Slow Cooked Pork Brisket

Smoked pork brisket is shown partially sliced over a wooden platter.

Slow Cooked Pork Brisket

How to slow cook pork brisket in the oven or smoke it Texas-style. In both versions you will need to wrap the cut to help the meat become succulent. Be sure to have both parchment paper and aluminum foil for the oven slow cook method or breathable pink butcher paper if smoking pork brisket. We recommend hickory wood or apple wood.

No ratings yet

Print Pin

Servings:

Calories: 543kcal

Author: Milena Perrine

Ingredients

1 pork brisket 1.7lbs - 2 lbs average*
¼ cup dry rub** or as needed

Instructions

SMOKED PORK BRISKET

Remove any hard fat/excess fat from the top of the brisket, pat dry the surface. Generously apply dry rub on all sides and allow it to reach room temperature. Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions and heat it up to 250-275 F.***
Place the pork brisket directly onto the grates and smoke it until the internal temperature reaches 175 F measured in the thickest part and you observe that a nice bark has set. Wrap the meat in pink butcher paper and return the packet to the smoker.
Smoke wrapped until the internal temperature gets in the range of 205 - 208 F. Remove it from the smoker, unwrap it and allow it to steam off (unwrapped but still on top of the paper) for at least 20 minutes before you slice it.
Do your best to slice it against the grain and enjoy it right away!

SLOW COOKED PORK BRISKET IN OVEN

Trim the pork brisket of any excess fat, pat dry the surface. Cover it with dry rub an all sides and allow it to come to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then a sheet of parchment paper. Place the seasoned brisket on top, then cover it with another layer of parchment paper (to prevent contact with the aluminum foil) and finally wrap it up with foil.****
Preheat the oven to 275 F and cook the wrapped brisket for 2 to 3 hours, depending on size, until the internal temperatured measured in the thickest part reaches 200 F. If when you check it is lower than that continue cooking wrapped until it does reach 200 F.
Once the brisket is tender and at 200 F, unwrap it and remove the top parchment paper. Increase the oven temperature to 375 F and cook the brisket for about 10 more minutes, until it forms an appetizing crust. (If desired, slather it with BBQ sauce before you place in the 375 F oven.)
Allow the pork brisket to rest a few minutes on the counter before you slice it. Brush with more BBQ sauce once sliced.

Notes

* A pork brisket could reach up to 3 pounds. If this is the case with your cut be prepared to cook it a bit longer that the specified times and mostly watch for the internal temperatures recommended.

** Use a mix of kosher salt and black pepper at a minimum. We like to add garlic powder, cumin and paprika (smoked paprika if oven roasting).

***Be prepared to maintain this temperature range for about 3 hours, possibly longer, depending on the size of the brisket.

****Refer to the section in the post that demonstrates this in pictures and explains more.

Note that the nutritional information is only a guideline as it depends on the fat content of your particular cut, the choice of rub and the size of the 3 slices you serve.

Nutrition