Classic Smoked Brisket

A Classic Smoked Brisket recipe should be simple to follow and uses basic ingredients. Why? Because, the meat should be the star of the show. With this brisket recipe, there is no need to over-complicated the process and there will be so much natural flavor, little more than a simple rub is needed for a great bark. Follow these tips and enjoy making brisket burnt ends. with some of the meat.

Brisket Smoking Tips

Follow these easy tips for a successful and tasty brisket.

Opt for a Choice or Prime Graded Brisket

Choice has a fair amount of marbling (fat to meat ratio) while Prime seems to have the best in terms of balance and flavor. Some people swear by Wagyu, but the fat ratio is too high for what you pay for in our opinion. Select won’t give you enough fat or flavor and is easy to dry out during a long smoke.

Be sure to remove enough fat from the Brisket cap

You want only about ¼ inch of fat on the surface of the brisket. Excess fat can prevent or delay the formation of the pellicle which is the hard layer that forms while heat is applied to the meat. The pellicle holds the glaze formed by the dissolving spices which eventually form the bark.

Use a Nut Hardwood vs a Fruit Hardwood

Nut woods like hickory, oak, mesquite, and pecan tend to generate more smoke and stronger smoke flavors than fruit hardwoods like apple and cherry.

We recommend using our Texas Mesquite Hardwood Pellets with this recipe which contains a blend of Mesquite, Hickory, and Pecan hardwoods.

This recipe uses the Louisiana Grills Beef and Brisket Rub seasoning.

1. Turn your Louisiana Grill to smoke mode, let the fire catch and then set your grill to 225°F.
2. While your grill is heating up, trim your brisket of excess fat (you’ll want to leave about ¼ of an inch of fat so the meat stays moist during the long cooking process) , and season with your favorite rub - whatever floats your boat! Place your brisket on the grates of the grill, fat side up. Let it smoke for about 8 - 10 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
3. Wrap in pink butcher paper and then wrap that in a towel. Let it rest in the cooler for up to an hour so the juices can sit.
4. Slice against the grain and enjoy!