Texas Smoked Beef Brisket (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredient

01 - 10-pound beef brisket

→ Garlic Butter Injection

02 - 1 stick of butter, melted
03 - 1 tablespoon garlic powder
04 - ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning (leave out if you prefer)

→ Dry Rub Seasoning

05 - 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
06 - 2 tablespoons onion powder
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 tablespoon garlic powder
09 - 1 tablespoon paprika

→ Basting Liquid

10 - 3 cups apple juice
11 - ½ cup apple cider vinegar

# Instructions:

01 - Keep your brisket chilled in the fridge until you're ready to work with it. Get your smoker or grill fired up and bring it to a steady 225°F. While it's heating, take the brisket out and trim away any excess fat, leaving about a quarter-inch layer to keep things moist during the long smoke.
02 - Mix together your melted butter, garlic powder, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Fill up a meat injector with this flavorful butter blend and inject it deep into the brisket—about 1 to 2 inches down. Poke it all over the meat until you've used every last drop of that buttery goodness.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix up your dry rub by combining the seasoned salt, onion powder, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Sprinkle this seasoning generously over every side of the brisket, then gently pat it in so it really sticks to the meat.
04 - Place your seasoned brisket on the grill with the fat side facing up. Close the lid and let it smoke undisturbed for 3 full hours. Resist the urge to peek—keeping that heat and smoke locked in is crucial.
05 - Mix the apple juice and apple cider vinegar together and pour it into a spray bottle. After those first 3 hours, quickly open the grill and spray the brisket generously with the apple mixture. Work fast and keep the grill open for no more than 5 minutes. No need to flip it. Close things up and smoke for another 3 hours.
06 - Pull the brisket off the grill and give it one more good spray with the apple mixture. Wrap it tightly in pink butcher paper or heavy-duty foil—make sure it's sealed up nice and tight so no juices escape. Put it back on the smoker for another 6 hours.
07 - Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached at least 205°F—that's when you know it's perfectly tender. Take it off the heat and open the wrapping just slightly to let some steam escape. Let the brisket rest for a full hour without touching it.
08 - Using a really sharp knife—an electric knife works beautifully here—slice the brisket into thin pieces, cutting against the grain. Serve it up right away with your favorite barbecue sides and enjoy that Texas-style perfection.

# Notes:

01 - This recipe requires patience but delivers authentic Texas BBQ results with incredibly tender, juicy meat.
02 - The key to perfect brisket is maintaining a consistent temperature and not opening the grill too often during the smoking process.
03 - Resting the brisket after cooking is essential—it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
04 - Always slice against the grain for maximum tenderness in every bite.

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