A long smoke can dry out the lean flat of a brisket. A savory broth injection adds moisture and beefy flavor deep inside the meat. Plan on about 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of injection per pound of brisket.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp beef bouillon paste or granules (optional, for a richer taste)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (skip if your rub is very salty)
- 2 tbsp melted beef tallow or butter (optional)
Steps
- Warm the broth in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in the Worcestershire, soy sauce, bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder and salt until everything dissolves.
- Take it off the heat and stir in the melted tallow or butter, if using.
- Cool the injection in the fridge until cold. Never inject a cold brisket with warm liquid.
- Work out how much you need: about 1 oz (2 tbsp) per pound. A 10 lb brisket needs about 10 oz, or 1 1/4 cups.
- Keep the brisket cold from the fridge. Trim it, then pour the amount you plan to use into a clean bowl so the rest stays untouched.
- Inject with the grain in a grid about 1 inch apart, focusing on the flat. Push the needle in, then press the plunger slowly as you pull it out. Wipe off any liquid that leaks out.
- Apply your rub, wrap or cover the brisket and refrigerate 1–12 hours, or smoke right away.
- Smoke as usual at 225–275°F. Brisket is safe at 145°F but needs to reach about 195–205°F and feel probe tender to be ready to slice.
- Throw out any injection left in the bowl that the needle touched. Wash the injector in hot, soapy water and let it dry fully.
Why inject a brisket?
The flat is lean and sits on the smoker for 10 hours or more. An injection puts salt and liquid inside the meat, which helps it hold on to moisture. It also seasons the middle, which a rub alone can't reach. It won't fix a brisket that's pulled too early or sliced wrong, but it does give you a bit more room for error.
How much injection per pound?
The common guide is about 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) per pound of trimmed brisket. That's roughly 1 1/4 cups for a 10 lb brisket and 1 1/2 cups for a 12 lb one. Some liquid always leaks out, so don't worry if a little runs off.
Food safety
Injecting can push germs from the surface into the center of the meat. That's why the meat stays cold until it hits the smoker, and why you throw out leftover injection that the needle has touched. A brisket gets cooked far past the safe temperature, about 195–205°F, so the inside is well past the 145°F the USDA calls safe for whole beef. A good meat thermometer takes the guessing out of it.
Pair it with a rub
Go light on salt in the rub if your injection has salt and soy sauce. Our Texas-style brisket rub works well here, and you can follow the full cook in our beginner brisket recipe.
Gear for this recipe
A meat injector with a wide needle keeps the onion and garlic powders from clogging. See our picks for the best meat injectors.
Make ahead / storage
You can mix the injection up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Stir it well before using, since the spices settle.
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