Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Real-deal, Texas-style barbecue brisket might be one of the purest examples of how cooking technique is the bedrock of flavor development. Done right, it’s a miracle. With just salt, pepper, smoke, heat, and time, you transform a tough, weirdly shaped cut of beef into a delicacy people travel for hours just to get a bite.
We turned to Joe Yim of @knoxavebbq to show us the way. In this video, Joe explains everything you need to know to make award-worthy Texas-style brisket in your backyard—all you need is a charcoal grill big enough to fit a brisket.
Take a full-on barbecue class or find more barbecue recipes, butchering tips, and shopping guides at Chefsteps.com.
See the full recipe: chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-smoked-bbq-brisket
See the barbecue brisket cooking timeline: chefsteps.com/activities/bbq-brisket-timeline
[Time Codes]
0:00 - How to make the ultimate Texas-style Barbecue Brisket
0:59 - How to trim a brisket
24:29 - How to season the brisket
27:08 - Plotting the timeline for cooking the brisket
28:33 - Fire up the charcoal grill
29:20 - Bring brisket up to temperature
33:24 - Enter “the stall”; build bark and color
35:41 - Brisket cooked on a PK Grill and a kamado-style grill (Big Green Egg)
37:07 - Exit “the stall”; render fat
38:23 - How to wrap the brisket
43:19 - How to further tenderize the brisket
44:15 - Rest the brisket
44:48 - How to slice a brisket and serve like a pro
Equipment guide:
Buy a 6-inch curved boning knife: amazon.com/Victorinox-Curved-Fibrox-Boning-Semi-stiff/dp/B001U57EJ4?tag=chefsteps02-20
But a charcoal grill with a lid: amazon.com/Weber-741001-Original-22-Inch-Charcoal/dp/B00004RALU?tag=chefsteps02-20&th=1
Buy a coal basket: amazon.com/Adrenaline-Barbecue-Company-Slow-Sear/dp/B01HZXPK5E?tag=chefsteps02-20
Buy a probe thermometer: thermoworks.com/smoke?tw=CHEFSTEPS
Buy butcher paper: amazon.com/Pink-Kraft-Butcher-Paper-Roll/dp/B0776JH663?tag=chefsteps02-20
Buy a 12-inch serrated bread knife: amazon.com/Dexter-13463-12-Inch-Sani-Safe-Scalloped/dp/B004NG98RI?tag=chefsteps02-20
Follow us:
instagram.com/chefsteps
facebook.com/Chefsteps
ChefSteps 101: Through science, entertainment, and industry experience, we strive to help every home cook reach their full potential. With more than 1,000 recipes developed in our kitchen, there’s something for everyone. To find out more, visit our website: chefsteps.com
Real-deal, Texas-style barbecue brisket might be one of the purest examples of how cooking technique is the bedrock of flavor development. Done right, it’s a miracle. With just salt, pepper, smoke, heat, and time, you transform a tough, weirdly shaped cut of beef into a delicacy people travel for hours just to get a bite.
We turned to Joe Yim of @knoxavebbq to show us the way. In this video, Joe explains everything you need to know to make award-worthy Texas-style brisket in your backyard—all you need is a charcoal grill big enough to fit a brisket.
Take a full-on barbecue class or find more barbecue recipes, butchering tips, and shopping guides at Chefsteps.com.
See the full recipe: chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-smoked-bbq-brisket
See the barbecue brisket cooking timeline: chefsteps.com/activities/bbq-brisket-timeline
[Time Codes]
0:00 - How to make the ultimate Texas-style Barbecue Brisket
0:59 - How to trim a brisket
24:29 - How to season the brisket
27:08 - Plotting the timeline for cooking the brisket
28:33 - Fire up the charcoal grill
29:20 - Bring brisket up to temperature
33:24 - Enter “the stall”; build bark and color
35:41 - Brisket cooked on a PK Grill and a kamado-style grill (Big Green Egg)
37:07 - Exit “the stall”; render fat
38:23 - How to wrap the brisket
43:19 - How to further tenderize the brisket
44:15 - Rest the brisket
44:48 - How to slice a brisket and serve like a pro
Equipment guide:
Buy a 6-inch curved boning knife: amazon.com/Victorinox-Curved-Fibrox-Boning-Semi-stiff/dp/B001U57EJ4?tag=chefsteps02-20
But a charcoal grill with a lid: amazon.com/Weber-741001-Original-22-Inch-Charcoal/dp/B00004RALU?tag=chefsteps02-20&th=1
Buy a coal basket: amazon.com/Adrenaline-Barbecue-Company-Slow-Sear/dp/B01HZXPK5E?tag=chefsteps02-20
Buy a probe thermometer: thermoworks.com/smoke?tw=CHEFSTEPS
Buy butcher paper: amazon.com/Pink-Kraft-Butcher-Paper-Roll/dp/B0776JH663?tag=chefsteps02-20
Buy a 12-inch serrated bread knife: amazon.com/Dexter-13463-12-Inch-Sani-Safe-Scalloped/dp/B004NG98RI?tag=chefsteps02-20
Follow us:
instagram.com/chefsteps
facebook.com/Chefsteps
ChefSteps 101: Through science, entertainment, and industry experience, we strive to help every home cook reach their full potential. With more than 1,000 recipes developed in our kitchen, there’s something for everyone. To find out more, visit our website: chefsteps.com
