Sous Vide Smoked Brisket – Platings + Pairings

Sous Vide Brisket comes out fall apart tender, juicy and delicious every time. Get the perfect “bark” by finishing it on your grill, smoker or even the oven!

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I love that sous vide is basically a “set it and forget it” way of cooking. Meaning you can put your food in the water bath, walk away, and let it cook for hours on end with no fear of overcooking.

That’s because sous vide cooks up to a certain temperature, and then just holds your food there until you’re ready to eat.

And while this makes the sous vide the perfect tool for cooking on busy nights – sous vide chicken breasts, pork chops, and ribeye, have come to my rescue many times – this Sous Vide Smoked Brisket is not a dish you’re just going to throw into the sous vide and eat that night.

The process of making brisket takes more time – anywhere from 24-72 hours to be exact. So plan ahead for this one.

But the great part is that you can sous vide the beef brisket up to a week before you plan to serve it, then just keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, throw it onto your smoker, grill or into the oven for 2-3 hours and you’re good to go.

That’s actually what makes this the perfect dish for weekends with friends and family. All the prep work is done ahead of time, leaving you free to enjoy the day.

Another reason this sous vide brisket is the perfect recipe? It turns out deliciously tender every time! The low and slow cook time breaks down the fibers in the meat and renders the fat so it’s extremely juicy and flavorful.

Serve it with a side of homemade BBQ sauce, vinegar coleslaw, and mac and cheese for the most perfect meal ever!

Or check out these 35+ EASY Sides for Brisket!

How to Choose Brisket

Look for a beef brisket with a lot of fat and marbling. You can use either a flat cut or a point cut brisket, though a point cut is generally more tender. But the main thing you want to look for is the fat cap still attached. A brisket that is trimmed too much will come out more dry.

What Temperature Do You Sous Vide Brisket?

Tender steak-like texture // 135-degrees F: Not fall apart tender, will still hold its shape. (36-72 hours)
Fall apart tender // 155-degrees F: Super tender and moist. (24-36 hours)

How Long Do You Sous Vide Beef Brisket?

The longer you cook it, the more tender it will become. When cooking at 135-degrees, I like to cook it for 72 hours. If cooking at 155-degrees F, 36 hours will give you very tender meat.

How to Season It

I like to season my brisket simply with salt and pepper to let the true flavor of the beef shine through. If you’ll be finishing your brisket in the oven (rather than on the smoker or grill) and want a smoky flavor, add some liquid smoke to the vacuum bag before the sous vide process.

A tip I learned from Serious Eats, is to add some pink curing salt to the spice rub mixture so that your brisket will have a pink smoke ring. This step is optional, but makes for a nice presentation.

Of course, if you would like to add additional spices to your brisket, you could definitely add them to your rub. Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and mustard powder are all great options. Here’s my go-to brisket dry rub recipe!

Ingredients for sous vide brisket on tray

How to Make It

Rub brisket with salt and pepper, add liquid smoke if finishing in oven.
Vacuum seal or use the water displacement method to remove as much air as possible. (You may want to double bag since this is a long cook time and the spices may interfere with a proper seal.)
Cook 24-72 hours at your preferred temperature (155-degrees F for fall apart texture).
Remove from sous vide and pat dry well with paper towels.
Rub with additional spice mixture.
Finish on the grill, smoker or oven (instructions below).

Brisket cut in half and seasoned with salt and pepper

Can You Sous Vide a Whole Brisket?

For this recipe, I use a 4-6 pound brisket. If it will fit into your vacuum seal bag, you can leave it whole. If not, you can cut it into 2-3 pieces and seal them separately.

Note: You may need to double bag the brisket if the seal doesn’t form properly. It’s always a good idea to be on the safe side, especially with a long cook like this.

How Do You Finish Sous Vide Brisket?

Grill: Grill over indirect heat at a temperature of about 225-degrees for 3 hours.
Smoker: Preheat smoker to 225-degrees F. Add brisket and cook for 3 hours.
Oven: Preheat oven to 275-degrees F convection (or 300-degrees F standard). Add brisket and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.

Finished sous vide brisket after being in the oven.

Reheating Brisket Sous Vide

I love using the sous vide to reheat leftovers since it won’t dry out your meat. To do so, just heat your water bath to 165 degrees. Add your bagged brisket and heat for 30 minutes – 1 hour until warmed through.

Uses for Leftover Brisket

Tacos, enchiladas, burritos
Salad topping
Pizza topping
Scrambled with eggs
Added to soups or chilis
Topping for baked potatoes

Overhead shot of sous vide cooked brisket on serving tray next to pickles, bbq sauce and buns.

Wine Pairings for Brisket

I suggest a light-bodied, fruit forward red like a Beaujolais or Grenache to pair with the salty-fatty beef.

What to serve with Brisket

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1 brisket (4-6 pounds)
¼ cup coarse ground black pepper
¼ cup kosher salt
2 teaspoons salt pink curing salt (optional)
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional – if finishing in oven)

Set sous vide to 155-degrees F.
Combine pepper, salt, and pink salt (if using) in a small bowl. Sprinkle brisket with ⅔ of mixture and rub to coat. Reserve the remaining spice mixture for finishing.
Add the brisket to a vacuum bag and add liquid smoke (if finishing in the oven – not needed if finishing on the smoker or grill). If needed you can cut the brisket into 2-3 pieces so that it will fit into your bags. Seal.
Place the bag(s) in the water bath, making sure not to block the intake or output sections of the sous vide, and cook for 24-36 hours.
Remove brisket from water bath and place in a bowl of ice water for 30-45 minutes, until it reaches room temperature. (At this point, the brisket can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.)
Remove brisket from bag and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat it very dry with paper towels then season with the remaining spice mixture.

To Finish in the Oven:

Preheat oven to 275-degrees F convection (or 300-degrees F standard). Add brisket and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.
Allow to rest 30 minutes. Then slice against the grain and serve.

You may need to double bag the brisket if the seal doesn’t form properly. It’s always a good idea to be on the safe side, especially with a long cook like this.
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.

This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2024 to add new information. The sous vide brisket recipe remains the same. Enjoy!