Kosher Smoked Brisket

This recipe for Kosher Smoked Brisket is tender and juicy and filled with flavor. I have a yearly tradition of waking up early on the morning after Yom Kippur and smoking a brisket for 12-16 hours in preparation for Sukkot. This year I decided to do it for Passover. This recipe is kosher for Passover, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free.

Unlike the sweet and sour flavors of our Classic Jewish Beef Brisket, this recipe for Kosher Smoked Brisket has a rich and smoky flavor profile. If you are looking for a sweeter and milder brisket recipe then you should check out our Slow Oven Roasted Brisket recipe. This recipe is not quite well done enough to qualify as what is commonly referred to as "burnt ends" but it is on its way there. This recipe is a little less intense and is probably going to be better received by a larger crowd. When I gave it to our test group for this post, people were grabbing for it with their hands. I knew it was going to be a winner. Take it to the next level and try dipping it into our Subway Sweet Onion Sauce (Copycat) recipe.

Jump to:

• Ingredients in Kosher Smoked Brisket
• How to make the best Kosher Smoked Brisket Recipe step by step
• Top recipe tips
• Smoke your kosher brisket with a dedicated smoker
• Kosher Brisket can be smoked on a kettle grill
• Smoked Brisket Rub Variations
• Storage
• 📖 Recipe
• Top recipe tips
• Food safety
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• 💬 Comments

Ingredients in Kosher Smoked Brisket

This recipe has 6 ingredients and 5 of them are the spices in the rub which is very similar to the rub used in our Smoked Chicken Quarters and Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon recipes. The final ingredient is meat itself. Here is what we used in this recipe:

• Salt - cures the meat and adds tons of flavor.
• Brown sugar - adds sweetness and depth of flavor.
• Cocoa powder - this is the secret ingredient in a lot of smoking rubs. It adds a layer of earthy flavor that almost no other ingredient can.
• Black pepper - for a little heat.
• Cayenne pepper - this really brings the heat. If you don't like overly spicy rubs then you can leave this out as the black pepper will be enough.
• Brisket - we used the deckle for this recipe. The deckle is the top part of a whole packer brisket also known as the point. Deckle is much fattier than the flat which is what is used in most conventional brisket recipes.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make the best Kosher Smoked Brisket Recipe step by step

Step 1 - Let the brisket rub do the work.

Generously rub the smoking rub on all sides of the beef deckle and either wrap in plastic or place into a dish to cure for 24 hours.

Step 2 - Smoke the kosher brisket

After the rub has done its work and the meat has cured for at least 24 hours, unwrap the deckle and rinse off the excess rub. Don't worry, enough of it has gotten into the meat and the flavors will be there. Smoke at 250ºF for 6-8 hours, or about an hour per pound. Your total cook time will vary greatly depending on the size of your brisket and the temperature zones in your smoker or grill. You are looking to cook the brisket until the internal temperature reads between 195ºF-205ºF. Whatever method you choose for smoking, it should look something like this when it is done...

Let the brisket cool for a least 1 hour. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into cubes or into slices that are ⅓ of an inch thick. Serve plain or with barbecue sauce.

Top recipe tips

• If you are wrapping the brisket to cure after applying the rub, make sure that you have a baking sheet or a towel under it. The salt draws out a lot of moisture and you will have small leaks.
• Remember to rinse the meat before cooking brisket. There is a lot of extra salt that sits on the surface during the curing process and it will make the final smoked brisket too salty if you leave it on.

Smoke your kosher brisket with a dedicated smoker

If you have a dedicated smoker then just make sure that the temperature stays between 225ºF-250ºF for 6-8 hours and you should be fine. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature when you are getting close to the end of the smoke. You can even remove the brisket from the smoker after 2-3 hours and finish it in the oven. (I know...it's cheating...but Chicago winters are cold!)

Kosher Brisket can be smoked on a kettle grill

Not everyone has a dedicated smoker so you can also use a standard kettle grill to smoke a kosher brisket. If you are using this method, you will need to check the temperature of the kettle every 30 minutes or so. Some kettle grills have internal thermometers with a display on the handle. There are also grill thermometers that can be purchased. You are going to want to use indirect heat for this Kosher Smoked Brisket recipe. This means that you will make a pile of coals on one end of the kettle grill and the meat will be placed on the opposite side.

Smoked Brisket Rub Variations

The rub we used in this recipe is designed to be very basic and let the natural flavor of the meat and the smoke come out. That being said, here are some other ingredients you can add to the rub to try something different:

• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon of coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Storage

Slice, cube, or shred the leftovers and place into an airtight container or plastic bag with all of the juices from the pan.

• Refrigerate for up to 7 days.
• Freeze for up to 6 months.

You can also make the Smoked Kosher Brisket in advance and freeze it whole for a later date. Reheat by placing covered into the oven for 1-2 hours at 250ºF.

📖 Recipe

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 190 °F but preferably all the way to 205ºF.
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended.

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