Smoked Beef Brisket | Maddie and Kiki’s BBQ Barn

Difficulty:
1/5
Serves:
10 PEOPLE
Smoked Beef Brisket

Brisket smoked low and slow is a classic for a reason as this showstopper of a recipe demonstrates. Spices are rubbed into the brisket to infuse it with flavor that’s boosted even more with a mop sauce. Together, the mop and rub create a beautiful crust that’s a key part of any smoked brisket. The meat will be tender enough to pull apart with a fork, but slice and serve with mustard and crusty rolls for a real meat treat. Smoked Meatloaf featured on Maddie & Kiki’s BBQ Barn.

Ingredients:

  • 1 full 6 lbs. brisket with fat cap (2.72kg)
  • 12 cups pecan wood chips (3 liters)
  • 10-14 crusty rolls
  • Mustard of choice
  • Sliced pickles (optional)
  • Thinly sliced red onion (optional)

Rub:

  • ½ cup Ancho chili powder (or your favorite chili powder) (125ml)
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin (15ml)
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard (15ml)
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt (15ml)
  • 1 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper (5ml)
  • 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper (15 ml)

Mop and Sauce:

  • 1 ¼ cups beef stock (375ml)
  • ¾ cup ketchup (180ml)
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • ½ tablespoon chili powder (7.5ml)
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder (7.5ml)
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder (7.5ml)
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt (5ml)

Method:

  • In a small bowl, mix together spices for the rub until evenly combined.
  • Rub spice mixture all over the brisket using slight pressure to tear little pockets of flavor in the meat.
  • Place rubbed brisket in a sealable baggie or on a tray and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Combine all mop ingredients in a saucepan set over medium low heat and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Remove mop from heat and cool.
  • Place 3 cups (750ml) of wood chips on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Close the foil up loosely and make a sealed pouch. Pierce the pouch with a fork in several spots top and bottom to allow smoke to escape. Repeat steps to make another 3 pouches (4 pouches in total).
  • Prepare barbeque for indirect cooking and smoking).  Leave 2 burners off and one burner on at 220°F (104°C). Place a drip pan on the side with heat turned off.
  • Place a smoke pouch directly over the heat source.
  • Place the brisket over the drip pan and smoke for 6 hours, replacing the smoke pouch when smoke dissipates.
  • After 3 hours of cooking, start mopping the brisket frequently–every ½ hour and whenever the smoke pouch needs to be changed. The brisket will be done in approximately 5-6 hours or when the meat is tender.
  • Remove brisket from the grill, cover with foil and let meat rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
  • The meat should be almost falling apart; however, carve against the grain.
  • Serve brisket on crusty bread with mustard, pickles, and red onion (if using).