Copycat Buc-ee's Brisket
Description
This copycat Buc-ee's brisket is seasoned with a Texas-style salt-and-pepper rub, smoked low and slow until tender, then sliced or chopped and tossed with BBQ sauce, just like the carving station favorite.
Ingredients
- 12 pounds brisket,
- ¾ cup Copycat Buc-ee's Brisket Rub, about 1 tablespoon per pound
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard or oil, optional, as a binder
- Water or apple cider vinegar for spritzing, optional
- Post oak, mesquite, or hickory wood
- Copycat Buc-ee's BBQ Sauce, for serving
- Soft hamburger buns, pickles, and sliced onions, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Trim the hard fat and silver skin from the brisket, leaving about ¼ inch of fat on the fat cap. Round off thin edges.
- Brush the brisket with a thin layer of mustard or oil, if using. Season all sides evenly with the brisket rub.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours.
- Heat the smoker to 250°F. Let the brisket sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches about 165°F and the bark is dark and set, about 6 to 8 hours. Spritz the edges every hour after the first 3 hours, if desired.
- Wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper or foil.
- Continue smoking until the brisket reaches 200 to 205°F and is probe-tender in the thickest part of the flat, about 4 to 6 hours more.
- Rest the wrapped brisket for at least 1 hour, or hold it in a towel-lined cooler for up to 3 hours.
- Separate the point from the flat. Slice the flat against the grain into pencil-thick slices. Chop the point and toss it with warm BBQ sauce.
- Serve on soft buns with pickles and onions, or on a platter with your favorite sides.
Equipment
- Smoker (or oven for the oven method)
- Instant-read or leave-in meat thermometer
- Butcher paper or heavy-duty foil
- Large cutting board and sharp slicing knife
- Spray bottle (optional)
- Cooler and old towels (for resting)
Notes
- Timing: Plan for about 1 to 1½ hours per pound at 250°F, plus resting time. Always cook to tenderness, not time.
- Oven method: Roast at 275°F uncovered until the bark is set and the brisket reaches about 165°F, then wrap in foil and cook until 200 to 205°F and probe-tender. Rest before slicing.
- Smaller brisket: A brisket flat (5 to 7 lbs) works too. It cooks faster, so start checking tenderness earlier.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 58gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 377mgPotassium: 1073mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2632IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 7mg