Hickory Pit-Smoked Brisket with Sweet and Tangy BBQ Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Juicy brisket smoked over hickory wood and finished with a house-made sweet and tangy BBQ glaze, capturing the Texas-style barbecue essence. This Texan-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 550 minutes, pairs beef brisket, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 620 calories and feeds 10, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 70 min Cook: 480 min Serves 10 Texan cuisine 620 cal/serving

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Ingredients

5 lbs beef brisket
3 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 cups soaked in water for 1 hour hickory wood chips
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika

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Instructions

Step 1: Combine 3 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp onion powder in a bowl. Rub this dry seasoning evenly over 5 lbs beef brisket. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Step 2: Preheat smoker to 225°F and add 2 cups soaked hickory wood chips to the firebox. Place brisket fat side up on the rack and smoke for about 8 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 195°F and brisket is tender.
Step 3: In a saucepan, mix 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy.
Step 4: During the last 30 minutes of smoking, brush the brisket generously with the BBQ glaze every 10 minutes to build a sticky, flavorful crust.
Step 5: Remove brisket from smoker and let rest loosely tented with foil for 30 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain. Serve with remaining BBQ glaze on the side.