Wood-Fired Smoked Brisket with Spiced Dry Rub
Tender brisket smoked slowly over wood fire, seasoned with a robust dry rub of paprika, brown sugar, and spices for deep flavor. This American-inspired grilling recipe, ready in about 500 minutes, pairs beef brisket, paprika, brown sugar 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
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups, soaked in water for 30 minutes wood chips (oak or hickory)
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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 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 1 tsp cayenne pepper to create the dry rub.
- Step 2: Pat dry the 5 lbs beef brisket and evenly coat all sides with the dry rub, pressing gently to adhere the spices.
- Step 3: Prepare your wood-fired smoker or outdoor wood furnace and bring the temperature to 225°F, adding 2 cups soaked oak or hickory wood chips to generate smoke.
- Step 4: Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grate and smoke for approximately 6-8 hours, maintaining a steady temperature and adding wood chips as needed to keep the smoke continuous.
- Step 5: Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature; the brisket is done when it reaches 195°F and is tender to the fork.
- Step 6: Remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap tightly in foil. Let rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing against the grain to serve.








