Savor fall-apart brisket packed with flavor and delicious smoky flavor. Chef Tom's recipe will give you a truly unbeatable BBQ brisket with the foil boat method and Creekstone Farms prime quality.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Removing the fat cap entirely from the point while leaving a quarter-inch on the flat treats the two muscles according to how much fat each actually needs through a long cook
- Injecting seasoned tallow directly into the flat gets moisture into the leanest, most dry-prone part of the brisket before it ever hits the smoker
- Wrapping only the bottom and sides in foil while leaving the top exposed protects the bark that's already formed while still helping the brisket push through the stall
- Resting the finished brisket in a cooler for two full hours lets the internal juices redistribute evenly, so slicing doesn't send them running out immediately onto the board
Foil Boat Brisket
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Servings
24
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
13 hours
Calories
2675
Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill and smokes a whole Creekstone Farms prime brisket using the foil boat method. Juicy braised brisket with a smoky, crunchy bark... is the Foil Boat Brisket the best of both worlds?!
Ingredients
-
1 Creekstone Farms Whole Packer Prime Brisket
-
3/4 cup beef tallow, divided
-
1 tbsp R Butts R Smokin’ R Steak Rub, finely ground
-
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust AP Seasoning
Directions
- Trim the fat cap and remove completely from the point. Leave 1/4” fat cap on the flat. Trim any large chunks of hard fat from the surface of the brisket.
- Combine 3/4 cup melted beef tallow and one tablespoon R Butts R Smokin’ R Steak Rub in a small jar and shake well. Inject the seasoned tallow into the flat.
- Rub excess tallow on the surface of the brisket. Season generously with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust AP Seasoning.
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 260ºF.
- Place the brisket on the second shelf, flat side up and smoke until dark bark is formed on the surface and the internal temperature reaches roughly 165ºF, about 7 hours.
- Lay out one large sheet foil. Fold the foil over to double. Place the brisket on the foil (flat side down) and form a foil boat around the bottom of the brisket, leaving the top of the brisket exposed, but enough foil around the sides to hold any liquid that escapes the brisket.
Return to the smoker and cook until the brisket is probe tender and roughly 203ºF, about 11 hours total.
- Place the brisket in a cooler or hot box and rest 2 hours before slicing.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why remove the fat cap entirely from the point but only trim the flat's fat cap to a quarter inch?
The point and flat need different treatment over a long cook. Removing the point's fat cap entirely exposes more surface to bark development, while the thin layer left on the flat protects that leaner muscle from drying out.
Why inject seasoned tallow specifically into the flat?
The flat is the leanest, most dry-prone part of the brisket. Injecting tallow and rub directly into it gets moisture distributed through the meat before the smoke even starts, rather than relying on surface seasoning alone to carry the whole cook.
Why wrap only the bottom and sides in foil, leaving the top of the brisket exposed?
Forming a foil boat around just the base protects the bark that's already formed on top from turning soggy, while the liquid captured at the bottom still helps push the brisket through the stall.
Why rest the brisket in a cooler for a full two hours before slicing?
An extended rest lets the internal juices redistribute evenly through the meat. Slicing too soon after pulling it off the smoker would let those juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
What internal temperature should the brisket actually reach?
This recipe finishes it at 203°F and probe tender, well past the USDA minimum of 145°F for whole-muscle beef. That higher target is what breaks down the connective tissue for slicing, not a food safety requirement it clears the safety bar many hours before the cook is actually done.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
1 out of 5 this is a 13-hour cook built entirely around a pellet grill's low, steady wood smoke. An oven can render the brisket tender, but you'll lose the bark and smoke flavor this recipe is built around.
Recipe Highlights
Differentiated fat trimming: Treats the point and flat according to how much fat each needs.
Tallow-injected flat: Adds moisture to the leanest part before the smoke starts.
Bottom-only foil boat: Protects developed bark while pushing through the stall.
Two-hour rest: Keeps juices in the meat instead of on the cutting board.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 2675
- Carbs
- grams
- Protein
- 159 grams
- Fat
- 221 grams
- Sodium
- 508 milligrams
