Melt-in-your-mouth tender with a dark, flavorful bark — slow-cooked BBQ brisket is the king of low-and-slow cooking. Hours in the smoker (or oven) transform a tough cut into buttery slices that barely need chewing.
Ingredients
- 1 whole packer brisket (10-12 lbs), trimmed
- 1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 cup coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (as binder)
- Oak or hickory wood for smoking
- 1 cup beef broth (for spritzing)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (for spritzing)
Instructions
- Trim and season: Trim the fat cap to 1/4 inch. Slather with mustard as a binder, then coat heavily with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Rest at room temperature 1 hour.
- Smoke: Preheat your smoker to 250°F (121°C). Place the brisket fat-side up and smoke undisturbed for 6-8 hours, spritzing with the broth-vinegar mix every hour after the bark sets (about hour 3).
- Wrap: When the bark is dark and the internal temp hits 165°F (74°C), wrap tightly in butcher paper (or foil for maximum tenderness).
- Finish: Continue cooking until probe-tender — the thermometer should slide in like butter, usually 200-205°F (93-96°C), about 4-6 more hours.
- Rest and slice: Rest wrapped in a cooler for at least 1 hour (up to 4). Slice against the grain: separate the point from the flat first, then slice each against its own grain.
Pro tip: Brisket is done when it’s probe-tender, not at a specific temperature — start checking at 195°F. And never skip the rest; it’s when the juices redistribute. Slicing with the grain gives you chewy meat no matter how well you cooked it.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 620 calories, 48g protein, 44g fat, 2g carbohydrates.
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