When you’re smoking brisket, there’s nowhere to hide. It’s the king of BBQ cuts—big, bold, and unforgiving if you don’t show it respect. That’s why we built Commander in Beef Rub: to deliver the perfect balance of savory, smoky, and peppery heat that lets brisket shine without covering up its natural beefy punch.
This recipe takes you step-by-step through making a Texas-style smoked brisket with our rub. Whether you’re a first-time smoker or a seasoned pit boss, this is your roadmap to a brisket worth bragging about.
Ingredients
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1 whole packer brisket (12–16 lbs, USDA Prime if you can get it)
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½ cup Commander in Beef Rub (adjust to brisket size)
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Yellow mustard, Duck fat, Or sprayable Tallow (binder, optional)
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½ cup beef tallow or unsalted butter (for wrapping)
The Prep
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Trim the brisket.
Take the brisket out of the fridge and trim down excess fat, leaving about ¼ inch cap on top. Square off ragged edges so it cooks evenly. Save the good soft fat with no meat on it and place it in a pan. This can be put in the smoker with your brisket to make smoked tallow. -
Season with purpose.
Very Lightly coat the brisket with mustard or fat if you’re using a binder. Then apply Commander in Beef Rub generously on all sides. Don’t be shy—this is a big cut of meat that can handle serious seasoning. -
Let it rest.
Give the rub at least 30 minutes to bond with the meat while you fire up the smoker.
The Smoke
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Set the smoker.
Preheat to 250°F using oak, hickory, or post oak for classic flavor. Keep your water pan filled to help with moisture. If you don't want a heavy smokiness (we have a few in our family that just want light smoke), consider using cherry wood - it leaves a beautiful color and has a mild/sweet smokiness its one of our personal favorites and always a crowd pleaser. -
Low and slow.
Place the brisket fat-cap down if the heat source is from below (fat-cap up if heat comes from above). Smoke until the internal temp hits 165°F, usually 6–8 hours.
The Wrap -Butcher Paper OR The Foil boat.
This decision comes down to preference. If you want to go classic Texas style then wrap in butcher paper, it's a tried-and-true method of helping retain moisture and speed up the cook through the stall. the only downside is it somewhat stops the bark from forming a deeper color and softens it up.
The foil boat is 100% worth trying out. the idea is that the uncovered surface continues to develop a dark crusty bark while the foil protects the edges that tend to dry out if left exposed too long. Some benefits to this as that as it continues to cook, the fat renders and stays in the foil which keeps the brisket insanely moist and actually will help cook slightly faster.
The Wrap -Lay out butcher paper or heavy foil. Place the brisket on, add a few spoonfuls of beef tallow or butter, and wrap tight. TIP - use enough butcher paper to be about 3-4x the width of the brisket. Return to the smoker.
The Foil Boat - using wide heavy duty aluminum foil, take two sheets that are larger than the length of the brisket, layer them on top of one another. Place your brisket presentation side up (for this recipe that would mean the fat cap is facing the foil) and start to scrunch the foil up all around the sides of the brisket. (see the cover picture for an example of this method)
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Finish the cook.
Continue smoking until the brisket reaches 203°F internal and feels probe-tender (like sliding into warm butter). This can take another 4–6 hours depending on the size.
The Rest - DO NOT SKIP THIS PART!
This is where patience pays. Set the Brisket on your counter for about 30 minutes so the temp starts to drop. Then let the brisket rest, still wrapped, in a cooler or warm oven for at least 1 hour (2–3 is much better). Resting lets the juices redistribute and the bark set.
Slice and Serve
Unwrap the brisket and slice against the grain. IMPORTANT NOTE: the flat (lean) and the point (fatty) have different grain directions, so you need to cut them accordingly.
Start by cutting the flat into thin slices across the width of the brisket (in our cover picture that would be cutting in the direction of top to bottom of the screen) - think the size of a pencil top eraser. once you get about halfway you'll start to see it get a little fattier. Turn the brisket 90 degrees and start cutting the point into big slices about twice the size of the flat slices The flat will give you tender slices, and the point will yield juicy burnt-end-style bites. Serve it straight or with your favorite sides—either way, you’ll taste how Commander in Beef Rub carries the brisket without overpowering it.
🔥 Pro Tip: Save those drippings from the wrap. They make an incredible dipping jus or can be drizzled back over slices for extra richness
