Tex-Mex Brisket Recipe | BBQ Dry Rub Low & Slow

This brisket gets a Tex-Mex-inspired flavour direction from dry rub. Cook the beef gently on the BBQ or in the oven, assessing both temperature and tenderness. Flat and point differ in shape and fat distribution; no fixed time guarantees the same result in both. An oven cook does not create wood smoke.

Sliced brisket with a dark seasoning crust on a wooden board
Serving example of sliced brisket, not confirmed as prepared with this Tex-Mex recipe.

What do you need?

  • 2–3 kg brisket, flat or point
  • 60–80 g Tex-Mex BBQ Rub available; use only enough for an even layer and follow the label.
  • Optional: up to 2 tbsp olive oil or mustard as a thin binder; you need not use it all.
  • BBQ for indirect cooking or an oven
  • Food-safe butcher paper or suitable foil, if wrapping
  • Meat thermometer
  • For the oven, optionally a small splash of beef stock

Check current packaging for ingredients, salt and allergens. Mustard as a binder adds the mustard allergen.

Preparation

Trim hard, thick fat and loose edges. A fat layer of about 6 mm can be a starting point, not a compulsory measurement. Work with chilled meat and clean equipment.

Pat the surface dry and spread the rub evenly. A binder is optional: use a very thin coating if needed. Season shortly before cooking if preferred. If seasoning ahead, keep the meat covered in the refrigerator; at least two hours or overnight is not compulsory and does not guarantee deeper penetration of the whole spice blend.

The rubs are blended to order.

Explore Tex-Mex BBQ Rub · 3-Evening Pack: three rubs of your choice

Cooking on the BBQ: low & slow

  1. Set up for indirect cooking around 110–120°C. Use the BBQ only outdoors in a suitable place and follow its instructions.
  2. Place the brisket away from direct heat. Choose fat-side orientation according to the heat source; fat-side up is not a universal rule and does not automatically baste the whole cut.
  3. Use suitable smoking wood if your cooker is designed for it. Hickory or mesquite can give strong flavour but is not a requirement for authentic Texas cooking. Start sparingly with extra wood and manage fuel according to your cooker.
  4. Check temperature and progress during cooking. Six to eight hours without checking is not compulsory. A plateau may occur, but not at exactly 70°C in every cut. Read what the BBQ stall is.
  5. Wrapping is optional. Assess the desired crust and cooking progress rather than automatically wrapping at 70°C. Use suitable paper or foil according to product and cooker instructions.
  6. A core around 93–95°C can guide tenderness checks, not dictate a compulsory endpoint. Check several places: a clean probe or thermometer should enter with little resistance, not just in a fat seam. Assess temperature and texture together.

The previous stages of 6–8 plus 2–4 hours are only planning guides. Thickness, cut, fat, actual temperature and wrapping can substantially change total time. Allow room, but do not leave meat unattended to follow a single schedule.

Cooking in the oven

  1. Preheat around 120°C fan and follow your oven instructions.
  2. Place the brisket in a suitable oven dish. Optionally add a small splash of stock for moisture and flavour, not as a guarantee of tenderness.
  3. Cover with suitable foil and cook gently. Start measuring in good time. Six to eight hours is not a guaranteed cooking time; assess resistance here too and use the stated core range only as a guide.
  4. For more colour, carefully remove the foil and optionally finish briefly at higher heat. Stay nearby and stop at sufficient browning. A fixed 20–30 minutes at 220°C may dry the meat or burn seasonings and does not guarantee crisp BBQ bark.

Resting, slicing and storage

Rest briefly after cooking before slicing, for example about 30 minutes as a starting point. A compulsory hour is unnecessary, and prolonged resting on the worktop is not safe hot holding.

For longer waiting, hold the meat under controlled conditions at least 60°C and measure. Paper, foil or an unmonitored insulated box does not guarantee this.

Slice across the local grain; the direction can change between muscles. Slicing affects the bite but cannot repair meat that was not cooked sufficiently tender.

Divide leftovers into smaller portions, chill rapidly and refrigerate covered at 4°C within two hours. Use within two days or freeze promptly. Reheat until steaming hot throughout and check with a clean thermometer, for example 74°C in the core.

Tips for crust and tenderness

  • The stall can occur at different temperatures; a plateau is not automatically a fault.
  • Butcher paper and foil behave differently. Paper does not produce better bark in every cook and is not a complete smoke barrier.
  • Point generally contains more fat than flat, but this does not guarantee juiciness or easier cooking.
  • Probe several places and assess alongside temperature progress.

Bark and smoke ring explained
BBQ temperatures and cooking times

How much brisket do you need?

About 400–500 g raw meat per person can be a starting point for a generous main course. Required weight depends on trimming, cooking loss, appetite and side dishes. A fixed 40–50% shrinkage does not apply to every cut.

How much brisket per person?
How much BBQ rub per kilogram of meat?

Serving

Serve thin slices with pinto beans, jalapeño cornbread and fresh coleslaw, for example.

Cornbread
Coleslaw
BBQ baked beans

Complete your Tex-Mex menu

Elote: Mexican street corn
Smoky black bean and corn salsa
Tex-Mex BBQ chicken
Tex-Mex BBQ Rub: flavour profile and tips

More low & slow recipes

Tex-Mex BBQ Rub
Starter Pack: three 100 g bags of your choice
3-Evening Pack: try three flavours