Texas Style Smoked Brisket Recipe (2024)

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This Texas Style Smoked Brisket recipe is cooked low-and-slow on the grill to create a juicy, tender, smoky slab of beef brisket. Serve succulent smoked brisket all summer long at picnics, barbecues, potlucks, and cookouts.

Check out these Tender Baby Back Ribs, Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Loaded Jalapeno Poppers while you are here!

Smoking brisket during grilling season is one of my favorite summer activities. Whether it's Fourth of July, Juneteenth, or Labor Day, barbeques are a must!

Coming from a true Texan here (Houston stand-up), rest assured, this smoked brisket is certified! Like upper echelon, grade-A certified. One thing about Texan's we know, and stand by our barbeque.

Jump to:

Why We Love This Smoked Brisket Recipe:
Gather the materials needed to Smoke the brisket:
Ingredients you need:
How to Make Tender Smoked Brisket:
How long will a brisket smoke at 225?
Alternatives and Variations:
Tips for the Best Smoked Brisket Recipe:
Electric Smoker vs. Charcoal Grill:
Cooking a brisket without a grill:
How to slice a brisket:
What to Serve with Smoked Brisket
Storing and Reheating:
FAQ:
More Grilling Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make the best brisket recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you ashoutout!

Why We Love This Smoked Brisket Recipe:

Easy to Prepare! Cooking an entire brisket may seem intimidating but with these step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, even beginners can not mess this up!

The Most Tender Beef Brisket! This smoked brisket recipe is full of tips and tricks to get the juiciest, most mouthwatering brisket you have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

Summer Approved! Turn on the grill and serve smoked brisket at all your outdoor events between May and September. It is bound to be the star of the show!

Gather the materials needed to Smoke the brisket:

A super sharp knife, or an electric knife. An electric knife is preferred, as it will cut right through the meat.
Large cutting board
Marinade injector (meat injector)
Spray bottle- to spritz the meat during cooking process.
Meat thermometer
Butcher paper- to wrap brisket in for the last few hours of smoking.
Seasonings and spices

Ingredients you need:

Beef Brisket: This recipe uses a 10 pound packer brisket. "Packer cut" refers to an entire brisket. Brisket is a tough cut of meat from the cow. For the best results, it needs to cook slowly so the muscles and fat have time to break down.

GARLIC BUTTER INJECTION

Butter: This keeps the meat moist and tender while it smokes. Use melted butter.
Garlic powder: For a savory taste, use this.
Cajun seasoning: Although this is an optional ingredient, I strongly suggest adding it for a bold pop of flavor.

BRISKET DRY RUB

Before smoking brisket, rub a blend of spices and seasonings into the meat. It adds flavor and a delicious crust for amazing texture.

Seasoned Salt
Onion powder
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika

BASTE OR SPRAY

Apple juice: This caramelizes the brisket crust, adding a slight sweetness.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This acidic element balances the other rich, savory flavors.

How to Make Tender Smoked Brisket:

Preheat the Grill

Keep brisket in the refrigerator until it is time to trim it. Start the grill and heat it up until it reaches 225 degrees.

Trim

Meanwhile, trim the brisket of any excess fat. Trim the fat cap down to about a quarter of an inch. Some fat (a fat layer) is great to help lock in the moisture.

Season with Garlic Butter Injection and Smoked Brisket Rub

Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Load the melted butter into an injector. Inject the brisket about 1-2 inches deep in as many areas as possible. Do this until all of the butter is used up.

Next combine all of the seasonings in another bowl to create the brisket rub. Gently sprinkle the seasoning over all sides of the brisket, and pat it into the meat.

Grill

Place the brisket on the grill, fat side up. Close the grill and cook for 3 hours (DO NOT OPEN THE GRILL).

Baste with Apple Mixture

Combine the apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Add the mixture into a spray bottle, or use a bowl with a baster. Generously spray the brisket down with the apple spray. Try to only keep the grill open for 5 minutes max. No need to flip the brisket. Close the grill and continue to smoke for another 3 hours.

Wrap Smoked Brisket

After 3 hours remove the brisket from the grill. Spray it down with remaining apple mixture, and wrap it in butcher paper (or foil). Be sure to wrap it tight, so it is virtually leakproof.

Continue to Smoke

Place the brisket back on the grill and smoke for an additional 6 hours. Using a meat thermometer, ensure that the brisket has reached an internal temperature of at least 205 degrees.

Rest

Remove the brisket from the grill open the butcher paper up just a little bit, just enough to allow it to vent. Let the brisket sit for one hour untouched.

Slice and Serve Smoked Brisket

Using a very sharp knife, or electric knife (preferred), thinly slice the brisket against the grain. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

How long will a brisket smoke at 225?

Cooking times will always vary based on the size of the brisket, and the temperature of the grill. The grill was set to a steady 225 degrees. At this temperature, the 10 lb brisket smoked for a total of 12 hours.

The brisket is cooked directly on the grill for the first six hours. After this, the brisket is wrapped in butcher paper or aluminum foil and cooked an additional six hours. Internal temperatures should reach at least 205 degrees before the brisket is removed.

Smoking brisket at a low temperature over many hours breaks down the connective tissue in the meat, which results in a more tender, flavorful brisket.

Alternatives and Variations:

Injections: Prefer a more savory flavor? Try beef broth when injecting brisket or use it as a marinade.

Dry Rub: I keep my brisket rub simple but consider adding one of the following for even more savory, sweet, spicy, and smoky flavor: kosher salt, brown sugar, chili powder, and smoked paprika.

Tips for the Best Smoked Brisket Recipe:

After the first three hours of cooking the brisket directly on the grill, spritz it down generously with the apple juice and apple cider mixture. This spritz not only helps to keep the meat moist, it helps create that delicious, smoky bark.

