Texas Smoked Brisket
Master the art of tender, flavorful beef with this foolproof recipe from an award-winning Fort Worth barbecue joint.
- Serves
8–12
- Time
23 hours
Time is the main ingredient in this smoky brisket recipe from Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth, Texas. Pitmasters Ernest Morales and Chris Magallanes coax deep flavor from the beef by smoking it slowly and steadily. Whole briskets have two muscles—the lean flat and the rich, marbled point—which cook together to stay moist from end to end. Allowing the brisket to cool to temperature as slowly as possible after cooking lets the juices redistribute fully and tenderize the meat. Serve the brisket alongside classic sides like mac and cheese, potato salad, or coleslaw, or take a page from Panther City and pair it with creamy, cheesy elote.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. granulated garlic
- One 8–10 lb. whole brisket, fat cap trimmed to ¼-in. thick, silver skin and any loose flaps removed
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. beef tallow, plus more if needed
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Instructions
Step 1
In a small bowl, stir together the black pepper, salt, and granulated garlic.
Step 2
Season the brisket all over with the spice mixture, using your hands to pat it onto the meat. (Reserve any left over for another use.) Refrigerate uncovered for at least 16 hours, or up to 24.
Step 3
Transfer the brisket to a wire rack and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
Step 4
Heat a smoker to 250°F. Smoke the brisket on the rack until the bark (the crust that forms on the outside of the meat) is dark and firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F, 6–7½ hours.
Step 5
Cut two 2–3-foot-long pieces of butcher or parchment paper and stack them perpendicular to one another on a work surface. Using heatproof gloves, carefully place the brisket in the center of the paper and brush the top and sides with the tallow. Fold the paper up and over the brisket on all sides, tucking in the corners to seal.
Step 6
Return the brisket on the rack to the smoker and turn the heat to 290–300°F. (If your smoker doesn’t go that high, use the maximum temperature.) Cook until the temperature reaches at least 200℉ and the thermometer can be inserted with little to no resistance, 2–3 hours more.
Step 7
Transfer the rack with the brisket to a baking sheet and set aside, wrapped, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 2 hours. To serve, carve the brisket against the grain, then coarsely chop if desired.
- In a small bowl, stir together the black pepper, salt, and granulated garlic.
- Season the brisket all over with the spice mixture, using your hands to pat it onto the meat. (Reserve any left over for another use.) Refrigerate uncovered for at least 16 hours, or up to 24.
- Transfer the brisket to a wire rack and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Heat a smoker to 250°F. Smoke the brisket on the rack until the bark (the crust that forms on the outside of the meat) is dark and firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the brisket reads 175°F, 6–7½ hours.
- Cut two 2–3-foot-long pieces of butcher or parchment paper and stack them perpendicular to one another on a work surface. Using heatproof gloves, carefully place the brisket in the center of the paper and brush the top and sides with the tallow. Fold the paper up and over the brisket on all sides, tucking in the corners to seal.
- Return the brisket on the rack to the smoker and turn the heat to 290–300°F. (If your smoker doesn’t go that high, use the maximum temperature.) Cook until the temperature reaches at least 200℉ and the thermometer can be inserted with little to no resistance, 2–3 hours more.
- Transfer the rack with the brisket to a baking sheet and set aside, wrapped, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 2 hours. To serve, carve the brisket against the grain, then coarsely chop if desired.
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