Smoked Brisket Flat
Smoked Brisket Flat Recipe – This perfectly smoked brisket flat, known for its rich beefy flavor, enticing smokiness, and beautiful bark, is absolutely irresistible. This recipe takes some time and effort, but in the end, it pays dividends. Consider your smoking game elevated. 😉
If you’ve got a hankering for brisket, but no time to smoke up a full-packer, this is your recipe. It’s ready in roughly 6-8 hours, which is about half the time it takes to do a whole brisket. 🙌
Like most smoked meats, brisket flat is a labor of love. A few steps are involved in making a perfectly juicy brisket flat, but they aren’t complicated. Even a beginner smoker can take on this recipe with confidence.
Smoked Brisket Flat vs. Packer Brisket
Packer brisket or whole packer brisket has two muscles: the flat and the point. The point contains much more marbling and fat than the leaner, flat portion. The flat is ideal if pressed for time or if your smoker is on the smaller side.
A whole packer brisket is an excellent option if you have plenty of time to prep and smoke the meat. It’s also a good choice if your main objective is abundant meat. Both cuts, the point and the flat, are delicious when prepared properly, so you really can’t go wrong.
Recipe Ingredients
- Brisket Flat – The star of the show, this lean meat just needs a little TLC to make sure it comes out juicy and flavorful.
- Brisket Dry Rub – Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are the holy trinity of smoked meats. Always season your brisket with those three seasonings. I usually include the following seasons: paprika, onion and mustard powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, and brown sugar to get an insanely delish bark going. You could also just use any BBQ seasoning mix you like.
- Brisket Injection – To keep this baby extra juicy, inject it with a mix of beef broth (or chicken broth in a pinch), Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion and garlic powder, and finely ground black pepper. 💦
How to Smoke a Brisket Flat
Season the Brisket Flat
- Dry Rub – Mix all the dry rub ingredients well in a small bowl and set aside.
- Marinade – In another small bowl or saucepan, mix the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper, making sure there are no lumps. (Photos 1-2)
- Inject – Next, insert the injector’s needle into different areas of the brisket, injecting the marinade throughout to infuse flavor and prevent it from drying out. (Photo 3)
- Season the brisket generously with the homemade dry rub. Or season it with salt, pepper, and garlic only. (Photo 4)
Smoke the Brisket Flat
- Preheat your pellet or electric grill to 225-250°F, following the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific grill. Use the wood pellets of your choice (I used a Competition Blend for this recipe). For a regular smoker, you can use charcoal or wood chips. Preheat it to a similar temperature of around 225°F (107°C).
- Smoke – Place the brisket in the pellet grill, fat-side up, and smoke for approximately 3-4 hours. Occasionally, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket to monitor the temperature.
- Check Internal Temperature – Smoke the brisket flat until it reaches an internal temperature of between 165-170℉ and has developed a good bark (that flavorful crust that forms on the surface of the brisket). (Photo 5)
- Wrap – Next, remove it from the smoker and tightly wrap it with butcher paper or foil. Place the wrapped brisket back in the pellet grill and continue smoking until the internal temperature is about 205°F. It will take about 3 hours. (Photos 6-8)
- Rest – Finally, place the wrapped brisket in a cooler or a warm, dry place and let it rest for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2-3 hours.
- Serve – Slice your smoked brisket against the grain and serve it with your favorite cookout sauces and sides.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the marinade. Feel free to adjust the marinade ingredients to suit your taste preferences. Brown sugar or molasses adds a touch of sweetness, cayenne pepper or hot sauce adds a little heat, or experiment with different spices.
- Try a coffee-rubbed smoked brisket flat. Create a rub using ground coffee, chili powder, brown sugar, and cumin for a rich, earthy flavor profile. Smoke with hickory wood to complement the coffee flavors. ☕
- Indulge in a Mexican mole-inspired brisket flat. For a mole-inspired flavor, create a rub with Mexican chocolate, chili powder, and cinnamon. Smoke with mesquite wood for an authentic touch.
Tips and Tricks
- Pellet smokers are preferable for this recipe thanks to their consistent temperature control.
- Experiment with different wood pellet types to achieve the flavor profile you prefer.
- The resting period lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat, and the fibers relax, resulting in a more tender and juicy brisket. Don’t skip this step.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Feel free to make this brisket flat a day or two ahead. You can serve it cool or at room temperature for sandwiches or over salads. If you’d like to reheat it, wrap it in foil and put it on the grill or in the oven set to 225℉ (107℃) for about 45 minutes or until heated through.