Wrapping the brisket in the butcher paper for the second half of the smoking process is essential to locking in moisture. No need to worry, if butcher paper is not available. Use aluminum foil instead. (Foil is actually the original Texas crutch, a smoking technique that locks in moisture.)
Wrap the butcher paper or foil around the brisket as tightly as possible. Try to create a "leak proof" seal on with the paper.
Do not skip the resting period. If you slice the brisket too soon, the juices will escape and the you will be left with dry tough meat.

Electric Smoker vs. Charcoal Grill:

You do not need to use a smoker to make smoked beef brisket. This brisket recipe involves smoking beef brisket on a charcoal grill. The key to using this method is to cook the meat low and slow over indirect heat on the grill.

This replicates the process of using a smoker. Using wood chunks in a gas grill also recreates the smoked effect.

Cooking a brisket without a grill:

Any cut of meat, including a brisket, can be cooked without a grill. Using a grill to cook the brisket offers a beautiful smoke ring (the pink ring around the outer cut of the meat). It also creates a unique and delicious smoky flavor.

Follow all of the instructions in terms of trimming, injecting, and seasoning. Adding a liquid smoke to the injection as well as the spritzer, will help achieve a slight smoky flavor.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the brisket in a shallow baking dish. Bake the brisket unwrapped, for 3 hours. Remove it from the oven and wrap it in foil or butcher paper. Bake an additional 4 hours.

Ensure that the internal temperature reaches at least 205 degrees. After the brisket reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the oven. Allow it to sit for at least 1 hour before slicing.

How to slice a brisket:

Cutting against the grain is the most important aspect of getting a tender piece of meat. Start by cutting the brisket half to help separate the pointed end of the meat from the flat end.

The flat end can be sliced directly down (at a 90 degree angle) in thin slices. For the pointed end, turn it at an angle and begin slicing against the grain.

Having a super sharp knife is of the utmost importance to ensure a clean cut. Even better, invest in an electric knife! Electric knives will literally cut the brisket like butter.

What to Serve with Smoked Brisket

The deep, smoky, savory, salty flavors pair well with any of the following:

BBQ Sauce: Serve it as a dipping sauce on slather it on brisket slices as you eat. It would taste delicious in a smoked brisket sandwich.
Cornbread: Eat it Texas Style with Sweet Cast Iron Cornbread.
Pasta: Serve it will a cold side like Creamy Italian Pasta Salad for those hot summer months or Southern Macaroni and Cheese during the fall and winter.

Storing and Reheating:

Store the leftover brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the oven to 375 degrees for no more than 15 minutes.

FAQ:

How many hours does it take to smoke a brisket?

Brisket takes approximately 6-12 hours depending on the overall size and thickness of the beef brisket.

Why is the temperature of my brisket not going up?

When the internal temperature of the beef brisket stalls, the temperature of your grill or smoker is probably too low. Aside from upping the temperature to a range of 225F to 275F, you can wrap the briket in foil with butter, beer, or apple cider vinegar so it will increase.

What makes this smoked brisket stay moist and juicy?

One very important step in this smoked brisket recipe is the injection. Some people swear by this, while others do not think it matters. After smoking many, MANY briskets, the injection is absolutely key to achieving one of the juiciest briskets ever. Any major retailer, including home improvement stores will have meat injectors available. Using a simple garlic butter injection does the trick here.

More Grilling Recipes to Try

Best Grilled Chicken Wings
Grilled Chicken Marinade
Creamy Chipotle Cheeseburgers
Grilled King Crab Legs
Grilled Brie with Herb Tomato Compote

📖 Recipe

Yield: 12 Servings

Juicy and Tender Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 12 hours

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 13 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

10 pound Beef Brisket

Garlic Butter Injection

1 stick Butter, melted
1 tablespoon Garlic powder
½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning (optional)

Brisket Rub

2 tablespoons Seasoned Salt
2 tablespoons Onion Powder
1 tablespoon Black pepper
1 tablespoon Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Paprika

Baste or Spray

3 cups Apple juice
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions

Keep brisket in the refrigerator until it is time to trim it. Start the grill and heat it up until it reaches 225 degrees.
Meanwhile, trim the brisket if it has an excessive amount of fat. Trim the fat down to about a quarter of an inch. Some fat is great to help lock in the moisture.
Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning in a bowl. Load the melted butter into an injector. Inject the brisket about 1-2 inches deep in as many areas as possible. Do this until all of the butter is used up.
Next combine all of the seasonings in another bowl to create the brisket rub. Gently sprinkle the seasoning over all sides of the brisket, and pat it into the meat.
Place the brisket on the grill, fat side up. Close the grill and cook for 3 hours (DO NOT OPEN THE GRILL).
Combine the apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Add the mixture into a spray bottle, or use a bowl with a baster. Generously spray the brisket down with the apple spray. Try to only keep the grill open for 5 minutes max. No need to flip the brisket. Close the grill and continue to smoke for another 3 hours.
After 3 hours remove the brisket from the grill. Spray it down with remaining apple mixture, and wrap it in butcher paper (or foil). Be sure to wrap it tight, so it is virtually leak proof.
Place the brisket back on the grill and smoke for an additional 6 hours. Using a meat thermometere, ensure that the brisket has reached an internal temperature of at least 205 degrees.
Remove the brisket from the grill open the butcher paper up just a little bit, just enough to allow it to vent. Let the brisket sit for one hour untouched.
Using a very sharp knife, or electric knife (preferred), thinly slice the brisket against the grain. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

Notes

Please read the post above to help answer any questions you may have, and feel free to comment should you have any more questions!

Did you make this recipe?

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