Description
This Texas Smoked Brisket recipe delivers a classic barbecue experience with a perfectly smoked, tender and flavorful whole packer brisket. Seasoned with a simple yet bold rub, slow smoked over oak wood at low temperature, the brisket achieves a melt-in-your-mouth texture with a rich smoky crust. Ideal for a true Texas-style BBQ feast, served with traditional sides like white bread, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, and pickled red onions.
Ingredients
Scale
Brisket
- 12-18 lb whole packer brisket
Rub
- ¼ cup coarse salt
- ¼ cup coarse black pepper (16 mesh ground)
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp granulated onion
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
Instructions
- Trim the Brisket: Trim the brisket cold, meat side up and fat side down. Remove the large hard fat between the point and flat, smooth the area, remove silver skin and excess hard fat from the flat muscle, and trim the thin corner of the flat to prevent drying. Flip to fat side and trim fat to ¼ inch thickness without cutting into the meat.
- Prepare the Rub: Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, then evenly apply the rub all over both sides of the brisket using a shaker or spoon.
- Preheat the Smoker: Heat your smoker to 225℉ using oak wood or a Traeger Texas Beef Blend for authentic smoky flavor.
- Smoke the Brisket: Place the brisket fat side down on the smoker with the flat portion away from heat and point near the heat source. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part, close the lid, and smoke without opening for the first 2 hours. Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 165℉, about 6-8 hours, replenishing wood chips as needed.
- Wrap the Brisket: Remove brisket and place on overlapping sheets of peach butcher paper, fat side up. Wrap tightly by folding paper over and folding edges in, securing with double folds.
- Continue Smoking: Return wrapped brisket to smoker with seam side down. Reinsert probe thermometer through the paper and smoke until internal temperature reaches 203℉, approximately another 6-8 hours.
- Remove and Rest: Take the brisket off the smoker and place on a large baking sheet. Let it rest uncovered for at least 1 hour. Optionally, wrap in towels and place in a cooler to keep warm for up to 6 hours.
- Slice the Brisket: Separate the point and flat brisket muscles, slice each against the grain carefully, noting the grain may change direction between muscles.
- Serve: Serve traditional Texas style with slices of white bread, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, pickled red onions, and BBQ sauce on the side if desired.
Notes
- This recipe uses a simple rub but time and low-temperature smoking create an incredibly tender brisket.
- Do not open the smoker during the first 2 hours to maximize smoke absorption.
- Peach butcher paper wrapping allows the brisket to retain moisture while continuing to develop a flavorful bark.
- Resting the brisket properly after cooking ensures juiciness and tenderness.
- Slicing against the grain is essential for optimal tenderness.
- Traditional Texas BBQ sides enhance the authentic eating experience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pound
- Calories: 865 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 3265 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 114 g
- Cholesterol: 337 mg
