in no time! Want to eat like a real cowboy? I recommend serving this Smoked Brisket with Cheesy Hash-Brown Casserole!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Texas-style smoked Brisket is the best and can be used in many ways. Of course, you can eat it sliced, chopped, or cubed burnt ends or use it in other recipes. No matter what, this brisket has a perfect crispy bark on the outside and melts in your mouth with every bite.
While I love brisket as the main dish, I also love it in brisket tacos, brisket enchiladas, brisket hash, and mixed in with charro beans, Instant Pot baked beans, or even in queso.
Plus, no BBQ dinner is ever complete without Red Skin Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, or Pea Salad.
Ingredients
Whole Beef Brisket: Grab a Packer Brisket from your local grocery store. A Packer Brisket is a fancy name for a Whole Brisket. More on this part later!
Kosher Salt: A coarse kosher salt is a must for this Smoked Brisket. A simple two-part mix is all it takes for a Texas-style brisket.
Black Pepper: Ground black pepper is the second part of the mix. But the ratios are even. I like to add half a cup of kosher salt and half a cup of ground black pepper to a shaker for this brisket. I don't use it all, but it works well for many other recipes.
Wood: Post-Oak wood Chunks are an absolute must for this to be a traditional Texas-style brisket recipe. Trust me; I've used Pecan, which I prefer for ribs and pork butt. Not Brisket!
Charcoal: Make sure to use all-natural lump charcoal. They burn slowly and create extra clean smoke that you'll need/want on your brisket.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the Brisket
Begin by prepping the brisket. There are a couple of essential steps for the brisket to cook perfectly.
Be sure to trim any significant portions of fat off of the brisket. Be sure to leave a thin layer in certain areas, but the most important thing is to get to a point where there is a clear separation between the point and the flat.
Once you've reached that point of trimming, separate the two sections using a sharp knife.
Next, season the entire brisket with kosher salt and black pepper. I use a shaker with ½ cup of salt and ½ cup of pepper to get it evenly seasoned. Make sure every inch of that brisket is covered.
Smoker Set Up for Texas-Style Brisket
Now, let the brisket rest while you bring your smoker to temp. I use the Big Green Egg, but any other brand or style of smoker will work for this recipe.
If you're using a Kamado Style Smoker, fill it with all-natural lump charcoal and start the fire.
Once you've got the fire going, add 4-5 medium to large-sized Post-Oak Wood Chunks.
Place your deflection plate in the smoker and then the grate. Allow the smoker to heat up to 250°f at the grate. To measure this, use a wireless thermometer that will allow you to track the smoker's and the meat's heat simultaneously. If you don't already have one, it's well worth the investment, but of course, you can also follow the dome temp if you don't have time to get your thermometer.
How to Smoke a Brisket
As soon as the smoker hits the desired temp and the smoke rolls with a light blue hue, it's time to put the brisket on the smoker.
Place the Brisket Point, fat side up, in the back, and the Flat in the front of the smoker. The hottest portion of a Kamado Style Smoker is always in the back, so you'll want the thickest part of the meat where the most heat is rolling through. Also, ensure that both the point and flat are fat side up. As that fat renders down, it soaks through the brisket, leaving you with extremely tender meat.
Allow the brisket to smoke for about 4-5 hours or until it becomes a dark burgundy with a nice bark built up.
At this point, wrap each half of the brisket in peach butcher paper and place them back in their positions on the smoker, still sitting fat side up.
Using a wireless thermometer, probe the thickest part of the flat. You're looking for an internal temperature of 200°f in both the flat and the point. Be prepared for another 3-4 hours for the remainder of this cook.
This is the part where separating the two sections becomes essential. Once the flat has hit the desired internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and place it in a cooler, electric smoker, or oven, depending on how soon you plan on serving it. More on that later.
Now watch the internal temperature on the point and pull it off the smoker as soon as it hits 200°f as well. This is usually about an hour or two after you've removed the flat.
