Texas-Style Smoked Beef Brisket
A classic Texas brisket keeps things simple: beef, salt, black pepper, smoke, and patience.
Ingredients
- 1 whole beef brisket, approximately 10–14 pounds
- ¼ cup coarse kosher salt
- ¼ cup coarse-ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder, optional
- Yellow mustard or neutral oil, optional binder
- Oak, post oak, hickory, or pecan wood
- Beef broth or water for spritzing, optional
Instructions
-
Trim the brisket:
Remove hard pieces of fat and trim the fat cap to approximately ¼ inch thick. -
Season:
Lightly coat the brisket with mustard or oil if desired. Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then season every side generously. -
Preheat the smoker:
Heat the smoker to 250°F. Add post oak or another preferred smoking wood. -
Begin smoking:
Place the brisket on the smoker with the fat side facing the primary heat source. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the flat. -
Maintain moisture:
Smoke undisturbed for the first three hours. Afterward, lightly spritz with water or beef broth every 60–90 minutes if the surface looks dry. -
Wrap the brisket:
When the bark is dark and firmly set—usually around 165–175°F internally—wrap the brisket tightly in unwaxed butcher paper. -
Finish cooking:
Return it to the smoker and cook until approximately 195–205°F. The brisket is ready when a probe slides into the flat with very little resistance. -
Rest:
Keep it wrapped and rest for at least one hour, preferably 2–3 hours, in an insulated cooler or warm oven. -
Slice:
Separate the point from the flat if desired. Slice the flat against the grain into pencil-width slices. Turn the point and slice against its grain.
Approximate Cooking Time
Plan for roughly 1–1½ hours per pound, but cook according to tenderness rather than time.
Texas Serving Style
Serve with:
- Sliced white bread
- Dill pickles
- Raw onion
- Jalapeños
- Pinto beans
- Tangy barbecue sauce on the side
True Texas-style brisket should be smoky, juicy, peppery, and flavorful enough that sauce is optional.