If you’re a BBQ enthusiast, you know that smoking beef brisket is one of the pinnacles of barbecue mastery. The joy of biting into a perfectly smoked piece of brisket is unmatched. But what happens when your brisket hits the infamous “stall”? This is where the braising or “boating” method comes into play.
This smoked and braised beef brisket recipe will show you how to use the braising method. We’ll also put wrapped-at-the-stall brisket to the test against boating-at-the-stall brisket. Plus, I’ll share a delicious braising liquid recipe that will take your smoked brisket to new heights.
Why Braise or Boat Your Brisket?
The stall occurs when the internal temperature of the brisket stops rising during smoking, usually between 58-74 degrees Celsius. Some pitmasters wrap their brisket in foil during this phase to retain moisture and speed up cooking.
However, you can also try this braised brisket method instead.
Boating—or braising—involves placing the brisket in a shallow pan with a flavorful liquid, then covering it with foil. This method not only helps push through the stall but also infuses the meat with additional layers of flavour.
What You Will Need To Make Smoked Beef Brisket
- Navel end brisket (1.1 – 1.5kg)
- Dry rub recipe (your favourite blend)
Braising Liquid Recipe
This braising liquid is packed with rich, savoury flavours that complement smoked beef brisket beautifully. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 litre of beef stock
- 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke
- ½ onion, sliced
- 50g sliced mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & black pepper (to taste)
How To Make Smoked Braised Beef Brisket
Follow these steps to smoke and braise your beef brisket as an alternative method to the wrapped smoker brisket method:
STEP ONE – Prepare the Braising Liquid
- Add all the braising liquid ingredients into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Place in a microwavable container and refrigerate until ready to use.
STEP TWO – Preheat Your Smoker
- Prep your smoker to maintain a temperature between 110 – 120 degrees Celsius.
- Add your smoking wood (mesquite or cherry works great) and allow blue smoke to come through before adding the seasoned brisket.
STEP THREE – Prep the Brisket
- Remove the brisket from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Pat down with a paper towel and massage with a mustard binder (using a binder such as mustard will make sure your rub sticks to your meat), making sure the entire brisket is covered.
- Generously sprinkle your dry rub over the entire surface of the brisket. If prepping the night before, return the brisket to the fridge on a baking tray.
STEP FOUR – Smoke The Brisket
- Place the brisket in the smoker and smoke for about 4 hours or until the brisket hits the stall (usually between 58 – 74 degrees Celsius).
STEP FIVE – Braise the Brisket
- Reheat the braising liquid (in the microwave or on the stovetop) and pour it into a medium-sized aluminium tray.
- Place the brisket in the tray, cover with aluminium foil, and return to the smoker.
- Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 94 degrees Celsius.
STEP SIX – Check for Doneness
- Check the brisket for doneness by using a wooden skewer to pierce the thickest part. The skewer should go through the meat like butter.
- If it doesn’t, continue to cook until you achieve that butter-like tenderness.
STEP SEVEN – Rest the Brisket
- Remove the brisket from the smoker and let it rest for at least 1 hour. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a moist and flavorful bite.
STEP EIGHT – Serve and Enjoy
- Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with your favourite sides.
- Keep any excess cooked brine juice in a microwavable dish and store it in the freezer for future use (it’s fantastic in recipes like Brisket Guinness Pie).
Which Is Better: Braised Or Smoked Brisket?
We did a comparison of the two using 2 briskets purchased on the same day, from the same place and smoking them together so that the conditions were identical up until the braising step.
The best thing about putting both the standard smoked brisket to the test against a braised smoked brisket is that both give you those delicious smokey flavours, so you’re already off to a good start.
So what was the verdict? The braised beef definitely had more flavour, having absorbed the flavours of the braising liquid right through the meat. Meanwhile, the smoked brisket was the most tender with that melt-in-the-mouth tenderness you want from a brisket. As for a winner, well… I’d take either any day! You can’t go wrong with whichever option you choose to make.
In the battle of wrapped-at-the-stall vs. boating-at-the-stall, both methods have their merits. However, boating with a flavorful braising liquid can add an extra layer of richness and depth to your smoked beef brisket. This method will ensure your brisket stays moist and delicious throughout the smoking process. So next time you face the stall, give boating a try—you might just find it’s your new favourite way to tackle this BBQ challenge.
If you’re looking for what to serve with beef brisket, check out these brisket side dish ideas, including light summer salads and plenty of comfort sides too!
Check out these tips for how to keep your brisket moist after slicing it.
Smoked Braised Brisket
Equipment
- 1 Smoker
- 1 Medium pot
- 1 Aluminium tray
Ingredients
Smoked Brisket
- Navel end brisket 1.1 – 1.5kg
- Dry rub recipe
Braising Liquid
- 1 L Beef stock
- 2 tsp Liquid smoke
- ½ Onion sliced
- 50 g Mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Mustard powder
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove brisket from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
- Add all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot and bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Place in a microwavable container and place in the fridge until ready to use
- Prep smoker between 110-120 degrees Celsius (230-250F).
- Add smoking wood (such as mesquite/cherry). Heat element allowing blue smoke to come through before adding seasoned brisket to smoker.
- Pat down brisket with a paper towel and massage mustard into the meat. Make sure you have the entire brisket covered.
- Generously sprinkle dry rub over the entire surface of the brisket (if prepping the night before, return brisket to the fridge in a baking tray).
- Place brisket in the smoker and smoke for 4 hours or until brisket hits the stall (anywhere between 58 – 74C (136-165F).
- Reheat the brine liquid (microwave or stovetop) and pour into a medium-sized aluminium tray. Place brisket in the tray, cover with aluminium foil and return to smoker until internal temperature reaches 94 degrees Celsius (200F).
- Check brisket for doneness by using a wooden skewer to pierce the biggest portion of the brisket. The skewer should probe the meat like butter. If not, continue to cook until butter-like tenderness.
- Remove from smoker and let rest for a minimum of 1hr.
- Slice the brisket against the grain and serve with your favourite sides.
- Keep excess cooked brine juice in a microwavable dish and put it in the freezer for use in other recipes.
Video
Notes
- Use mesquite or cherry wood for an extra smoky flavour.
- For best results, let the seasoned brisket sit overnight in the fridge.
- Don’t skip the rest time. This is very important!
- Save excess braising liquid for future recipes, like Brisket Guinness Pie. You can freeze it.Â
Happy smoking, and may your briskets always be tender and flavorful!
