Smoked Kansas City-Style Beef Brisket with Housemade Barbecue Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-29 · Updated 2026-07-29

Tender smoked beef brisket infused with classic Kansas City barbecue flavors, served with a rich housemade tangy-sweet barbecue sauce. This American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 690 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
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• as needed for smoking charcoal or 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 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder in a bowl and rub evenly over the entire 4 lbs beef brisket. Let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
2. Step 2: Prepare a smoker to 225°F using charcoal or wood chips, maintaining steady smoke. Place the brisket fat side up on the rack and smoke for about 6-7 hours until the internal temperature reaches 195°F and the meat is tender.
3. Step 3: Meanwhile, mix 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp hot sauce, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
4. Step 4: Once brisket is done, let rest for 30 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain and serve with the housemade barbecue sauce.