Beef Brisket 101: Hit the BBQ Jackpot

August 2, 2024.

By Darryl Postelnick

Darryl is a loving husband and father of three, an Illinois native with decades of experience in executive-level sales. Having worked for Fortune 500 companies like The Walt Disney Company and Microsoft, he brings a wealth of professional expertise to his new venture. Inspired by his children, Darryl turned his passion for cooking into a thriving online presence in 2020. He now shares his culinary creations, both in his kitchen and on the grill, with over 3.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Beef Brisket is one of my favorite recipes to smoke on the grill. The tenderness, smoky taste, and ‘melt in your mouth’ texture is something I crave. To be honest, I never tried making a beef brisket until two years into my channel, as I was afraid to make it—it was very intimidating to me.

The first one I made, I researched it for hours, and it turned out terrible! I was afraid I was overcooking it, but instead, it came out tough and undercooked. The second run at it was better, but I overcooked it and it shredded right in front of me; I couldn’t even get a nice slice out of the flat. The third attempt got better, but I didn’t rest it long enough, was very impatient, and it was a bit tough.

So, tried and true to the theory of ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,’ I did just that. After evaluating my attempts at the ‘perfect brisket,’ I took all of my learnings and put them together and made my winning guide. Here is the key to hitting the Brisket jackpot.

Steps to Smoking the Perfect Brisket:

1. Trim It Well, But Not Too Well!
● You need some of the fat on the brisket to render and keep the beef moist. Try to leave at least ¼ inch of fat.

2. Season It Heavily
● The seasoning is the key. Mix kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Just when I think there is enough, I add more.

3. Plan on an Overnight Cook
● Brisket is ‘low and slow,’ so be patient and let the smoker do its thing. This could take 16-18 hours. Save all the fat trimmings and put them in a foil pan and put on the smoker along with the brisket. The fat will render, and you’ll end up with perfect tallow. I generally start the smoke at 225 degrees.

4. The Stall is Real!
● Be patient and let it get through that. Don’t be afraid to turn your heat up a bit if you think it is taking too long. I start mine at 225 degrees and then move it to 250 to get through the stall.

5. Wrapping the Brisket
● After you pass the stall (which generally happens at 150 degrees), keep an eye on it and take it out when the temperature hits 165-170 degrees. Wrap it in butcher paper or aluminum foil. Pour some of the rendered fat tallow over the top of it to keep it moist while wrapping.

6. Final Cook
● Put back on the smoker and cook till the internal temperature hits 195-205 degrees. Once that happens, YOU ARE NOT DONE!

7. Resting the Brisket
● Take the wrapped brisket and put it in a cooler (or wrap in a few beach towels) for a few hours. The fat will continue to render, and you’ll have a winning beef brisket.

Make sure you save any remaining from this beef brisket recipe. Chop it up and seal it in vacuum-sealed bags. Freeze and use in future recipes like: Mac & Cheese, Tacos, breakfast burritos, burgers, brisket sandwiches, pasta, or Brisket grilled cheese. R U Kidding Me?

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