Texas style Beef Brisket

Texas-Style Brisket on a Drum Smoker

(Hot & Fast Method)

🕒 Total Time: 5 to 7 hours

This method gets you tender, juicy results with that iconic bark—without the 12+ hour cook.

🛠️ What You’ll Need

• Brisket,

  • Doesn't have to be a full one, highly suggest the flat for nice neat slicing and ease of cooking

• Kosher salt or flake slat or fine grain salt + coarse black pepper (aka "Dalmatian rub that is 50/50 mix")

• Optional:

  • garlic powder or a little beef rub if you're feelin’ fancy

  • onion powder for another dimension

  • a spoon of beef stock powder for the umami hit

• Butcher paper (preferred) or heavy-duty foil, either will work

• Tallow or beef stock for wrap (optional but next-level)

• Instant-read thermometer (for checking temp and feel)

  🔥 Tips for Use:

  Adjust the flavor profile to your desire, I add a little mustard powder to the mix also

📝 Step-by-Step Timeline

1. Trim & Season (Night Before or Morning Of)

• Trim excess fat, hard deckle, and silver skin. Leave ~1/4” fat cap on top.

• Season liberally with rub using a binder.

• Let it sit at room temp for ~1 hour before smoking.

🕒 Start prep early morning or the night before.

2. Fire Up the drum!

Target Temp: 300°F–325°F

• Ashes to Ash's smokers love to run hot. That vortex airflow keeps things cooking evenly.

• Use lump charcoal + oak wood chunks, pecan wood chunks is very good also.

  • Or if you want to use Australia hardwoods we suggest Ironbark chunks for that all round taste

  • Redgum chunks is good also but can be a strong flavor so trial with ratios

🕒 Start fire ~15-20 mins before brisket goes on.

3. Initial Smoke (Unwrapped Phase)

Time: ~3-4 hours

• Place brisket fat side up (heat comes from below on drums).

• Position in the center of the grate for even cooking.

• Let it ride—resist the urge to peek too often.

Spritz: Mix beef broth + apple cider vinegar 50/50. Light spritz every hour to keep bark moist.

🕒 3-4 hours in, brisket should be around 165–175°F internal and bark set (check for firm, not sticky surface)

4. Wrap (The Push Through the Stall)

Time: ~2 hours (we are looking for finished internal temp of 205-210°F)

• Wrap tightly in peach butcher paper or foil.

• Add a bit of beef tallow or butter or broth for moisture.

• Place it back on the smoker.

🕒 Cook until internal temp hits ~205-210°F in the flat and it feels like probing warm butter

5. Rest Like a Pro

Time: Minimum 1 hour (ideal: 2+ hours)

• Pull the brisket and rest it in a cooler or warm oven (~150°F) wrapped in towels.

• Internal temp should come down to ~145–160°F before slicing.

🕒 DO NOT skip this—resting = juicy slices and even texture

🔪 Slicing & Serving

• Slice against the grain. Flat slices straight across, point slices at an angle.

• Serve with just white bread, pickles, onions, maybe a touch of sauce (if you must 😉).

🤠 Bonus Tip:

Make a Texas-style mop (broth, beer, a little Worcestershire) and use it for spritzing or as a wrap addition to deepen that flavor.

Central Texas-Style Brisket Sauce

🍅 Ingredients:

• 1 cup beef stock (low sodium or homemade is ideal)

• 1/2 cup ketchup (base, but don’t go heavy on it)

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1–2 tsp cracked black pepper (go bold here)

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• Pinch of cayenne (optional but recommended)

• Salt to taste (~1/2 tsp, then adjust)

• Optional: 1 tsp chili powder or a dash of chipotle powder

🧑‍🍳 Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.

2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. It should reduce slightly, but stay pourable and thin—think mop sauce consistency, not thick ketchup.

5. Taste and adjust:

   • More vinegar = tangier

   • More pepper = more Texas

   • A dash of hot sauce if you want a little sting

🍖 How to Serve It:

• Warm in a small pourable container or cup.

• Serve on the side with brisket slices—let the bark and smoke stay the hero.

• It also works as a mop sauce during the final hour of cooking if you're going for a juicier finish.

💡 Pro Move:

Well known BBQ pitmasters from Texas have been known to add a touch of espresso or black coffee to their sauce for a deeper, earthy bitterness that plays beautifully with brisket fat. You could swap 1/4 cup of the beef stock for strong black coffee if you wanna try it. Me personally I am not a fan but then I am not everyone, your call.