Serving and Storage Instructions
After resting the meat for as long as possible, cut it into slices against the grain and serve it with your fave BBQ sauce. It makes for a fantastic main course, but you can incorporate it into nachos, sandwiches, fajitas, and more.
Store the leftover smoked brisket in the fridge for 3-5 days or freezer for up to two months in an airtight container. To reheat, do so low and slow with the meat wrapped in foil. Your oven or grill will work for this.
FAQs
You don’t have to, but I usually do. I aim for an even ¼-inch thick fat cap and always remove the silver skin. This ensures your brisket flat cooks evenly and still benefits from the fat rendering as it smokes.
It’s up to you, but when you reach the second smoking phase, keep in mind that foil paper cooks the meat faster and makes the brisket extra tender. On the downside, it might ruin the bark. On the other hand, butcher paper can preserve the texture of the bark, but it might take longer to cook.
Personal preference. I find it makes for the juiciest possible brisket, and it doesn’t ruin the bark. Some people say otherwise, so do whatever you feel comfortable with. 😉
What Goes With Smoked Brisket Flat
I love smoked brisket flat with other smoked or grilled sides. Try it with grilled carrots and a smoked baked potato, for example, and see if you aren’t impressed. Homemade BBQ sauces are non-negotiable with brisket at my house, too. Why not whip up some Carolina gold BBQ sauce or some delicious honey BBQ sauce?
More Stand-Out Smoker Recipes to Try
- Smoked Brisket Tacos
- Pellet Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Tender Smoked Pork Loin
- Smoked Beef Tenderloin
- Sirloin Tip Roast
Conclusion
Try this smoked brisket flat and see if you aren’t hooked after just one bite! Have you tried it already? Let me know if you loved it in the comment section below. 🫶
Smoked Brisket Flat
Equipment
- 1 Pellet grill or smoker
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons paprika (optional)
- 1½ tablespoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
Injector Marinade
- 1 cup beef broth (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, finely ground
- 1 5-6 pound brisket flat, trimmed
Instructions
Prep the Brisket
- Start by making the brisket dry rub – in a small bowl, mix the dry rub ingredients until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or saucepan, mix the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper, making sure there are no lumps.
- Insert the injector's needle into different areas of the brisket, injecting the marinade throughout to infuse flavor and prevent it from drying out.
- Salt and pepper brisket, then season generously with the dry rub. You can also use just salt, pepper, and garlic.
Smoke the Brisket Flat
- Preheat your pellet or electric grill to 225-250°F (107-120℃). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific grill, and use the wood pellets of your choice. (I used the Competition Blend).
- For a standard smoker, use charcoal or wood chips. Preheat it to a similar temperature of around 225°F (107°C).
- Place the brisket in the pellet grill, fat-side up, and smoke for 3-4 hours. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket to ensure accurate temperature.
- Smoke the brisket flat until it reaches an internal temperature of between 165-170°F (73-76℃) and your brisket has developed a good bark (flavorful crust that forms on the surface).
- Remove from the smoker and tightly wrap it with butcher paper or foil. (Foil cooks faster and makes the brisket tenderer but might ruin the bark. While butcher paper preserves the bark's texture but might take longer to cook.)
- Place the wrapped brisket back in the pellet grill and continue smoking until the internal temperature is between 203-205°F (95℃). It usually takes about 3 hours.
- Place the wrapped brisket in a cooler or a warm, dry place and let it rest for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2-3 hours. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and the fibers to relax, resulting in a more tender and juicy brisket. Please don't skip this step.
- Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with your favorite barbecue sauce and sides.
Notes
- I love my pellet grill for the convenience and consistent temperature control. Experiment with different types of wood pellets to achieve the flavor profile you prefer.
- The resting period lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat and the fibers relax, resulting in a more tender and juicy brisket. Don’t skip this step.
- Feel free to swap out marinade ingredients to suit your taste preferences. Brown sugar or molasses adds a touch of sweetness, cayenne pepper or hot sauce adds heat, and have fun experimenting with different spices.
- Beef Broth Substitution: If you’re looking for an alternative to beef broth, you can use homemade or store-bought beef stock or even low-sodium chicken broth. This will still add moisture and flavor to the meat.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
