I’ve been on a serious homemade beef jerky kick, and this crispy brisket jerky is a freakin’ delicious addition to my jerky experience. I got inspired by a Southeast Asian method to make jerky, which uses soy sauce, sriracha and brown sugar in the marinade. I put a little extra BBQ spin on it with my Cowboy Butter Seasoning! Just call me a jerky artisan at this point.
Why You’ll Love Crispy Brisket Jerky
As part of my new obsession to make the best artisan beef jerky, I overlooked one of my favorite cuts: the brisket. The brisket cut is a great jerky candidate because it’s full of flavor, but it needs some help to be tender. This marinating and smoking process definitely does the trick. Bold Asian flavors and just the right amount of chew make this a jerky masterpiece.
A few things to keep in mind as you’re making this crispy brisket jerky: you want to slice against the grain and make sure to get it as thin as possible. Next, marinate overnight so it tenderizes. Don’t forget the pink curing salt or this meat will not last very long! Then, slowly cook to dehydrate and finally fry to get crispy edges. It is really hard to beat!
Looking for more meat snacks? Check out my recipes for Smoked Beef Sticks, Texas Twinkie Beef Sticks, Mortadella Skewers and Grilled Steak Crostini.
Crispy Brisket Jerky Ingredients
- Brisket: To make this brisket jerky, we’ll use a whole brisket point (semi-frozen is ideal here). Grab some beef tallow for the frying process, along with sesame seeds and chopped chives for garnish.
- Marinade: This marinade is how we’ll create the insane flavor in this crispy beef jerky. You’ll need soy sauce, Cowboy Butter Seasoning, sriracha, brown sugar, red chili flakes and curing salt #1.
Flat vs. Point
If you’re not up on brisket lingo, here’s what you need to know! The full brisket cut (often referred to as a “full packer brisket”) is broken up into two distinct muscles: the flat and the point.
- The Flat: A leaner, rectangular cut that’s perfect for uniform slices. Most people use this cut for corned beef or roast beef.
- The Point: The thicker, fattier, and more heavily marbled side of the brisket. That makeup means it’s the best for shredded beef or burnt ends.
Because of that extra rich marbling, the point was hands down my choice for this beef brisket jerky. We’ve got tender texture AND those crispy edges I crave in burnt ends. Perfect balance.
Bring the Flavor Home
How to Make Crispy Brisket Jerky
Time to make the BEST jerky! First, if your brisket is thawed, place the meat in the freezer for 45-60 minutes to firm up. Trim as much fat as you can, then slice your brisket into ¼” strips against the grain to make jerky slices.
In a bowl, mix together your fresh ingredients for the marinade: 2 cups of soy sauce, 1/2 cup Cowboy Butter Seasoning, 2 tablespoons sriracha, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon red chili flakes and 1 teaspoon curing salt.
Add the brisket to the sauce, mix together and place into the fridge. Let your brisket marinate for at least 6 hours but ideally 12-24 hours. Make sure to stir every 4-8 hours so that it gets evenly marinated.
When the marinating is done, pull the brisket out and discard the excess marinade. Evenly place the slices on a baking sheet and set in the fridge.
Next, preheat your smoker to 165-185 degrees Fahrenheit. Throw on some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoky flavor. Pull your brisket out of the fridge and let the slices sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place them into the smoker to cook for about 5-6 hours until they have become browned, caramelized, and with an internal temperature of at least 150 degrees F. Once the brisket has reached temp, pull the slices out of the smoker and let cool for 5 minutes.
Heat up some beef tallow to 350 degrees F and add the brisket in small batches to fry for 1-2 minutes until fully crispy. Pull off and let cool.
Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Crispy Brisket Jerky
The bold Asian flavors in our crispy brisket jerky would be so freakin’ delicious with some jasmine rice or coconut rice, a soba noodle salad, steamed broccoli or a refreshing cucumber salad. You can definitely make a whole meal out of this jerky!
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover smoked crispy brisket jerky, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. No need to reheat — just grab and go!
More Brisket
FAQs
This cut so much easier to slice for our crispy brisket jerky when it’s a little bit frozen. Firming it up in the freezer makes it possible to get those nice thin beef slices for our premium brisket jerky.
If you want your crispy brisket jerky to last, yes! The curing salt is an essential ingredient to kill off bacteria during the low, slow smoking process, extends the jerky’s shelf life and keeps that nice color.
I’d stick with brisket for this version of jerky, since the cut stands up well to the marinating and frying process. If you’re looking for other jerky ideas, check out my recipes for Smoked Beef Sticks and Texas Twinkie Beef Sticks.
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Crispy Brisket Jerky
Ingredients
Brisket:
- 1 Whole Brisket Point ideally 4-5 lbs, semi frozen
- Beef Tallow as needed
- Sesame Seeds garnish
- Chopped Chives garnish
Marinade
- 2 cups of Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Cowboy Butter Rub
- 2 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp Curing Salt #1
Instructions
- If thawed, place your brisket in the freezer for 45-60 minutes to firm.
- Trim as much fat as you can, then slice your brisket into ¼” strips against the grain to make jerky slices.
- In a bowl, mix together the marinade. Add the brisket to the sauce, mix together and place into the fridge. Let marinate for at least 6 hours but ideally 12-24 hours. Make sure to stir every 4-8 hours so that it gets evenly marinated.
- When the marinating is done, pull the brisket out and discard the excess marinade. Place the slices on a baking sheet evenly and set in the fridge.
- Preheat your smoke for 165-185F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor.
- Pull your brisket out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place into the smoker and cook for about 5-6 hours until they have become browned, caramelized and at least 150F internal.
- Once done, pull the brisket out and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Heat up some beef tallow to 350F and add the brisket in small batches to fry for 1-2 minutes until fully crispy. Pull off and let cool.
- Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The Flat: A leaner, rectangular cut that’s perfect for uniform slices. Most people use this cut for corned beef or roast beef.
- The Point: The thicker, fattier, and more heavily marbled side of the brisket. That makeup means it’s the best for shredded beef or burnt ends.
