Slow-Smoked Brisket with Tangy Texas BBQ Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-08 · Updated 2026-06-08

This slow-smoked beef brisket features a tender, smoky crust and is served with a tangy, slightly sweet Texas-style BBQ sauce. 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
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups hickory wood chips

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and soak 2 cups of hickory wood chips in water for 30 minutes to generate smoke.
2. Step 2: Combine 2 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 1 tbsp smoked paprika in a bowl; rub this spice mix evenly over the entire 4 lb beef brisket.
3. Step 3: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate and add the soaked hickory chips to the smoker box. Smoke the brisket for about 6 hours, maintaining a steady 225°F temperature.
4. Step 4: While the brisket smokes, prepare the Texas BBQ sauce by whisking together 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, stirring occasionally.
5. Step 5: After 6 hours, wrap the brisket tightly in foil and continue smoking for another 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 200°F and the meat is tender.
6. Step 6: Remove the brisket from the smoker and let it rest wrapped for 30 minutes before slicing against the grain.
7. Step 7: Serve sliced brisket drizzled generously with the warm Texas BBQ sauce.