Slow-Smoked Hickory Brisket with Texas-Style Dry Rub
Tender brisket smoked low and slow over hickory wood, seasoned with a robust Texas-style dry rub for deep smoky flavor. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 525 minutes, pairs beef brisket, hickory wood chips, kosher salt 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
- 5 lbs beef brisket
- 2 cups hickory wood chips
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
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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 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon chili powder to make the dry rub.
- Step 2: Pat dry the 5 pounds beef brisket with paper towels and evenly coat all sides with the dry rub mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- Step 3: Soak 2 cups hickory wood chips in water for 30 minutes, then drain.
- Step 4: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and add the hickory wood chips to generate smoke.
- Step 5: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate, close the lid, and smoke for approximately 8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F, maintaining consistent temperature.
- Step 6: Remove the brisket and wrap tightly in butcher paper; let rest for 1 hour to allow juices to redistribute before slicing against the grain.









