Treat yourself to deliciousness with this tried-and-true Smoked BBQ Brisket recipe! Perfect for the getting competition style results. You'll be delighted by the smoky flavors and the luxurious burnt ends.
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE
- Trimmed and injected flat: Trimming the fat cap off the point and down to 1/4" over the flat, then injecting the flat in a 1"-2" grid, puts moisture where the leaner muscle needs it.
- Two-layer seasoning: Bovine Bold goes on first and sets, then California Tri-tip seasoning on top, so each layer sticks and builds the bark.
- Smoke, split, and wrap: After 5-6 hours of bare smoke, separating the point from the flat and wrapping each in foil with reserved injection lets each muscle finish at its own pace.
- Burnt ends from the point: Cubes of the point tossed in Firebug sauce and honey and returned to the smoker for 20 minutes turn into sticky, caramelized burnt ends.
Smoked Barbecue Brisket
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.9 stars by 14 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
10
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
6 hours 3 minutes
Calories
727
If you’re looking for a go-to brisket recipe, then look no further! This Smoked BBQ Brisket recipe doesn’t fuss with the bells and whistles involved in a competition style brisket, but boasts great flavors, the smoke-factor you love and most importantly, produces the best gift a brisket can give… burnt ends!
Ingredients
- 1 whole packer brisket
- 1 1/2 cup beef stock
-
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-
1 tbsp Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Sauce
-
Plowboys BBQ Bovine Bold
-
Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning
-
Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce
-
Reida Farm Wildflower Honey
Directions
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 Pellet Grill to 250°F, set up for smoking. Place the brisket on your cutting board, fat cap side up. Trim the fat cap from the point muscle. Trim the fat down to 1/4” over the flat muscle. Flip the brisket over and trim any excessive and/or hard fat from the meat.
Combine the beef stock, Worcestershire and Flavolcano Smoky Red Pepper Sauce in an injection shaker. Set aside 1/2 cup of the injection for later use. Fill your injector with the liquid. With the brisket still placed fat cap down, and the flat muscle fully exposed, begin injecting the flat. As you insert the needle, poke around creating a pocket and inject with the liquid until it starts to come back out. Continue this process in a grid pattern, every 1”-2”.
Spread any excess injection liquid across all surfaces of the brisket. Season the brisket first with the Plowboys BBQ Bovine Bold. Allow to set up and attach to the meat for a few minutes before seasoning with Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning. Again, let the seasoning attach to the meat before flipping the brisket over to season the other side.
- Place the brisket on the second shelf of the smoker, fat side up, and smoke until a bark is formed and the brisket is a dark reddish mahogany color, about 5-6 hours.
- Remove from the grill and place on a clean cutting board.
Separate the point and flat using a sharp boning knife. Make your separating cut in the layer of fat in between the two muscles, following the fat layer until fully separated. Trim excess hard fat from the surfaces of the muscles, again leaving about 1/4” of fat over the flat.
- Place each muscle on top of two sheets of heavy-duty foil. Pour 1/4 cup of the reserved injection liquid over each cut of meat. Wrap tightly with both sheets of foil. Return to the smoker and increase the grill temperature to 300°F.
Continue cooking until each muscle is very tender and offers little resistance when probed with an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature will likely be 200°F or higher, but be sure that you’re cooking to a “feel” and not just a temperature.
To make the burnt ends, remove the point from the foil packet and place on the cutting board. Transfer the foil to a sheet pan with the juices. Slice the point meat into 1”-2” cubes. Transfer the cubes to the foil lined pan. Coat the cubes in Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce and a drizzle of Wildflower Honey. Toss to coat well. Return to the smoker and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, to tack up the sauce.
To finish the flat, rest the meat for at least 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Using a long brisket slicer, slice pencil thick sliced across the grain. The slices should be tender enough to hang in a perfect U shape over the finger without falling apart.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why trim the point's fat cap and leave 1/4" over the flat?
Removing the fat on the point lets the rub and smoke reach the meat directly. A thin layer over the leaner flat protects it and renders during the cook.
Why inject the flat?
The flat is lean and dries out more easily than the fattier point. Injecting beef stock, Worcestershire, and Flavolcano sauce in a grid pattern adds moisture and flavor to the inside.
Why set aside 1/2 cup of the injection before using it?
The reserved liquid never touches raw meat, so it's safe to pour over the brisket later when it's wrapped in foil.
Why season in two layers and let each one set?
Letting the first rub attach to the surface before adding the second keeps the seasoning from sliding off, and the layers build a thicker, more flavorful bark.
Why smoke for 5-6 hours before wrapping?
The long, bare stretch builds smoke flavor and sets a dark, reddish-mahogany bark. Wrapping earlier would soften the crust.
Why separate the point and flat before wrapping?
The two muscles finish at different times. Splitting them lets you pull each when it's tender, and it gives you the point for burnt ends.
How do I know the brisket is done?
Each muscle should be very tender and offer little resistance when probed, usually at 200°F or higher. Go by feel, not just temperature. That's far above the 145°F USDA minimum for whole-muscle beef.
Why rest the flat for at least 30 minutes?
Resting lets the juices redistribute through the meat so the slices stay moist.
How do I slice the flat?
Slice pencil-thick, across the grain. Properly cooked slices are tender enough to hang in a U shape over a finger without falling apart.
How do the burnt ends work?
The point is cut into 1"-2" cubes, tossed in barbecue sauce and honey, and returned to the smoker for about 20 minutes so the sauce tacks up and caramelizes.
How should I store leftovers?
Refrigerate sliced brisket and burnt ends within 2 hours of cooking. They keep for about 3-4 days, and reheating them with some of the juices keeps the meat moist. Brisket also freezes well.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5. A 250-300°F oven can cook the brisket to the same tenderness, but you'd lose the smoke and bark that define the dish.
Recipe Highlights
Injected flat: Adds moisture and flavor to the leaner muscle.
Double seasoning: Builds a thicker bark.
Split and wrap: Lets each muscle finish at its own pace.
Burnt ends: Turn the point into sticky, smoky cubes.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 727
- Carbs
- 14 grams
- Protein
- 49 grams
- Fat
- 51 grams
- Sodium
- 3541 milligrams
