Hickory-Smoked Beef Brisket with Spiced Rub
Tender brisket slow-smoked over hickory wood with a bold spice rub, delivering deep smoky flavors and a perfect bark crust. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 500 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 450 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
- 4 lbs beef brisket
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups hickory wood chips
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 2 tbsp brown sugar to create the spice rub.
- Step 2: Rub 2 tbsp yellow mustard all over the surface of the 4 lbs beef brisket to help the rub adhere, then evenly coat the brisket with the prepared spice rub, pressing it into the meat.
- Step 3: Prepare your smoker by heating to a steady 225°F and adding 2 cups hickory wood chips for smoke flavor.
- Step 4: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate, close the lid, and smoke for approximately 6-8 hours, maintaining 225°F, until an internal temperature of 195°F is reached and the meat is tender.
- Step 5: Remove the brisket from the smoker, wrap tightly in foil, and let rest for 45 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices for serving.









