Brisket is one of the simplest and trickiest meats to cook on a barbecue because all you really need is a piece of brisket (seasoning and sauces are optional); however, because brisket is one of the toughest cuts of meat, it must be cooked slowly and carefully to avoid becoming inedible.
Many barbecue enthusiasts believe that you cannot cook a brisket on a gas grill, but there are methods that make this possible. Low and slow cooking is most often done in a smoker, and sometimes on a charcoal grill.
This slow-grilled brisket recipe is a great alternative if you don’t have a smoker or aren’t ready to smoke a full-sized brisket. If you don’t have a rotisserie attachment for your grill, you can still cook the brisket on the grill in a shallow foil pan.
How to grill Beef Brisket | Recipe
Grill-Smoked Barbecue Brisket 🔗
Without a smoker, you can use wood chips and your grill to infuse a brisket with loads of flavor. In this recipe, the meat spends 2 hours on the grill then finishes in the oven, which better controls the cooking environment. Serve with soft bread and pickles. Read more about this recipe.
Total: 13
Nutrition Facts: calories 221 calories, Carbohydrate 9 g, Cholesterol 92 mg, Fat 6 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 31 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, servingSize None, Sodium 467 mg, Sugar 7 g, Trans Fat None, unSaturated Fat None
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ tablespoons dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 5-pound point brisket (see Tip)
- 2 cups applewood or hickory chips (see Tip)
- ½ cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- .666 cup ketchup
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (see Tip)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instruction:
- To prepare brisket: Combine mustard, chile powder, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons granulated garlic, ginger, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Trim all but 1/2-inch layer of fat from brisket. Place the brisket on a baking sheet and sprinkle all over with the spice mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, place wood chips in a medium bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. If using a gas grill, loosely wrap all the soaked wood chips in foil with an opening at the top, and place them beneath the grill grates directly over the heat source before preheating.
- Preheat half the grill on medium (or build a medium-heat fire on one side of a charcoal grill) and leave the other half unheated; preheat to 250°F. Combine apple juice and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a spray bottle. If using charcoal, drain the wood chips and add 1 cup to the charcoal.
- Place the brisket, fat-side up, on the grates over indirect heat for 2 hours, spraying with the juice mixture every 30 minutes to moisten. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup wood chips to the charcoal to keep the smoke going.
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Wrap the brisket in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a fork meets no resistance when inserted and the internal temperature registers 195°F, 6 to 7 hours.
- Remove the brisket from the oven and unwrap foil. Turn broiler to high. Broil the brisket, fat-side up, until the top is crisp, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully so it does not burn.) Let rest on the baking sheet, covered with foil, for 45 minutes to 1 hour before carving.
- Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, granulated garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Thinly slice against the grain. Serve with the sauce.
FAQ
How long does it take to grill a brisket?
I like to wrap the brisket in two layers of heavy-duty foil when it reaches about 170°F so that it steams and tenderizes even more as it cooks.Grill/Roast 5-8 hours, depending on the size of the brisket, or until meat thermometer registers 185°-190°F in the thickest part.
How do you prepare a brisket for grilling?
Brisket can be grilled by trimming the fat to a thickness of 1/4 inch, marinating it for 12 to 24 hours, and then searing it for 20 minutes on each side over medium-hot coals or close to a hot fire. Then, it can be slowly cooked at a low temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you keep brisket moist on the grill?
It’s important to note that BBQ is the process of low, slow, dry heat cooking. Grilling is high heat, fast cooking; it’s not BBQ. You can use a dedicated smoker, a charcoal grill with wet wood chips, or a gas grill with wet wood chips set for indirect heat. Cook the brisket for 7 to 10 hours.