Slow-Smoked Kansas City Style Beef Brisket

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-12 · Updated 2026-06-12

Tender beef brisket smoked low and slow with a sweet and tangy Kansas City-style barbecue rub and glaze. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 560 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 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
• 1/4 cup 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
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 cups soaked hickory wood chips

The instant-read thermometer we’d check this beef with → Best Instant-Read Thermometers for 2026: Fast, Accurate Picks Under $100

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine 1/4 cup 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 in a bowl to make the dry rub. Pat dry 5 lbs beef brisket with paper towels, then coat all sides evenly with the rub mixture.
2. Step 2: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and add 2 cups soaked hickory wood chips for smoke. Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate and smoke for 6 hours, maintaining a steady 225°F temperature.
3. Step 3: While smoking, mix 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp molasses, and 2 tbsp yellow mustard in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until thickened to create the Kansas City-style glaze.
4. Step 4: After 6 hours, wrap the brisket tightly in foil and continue smoking for another 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 200°F and the meat is tender.
5. Step 5: Remove the brisket from the smoker, unwrap, and brush generously with the prepared glaze. Let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing against the grain into 1/4-inch slices to serve.