Brisket is the king of BBQ—but it’s also the most intimidating. Big, expensive, and tricky to get just right, it can scare off even seasoned backyard pitmasters. But with this simple and forgiving method, you’ll learn how to cook tender, flavorful brisket without the stress. Get ready to impress your guests and light up your BBQ confidence.
Backyard Brisket
Ask any pitmaster, and they’ll tell you—brisket is both the most rewarding and the most frustrating cut of meat to master. Two muscle groups, uneven thickness, and a high price tag make it a bit of a BBQ gamble. But don’t worry. This backyard method was designed to help you win every time, even if it’s your first try.
Whether you’re cooking for friends or just chasing that Instagram-worthy slice, this step-by-step method will help you nail the tenderness, flavor, and look of a perfect brisket. You’ve got this.
How to Make Backyard Brisket
Preparation
Start by removing the brisket from its packaging and trimming it down. Use a sharp boning knife to reduce the fat cap to about ¼ inch, keeping only the soft, milky white fat. Remove any thick, hard surface fat and all silver skin from the underside.
Find the thick vein of fat between the flat and the point and trim most of it out. You can fully separate the muscles if you want, or just reduce that fat vein so the brisket lies flatter on the grill.
Rub the entire brisket lightly with yellow mustard as a binder, then apply a generous coat of White Lightning Double Garlic Butter followed by a second coat of Motley Que Beef Fixx. Let the seasoned brisket rest at room temp for 30 minutes, or refrigerate it overnight if prepping in advance.
Cooking
Set your smoker to 225°F and place the brisket fat side down. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket to monitor the internal temperature without opening the lid.
Let the brisket smoke until it reaches an internal temp of 165°F.
At 165°F, remove the brisket from the smoker and place it on a double layer of foil. Pour in beef broth for added moisture, then wrap the foil tightly and return the brisket to the smoker.
Continue smoking until the internal temp reaches 200–205°F, then begin checking for tenderness by probing the meat in multiple places. If the probe slides in like butter, it’s done.
Open the foil to vent heat for 10 minutes, then reseal and let the brisket rest in a warm cooler or warming oven for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Serving
When it’s time to serve, you can separate the point and flat or leave them connected “Texas-style.”
Slice the brisket pencil thick across the grain. If it’s fall-apart tender, go thicker. If it’s slightly chewy, slice thinner—no one will notice.
A perfect slice should drape over your finger without breaking. Once sliced, brush on a generous layer of Motley Que Sticky Fixx BBQ Sauce for an extra kick of moisture and flavor.
Best Beer To Pair With Backyard Brisket
Amber Lager
Balanced, smooth, and just malty enough to complement the richness of brisket.
Porter
A dark, roasty porter brings out the deep, smoky flavor in the bark without overpowering it.
Pale Ale
A bit of citrus and bitterness cuts through the fat and refreshes the palate between bites.
Backyard Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 each Whole beef brisket point and flat together
- ¼ cup Yellow Mustard
- ¼ cup Motley Que Beef Fixx
- ¼ cup Boar’s Night Out White Lightning Double Garlic Butter
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 bottle Motley Que Sticky Fixx
Instructions
- Trim brisket fat to ¼ inch, remove silver skin and hard fat.
- Apply mustard binder, season with White Lightning and Beef Fixx.
- Rest 30 minutes at room temp or refrigerate overnight.
- Set smoker to 225°F, place brisket on fat side down.
- Cook until internal temp reaches 165°F, then wrap in foil with beef broth.
- Continue to 200–205°F internal, check for tenderness with a probe.
- Vent foil 10 minutes, then rest in a warm cooler for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Slice across the grain, brush with Sticky Fixx BBQ Sauce, and serve hot.