Today, I’m making my version of Foil-Boat Brisket, a method that’s making waves on TikTok and beyond. Made famous by Chuds BBQ, this cutting-edge and increasingly popular barbecue technique involves letting the brisket cook in its own juices. The foil boat helps achieve that crave-worthy, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
If your mouth is already watering and you’ve got the time, go grab your brisket. It’s time to fire up the backyard smoker and make some magic happen with this foil boat method!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Foil Boat Brisket
- Tasty Brisket Ingredients Overview
- Other ways to cook Brisket
- How to Make Foil Boat Brisket
- This sauce is FYR!
- Protip for Achieving Crisp Bark
- What to Serve with Foil Boat Brisket
- What to Do with Leftovers & Reheating Instructions
- FAQs for Foil Float Brisket
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Foil Boat Brisket Recipe
Why You’ll Love Foil Boat Brisket
I’m always on the lookout for new techniques and different methods for making my packer brisket juicier and tastier. When I say that this recipe delivers, I mean it. Seriously, the foil boat method is a game-changer if you’re a fan of juicy, tender brisket with crispy bark. Unlike the Texas crutch, this method doesn’t rush through the stall but embraces it. The result? The brisket, when smoked in its own juices, is perfection.
If you’d like to learn more about cooking brisket, check out this Smoked Brisket article. Here, we take a deep dive with Nick Hill, discussing all there is to know about selecting and cooking the perfect brisket!
Whether you’re making brisket for the first time or are a seasoned pro in the pitmaster club, this recipe delivers. It offers a unique twist to the traditional beef brisket cooking process.
Ultimately, keep in mind that this is a fun method of cooking brisket, but it is not a fast brisket recipe. The smoking process takes time—the total cooking time is a commitment of about 10-14 hours.
Tasty Brisket Ingredients Overview
- Foil Boat Brisket – For this slow smoke recipe, you’ll need a whole brisket (13-15 lbs), some FYR BLK Hot Sauce, Mesquite Peppercorn Lager Rub, Imperial Coffee Stout Rub and then some beef tallow.
Grab these ingredients from your favorite butcher or local grocery store, and then let’s get started.
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Other ways to cook Brisket
How to Make Foil Boat Brisket
Keeping your brisket cold, place it on your cutting board fat cap side down. Trim the outside of the flat, removing any silver skin or pockets of fat. Don’t forget to square off all sides of your brisket and cut one corner on the point to guide your slicing later. Flip the brisket and then carefully trim the fat cap to about ¼ inch thick.
Season the top of the brisket and then the bottom of the brisket thoroughly. I used my FYR BLK Hot Sauce as a binder and then covered it with my Mesquite Peppercorn Lager Rub and Imperial Coffee Stout Rub. Then, place it in the fridge on a baking sheet to dry brine overnight.
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When cooking time comes rolling around start the process by preheating your smoker to 225-250 degrees F, adding wood chunks or chips for extra flavor. Place the brisket fat side up and cook until it reaches 165-170 degrees F at the thickest part—usually about 7-8 hours.
The next step is where the magic happens: layout 1-2 pieces of foil and add warmed beef tallow. Place the brisket fat side up on the tallow and form the foil around it to create a snug boat.
Return the brisket to the smoker at 250 degrees F and cook until it hits 200 degrees F internal or is probe tender—another 5-6 hours.
Once you’ve reached the end of the cook, let the brisket rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight wrapped in butcher paper in a warming tray or foil pan.
When ready to slice, unwrap it and set the butcher paper aside. Slice against the grain, making each slice about the width of a #2 pencil. Rotate and slice the point as needed.
Now all you have to do is enjoy the unbelievably tender meat that is so freakin’ delicious. Cheers!
Protip for Achieving Crisp Bark
To achieve the perfect crisp bark on your foil-boat brisket, be generous with your spice rubs and keep your smoker at a steady temperature of 225-250 degrees F. The best way to monitor the temperature is to use a meat thermometer.
What to Serve with Foil Boat Brisket
Your succulent Foil Boat Brisket goes well with all the classic BBQ sides: coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans. As for cornbread or white bread, I leave that up to you. And, don’t forget a generous helping of your favorite BBQ sauce!
What to Do with Leftovers & Reheating Instructions
A brisket is a large cut of meat, so having leftovers is likely. You can continue your brisket cooking journey by trying out a burnt ends recipe! Here’s a roundup of The Best Burnt Ends Recipes on my site, which includes the best BBQ Brisket Burnt Ends recipe. Give it a try!
Store any leftover brisket in foil wrap or butcher paper and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. The next time you want to enjoy it, warm the meat with some tallow in a foil boat on the grill over medium heat.
For other ways to utilize leftover brisket, check out my Leftover Brisket Breakfast Skillet, Texas Twinkies and Smoked Brisket Queso!
FAQs for Foil Float Brisket
Absolutely! Customize the rub to your liking or try different combinations to find your perfect flavor. Alternatively, you can keep it simple with a salt, pepper and garlic mixture!
While beef tallow adds great flavor and moisture, you can substitute it with another fat, like butter or even a good-quality oil.
Although a foil pan is convenient, it doesn’t quite give the brisket the hug we’re looking for with the foil boat.
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Foil Boat Brisket
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole Packer Brisket 13-15 lbs
- 2 cups Mesquite Peppercorn Lager Rub
- 1.5 cups Imperial Coffee Stout Rub
- 1 cup Beef Tallow warmed up
Instructions
Prepping the Brisket (the night before)
- Keeping your brisket cold, place the brisket on your cutting board fat cap side down.
- Next, trim the outside of the flat of any silver skin or pockets of fat. Remove the larger pocket of fat near where the flat and point meet.
- Square off all sides of your brisket then cut one of the corners on the point to show you how to cut against the grain later.
- Flip the brisket over and begin carefully removing fat from the fat cap. Make sure the fat cap side is about ¼ inch thick as anymore will be too much. Finally, remove most of the fat “flap” at the top of the brisket.
- Once completely trimmed, cover the brisket with a binder. I used by FYR BLK hot sauce, but you could use whatever hot sauce you have on hand or mustard works well too.
- Then season thoroughly with my Mesquite Peppercorn Lager Rub and Imperial Coffee Stout Rub (or your favorite beef rub). Place your brisket into the fridge to dry brine overnight.
Smoking
- Preheat your smoker for 225-250 degrees F with some added wood chunks or chips for extra smoke flavor.
- Add the brisket on to the smoker fat side up. Cook the brisket until it reaches about 165-170 degrees F at the thickest and fattiest part (about 7-8 hours). Once it has hit 165, get ready for the foil boat.
- Lay out 1-2 pieces of foil and add beef tallow to the foil. Place the brisket (fat side up) on top of the beef tallow then form the foil around the brisket to make a “boat”.
- Place the brisket back onto the smoker at 250 degrees F. Cook until the meat hits 200 degrees F internal or is probe tender (about 5-6 more hours).
- Once it is done, pull the meat off and let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight in a warming tray.
- When it is ready to slice, unwrap and place the butcher paper to the side (save for serving or for burnt ends). Begin slicing the brisket right where you made your “against the grain” cut when prepping. Make your slices about the width of a #2 Pencil.
- If slicing the point: Rotate the point 90 degrees and then slice in order to go against the grain. When you are done, serve and enjoy with smoked brisket!
