There is something almost spiritual about smoking a brisket. The patience, the attention, the reward. I started making this when I switched to paleo and refused to give up BBQ. Turns out, brisket is naturally paleo — just beef, salt, pepper, and time. My family now requests this for every holiday, and I happily oblige. The smell alone is worth the 10-hour commitment.
Ingredients
- 1 whole beef brisket (10-12 lbs), trimmed
- ¼ cup coarse black pepper
- ¼ cup coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Wood chunks (oak or hickory)
Instructions
- Prep the brisket: Trim excess fat to about ¼ inch thickness. Combine pepper, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Coat the brisket generously on all sides. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Set up the smoker: Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Add oak or hickory wood chunks for smoke.
- Smoke low and slow: Place brisket fat-side up. Smoke for 8-10 hours until internal temperature reaches 195-203°F. Spritz with water every 2 hours after the first 4 hours.
- Rest is essential: Wrap in butcher paper, then towels. Rest in a cooler for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours is even better).
- Slice and serve: Slice against the grain, about pencil-thickness. Serve immediately.
Tips
- The stall is real: Around 150-170°F, the temp will plateau for hours. Be patient — this is when the magic happens.
- Fat side up: This lets the fat render down through the meat, keeping it moist.
- No smoker? Use a charcoal grill with indirect heat and a foil pouch of wood chips.
