Entree: United States – Texas – Texas-Style Smoked Brisket (Smoked beef brisket, Central Texas style)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 10

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 10 hrs

Additional 1 hr 30 min

Total 12 hrs

Ingredients

- 1 whole packer brisket (flat and point attached), approx. 10 lb (4.5 kg) total
- 1/2 cup (120 g) coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (120 g) coarse black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) yellow mustard (as binder)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) garlic powder (optional)
- Oak or post oak wood chunks for smoking
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth or water (for occasional spritz)
- Butcher paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil for wrapping

Instructions

1. Trim brisket leaving about 1/4–1/2 inch of fat on the fat cap; remove silver skin and hard fat. Pat dry.
2. Lightly coat brisket with yellow mustard, then evenly apply salt and pepper (and garlic powder if using); press rub into meat.
3. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) using oak wood; place brisket fat-side up on grates and smoke for 3–4 hours before first spritz.
4. Every 1–2 hours after the bark sets, spritz brisket with beef broth to maintain moisture; maintain smoker at 225°F (107°C).
5. When internal temperature stalls (~150–170°F / 66–77°C) and bark is set, wrap brisket tightly in butcher paper or foil and return to smoker.
6. Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 195–203°F (90–95°C) and probe slides in with little resistance, about 1–3 more hours.
7. Rest wrapped brisket in a cooler or insulated container for 1–2 hours before slicing against the grain and serving.