Smoked & pulled beef brisket

Prep 15 min | Cook 8–12 hrs (smoker) | Serves 6

There’s something special about a brisket that’s been given time - time to take on smoke, time to soften, time to become that rich, fall‑apart beef everyone gathers around for. This recipe walks you through smoking a whole brisket low and slow, then pulling it into tender strands ready for burgers, tacos, bowls or Sunday feasts. It’s simple, forgiving, and full of deep, honest flavour - the kind of cooking that makes a house feel like home.

What you'll need

• 1 x whole brisket (2–4 kg) - trimmed, with a good fat cap

• 2 tbsp Kosher salt

• 2 tbsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• Optional - your favourite beef rub

• Wood - oak, ironbark or hickory for smoking

• Splash - apple cider vinegar or beef stock for spritzing

How to cook it

1. Prepare the brisket - Pat the brisket dry. Trim any thick, hard fat but keep a 5–8 mm fat cap. Mix all rub ingredients and coat the brisket generously on all sides.

2. Preheat the smoker - Set your smoker to 110–120°C. Add your chosen wood (oak or ironbark works beautifully with beef).

3. Smoke low and slow - Place the brisket fat‑side up in the smoker. Smoke for 5–7 hours, spritzing lightly with apple cider vinegar or beef stock every hour to keep the surface moist.

4. Wrap the brisket - Once the bark is set and the internal temp reaches around 70–75°C, wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper or foil. This helps push it through the stall.

5. Cook until tender - Return to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 93–98°C. More importantly, the probe should slide in like warm butter — that’s when it’s ready.

6. Rest the brisket - Rest the wrapped brisket in a warm esky or on the bench for at least 1 hour (2 is even better). This keeps it juicy and makes pulling easier.

7. Pull the brisket - Unwrap and place the brisket in a tray. Using two forks or gloved hands, gently pull the meat into strands. Remove any large fat pieces but keep the juicy bits for flavour.

8. Moisten & season - Mix the pulled brisket with any resting juices. Add a splash of warm beef stock or a little of your favourite BBQ sauce if you want it saucier.

Serving ideas for pulled beef brisket

Pulled brisket is one of those beautiful, versatile cooks that can become almost anything.

Once it’s tender and shredded, you can take it in so many directions:

• Brisket burgers — piled high with apple slaw on soft brioche (check this recipe)

• Loaded brisket tacos — lime, coriander, pickled onion, a little crema

• Brisket bowls — over rice or roasted veg with chimichurri

• Brisket toasties — melted cheese, mustard, pickles

• Brisket nachos — smoky, rich, perfect for a crowd

• Brisket shepherd’s pie — the ultimate comfort food

• Brisket & eggs — breakfast of champions
  

And of course… it’s perfect straight from the tray with a fork.

If you’re thinking about bringing chemical‑free, biodynamic‑inspired beef into your home cooking check out our Farm Shop page for how to order and lots of tips. You can also see our beef page for how we raise our animals and our farming practises.