Hot and Fast Brisket in the Smoker

This Hot and Fast Brisket recipe gives you juicy, tender brisket with real smoke flavor - without committing to an overnight cook. I'll walk you through exactly how to speed up the process using higher heat and a controlled wrap, so the meat stays tender instead of drying out.

If you love brisket, you'll also want to try my Pellet Grill Smoked Brisket and Smoked Beef Brisket in Electric Smoker. 

I first developed this recipe when I promised to prepare brisket for a family gathering and quickly ran out of time to do an overnight cook. Luckily, with a few small tweaks, I was able to speed up the cooking process without ruining the meat.

Now, this fast brisket recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare the meat and is especially useful on game days, holidays, or anytime I'm hosting a backyard barbecue and need to prepare a lot of food without committing to a long cook.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Dry Rub. Using a variation of my Smoked Brisket Rub, I combine various spices, including coarse salt, coarse black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and dry mustard powder. Leaving the brown sugar out of the rub and adding it to the braising liquid is intentional, preventing it from burning and becoming bitter.
• Beef Broth, Brown Sugar, Worcestershire Sauce. These create a braising liquid, tenderizing the meat and infusing it with sweet, savory, smoky flavors. TIP: If you don't have beef broth on hand, mix a bit of beef bouillon into water instead.
• Packer Brisket. I use a whole brisket (point and flat).
• Yellow Mustard. This helps the dry rub cling to the meat and promotes a better crust (bark) during the smoking process.

See the printable recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to Make a Hot and Fast Brisket

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep and season. Trim the fat down to about ¼ inch. Then, brush a thin layer of yellow mustard all over the meat, and apply the dry rub on all sides. TIP: Use your hands to press the seasonings into the meat to ensure they stick. Rest at room temp while you preheat your smoker.

First smoke. Place the brisket in the smoker fat side down, and point the thickest part toward the heat source. Close the lid and smoke at 300°F. TIP: Check the temperature after 2.5 hours. If the flat portion of the meat is more than 30°F hotter than the point, turn the smoker down to 250°F for 1 hour. This will prevent the brisket from drying out.

Wrap. When the thickest point of brisket reaches an internal temperature of 155°F-160°F, transfer the meat to an aluminum pan. Pour the braising liquid into the corner of the pan. Be careful not to pour it over the meat!

Cover the pan tightly with two layers of heavy-duty foil, and return the wrapped brisket to the smoker. I use this instead of butcher's paper, which is typically used for cooking briskets at low temperatures. If you don't have a foil pan large enough to fit the brisket, wrap the brisket in a foil boat, double layers, and place on a sheet pan. Insert temperature probes to monitor the internal temperature. Increase the smoker to 325°F.

Finish and rest. Cook until the brisket is probe-tender and reaches an internal temperature between 203-205°F. Remove the meat from the smoker, open the foil, and let the steam escape. Then, reseal the foil, and rest the brisket loosely covered on the counter before slicing and serving. The brisket should feel soft when probed, with little resistance.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerator: Store leftover brisket in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Slice or shred, and freeze leftover meat in airtight bags for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight to serve.

Reheating: Warm your hot and fast smoked brisket covered in the oven at 275°F just until heated through, adding a splash of broth to prevent the leftovers from drying out.