How to Rest and Hold a Smoked Brisket
If you plan on serving the Smoked Brisket within a few hours of it being pulled off the smoker, placing it in a cooler with some towels surrounding it is the best holding option. This is called the resting period, which is essential. The brisket should rest for at least two hours to reabsorb the juices. If it's sliced immediately, it will be dry, and all that work was for nothing.
There will be some cooks that don't go as expected. Sometimes, they will take longer; others, the brisket will be done way ahead of time. My advice is always to leave yourself plenty of time. If you've hit the internal temp and need to hold the brisket, I recommend placing it in an electric smoker at 150°f to hold it until it's ready to serve. Be sure to keep the fat side up and wrapped in peach butcher paper.
Expert Tips
- Wrapping the brisket in peach butcher paper is essential to keeping the bark you worked so hard to achieve. I don't recommend using foil, as you will lose that bark.
- Using peach butcher paper to wrap does not speed up the cooking but ensures your brisket doesn't get too much smoke. It does help to slightly steam the brisket without losing texture or drying out the meat.
- I highly recommend using Post Oak wood chunks for an authentic Texas BBQ flavor. However, pecan works great as well, and you can always mix a little cherry in there, too.
- Splitting the point from the flat prior to cooking allows you to smoke each side to the proper temperature. This ensures the juiciest brisket all the way through.
Recipe FAQs
The time it takes to smoke a Texas-style brisket can vary depending on many factors. I always plan for at least 1.5 hours per lb, but even then, it could be faster or slower depending on the weight, how the fat is rendering, the temp of the smoker, etc.
Texas-style brisket isn't sauced at all, and the only rub used is coarse kosher salt and black pepper. Then, it's smoked to perfection using post-oak wood chunks.
Texas Brisket keeps its beefy, natural flavor by not using any sauces or fancy rubs. The bark is built from coarse kosher salt and black pepper.
This is not the best method for smoking a brisket, as it would only work if your brisket were approximately 4-6 lbs. The 3 2 1 rule is typically reserved for smoking Pork Ribs where you smoke the ribs for 3 hours, wrap the ribs, and place them back in the smoker for 2 hours, then remove the wrap and put them back in the smoker for one more hour.
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📖 Recipe
Texas Style Smoked Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Packer Brisket - trimmed and split
- ½ Cup Kosher Salt
- ½ Cup Black Pepper
Instructions
- Trim any significant portions of fat off of the brisket.
- Separate the point from the flat using a sharp knife.
- Season the entire brisket with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Prepare the smoker to 250°f using All-Natural Lump Charcoal and about 4-5 chunks of Post Oak Wood.
- Once the smoker has come to temp, place the brisket point on the back side of your grill, and the flat at the front, both fat side up. Close the lid and smoke the brisket until it becomes a dark burgundy color and a nice bark has formed; about 5 hours.
- Remove the brisket and wrap each piece in peach (pink) butcher paper.
- Put the wrapped brisket back on the smoker in the same positions, still fat side up.
- Using a wireless meat and smoker thermometer, probe the brisket flat in the center about halfway through.
- Once the flat has become an internal temperature of 200°f, remove the flat from the smoker placing it in a cooler surrounded by towels, in an electric smoker, or in the oven, depending on when you're serving the brisket. (See Notes)
- Watch the internal temperature on the point and pull it off the smoker as soon as it hits 200°f as well. This is usually about an hour or two after you've removed the flat.
- Rest for at least two hours or hold between 150°f-170°f. I prefer to stay as close to 150° as possible, so I opt to put my brisket, fat side up, in an electric pellet smoker without any pellets.
- Slice, Chop, Cube, and serve as you wish!
Notes
- Wrapping the brisket in peach butcher paper is essential to keeping the bark you worked so hard to achieve. I don't recommend using foil, as you will lose that bark.
- Using peach butcher paper to wrap does not speed up the cooking but ensures your brisket doesn't get too much smoke. It does help to slightly steam the brisket without losing texture or drying out the meat.
- I highly recommend using Post Oak wood chunks for an authentic Texas BBQ flavor. However, pecan works great as well, and you can always mix a little cherry in there, too.
- Splitting the point from the flat prior to cooking allows you to smoke each side to the proper temperature. This ensures the juiciest brisket all the way through.
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