Slow-Smoked Texas Brisket with Simple Salt-Pepper Rub
A tender, smoky brisket seasoned with just salt and pepper, cooked low and slow to capture the essence of Central Texas barbecue. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 380 minutes, pairs beef brisket, kosher salt, coarse black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 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 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 2 cups hickory wood chips
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F using hickory wood chips for smoke. Meanwhile, generously rub 2 tbsp kosher salt and 2 tbsp coarse black pepper evenly all over the 5 lbs beef brisket, pressing it into the meat.
- Step 2: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate and smoke for about 6 hours, maintaining a steady 225°F temperature. Add more wood chips as needed to keep a consistent smoke.
- Step 3: Once the internal temperature reaches 195°F and the brisket feels tender when probed, remove it from the smoker. Wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper and let rest for 1 hour before slicing thinly against the grain to serve.







