Pellet-Smoked Brisket with Dry Rub
Succulent brisket slow-smoked over pellets with a robust spice rub, resulting in tender meat with a flavorful bark crust. This American-inspired grilling recipe, ready in about 615 minutes, pairs beef brisket, brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds beef brisket
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 cups applewood pellets
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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, mix 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 1 tsp cayenne pepper to create a dry rub.
- Step 2: Pat 5 pounds beef brisket dry with paper towels and evenly coat all sides with the dry rub, pressing gently to adhere; cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 3: Preheat your pellet smoker to 225°F and add 3 cups of applewood pellets for smoke.
- Step 4: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker rack and smoke for approximately 8-10 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F and the meat is tender enough to insert a probe thermometer with little resistance.
- Step 5: Remove the brisket from the smoker, wrap it loosely in foil, and let it rest for 1 hour before slicing against the grain into thin slices for serving.








