Hickory-Smoked Beef Brisket with Oak Wood Smoke

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-08 · Updated 2026-08-08

Slow-smoked beef brisket infused with blended Hickory and Oak smoke, tender and richly flavored with a smoky bark. This barbecue recipe, ready in about 465 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 480 calories and feeds 8, 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.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs beef brisket
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 cups hickory wood chips
• 2 cups oak wood chips
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Trim the 5 lbs beef brisket of excess fat, leaving about 1/4-inch fat cap for moisture retention.
2. Step 2: Combine 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp onion powder in a bowl and rub evenly all over the brisket for a balanced seasoning.
3. Step 3: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and soak 2 cups hickory wood chips and 2 cups oak wood chips in water for 30 minutes.
4. Step 4: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker rack, add the soaked wood chips to the smoker box or directly on coals, and smoke for about 6-7 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F, replenishing wood chips every 90 minutes.
5. Step 5: During smoking, spritz the brisket every hour with 1 cup water using a spray bottle to maintain moisture and develop a flavorful bark.
6. Step 6: Once done, remove the brisket and wrap it tightly in butcher paper; let it rest for 1 hour before slicing thinly against the grain and serving.