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Our Grilled Honey BBQ Brisket makes for a great dinner. The unofficial start of summer is the perfect time to break out your grill and get cooking, but the truth is, you may find me on a crisp autumn evening toughing it out in the cold in the interest of a fantastic meal. Pair this brisket with southern cornbread and grilled veggies like mushrooms and zucchini and dinner is served.
Amazing BBQ brisket comes from using fantastic BBQ sauce
The secret is in the sauce. Anything you make with your own two hands will be far better than what you buy in the store. The problem with many of the readily available BBQ sauces in the grocery store is that many are made with corn syrup.
Our homemade Honey BBQ Sauce Recipe is made with our very own Eastern Shore Honey, so there's no added corn syrup to worry about. It's sweet, thick, and rich and lends itself well to the grill's heat — the sugar in the honey caramelizes and is oh-so-flavorful. It truly is the ultimate brisket sauce recipe.
The cooking time for the meat is based on the weight and grill temperature.
Since this takes a while, start around lunchtime to prepare dinner. Unless you are THE GRILL MEISTER, you should use a gas grill for this recipe, as you will want more control over the temperature than a charcoal grill.
How to Make BBQ Brisket
Step one: Make our honey BBQ sauce recipe
This dish tastes great with our homemade honey BBQ sauce recipe. It comes together in about 10 minutes!
Step two: Prepare the meat
Rinse the brisket and then pat dry with paper towels and then place it into a large baking dish and cover it with the Honey BBQ sauce. Cover dish and place in the refrigerator for three to four hours.
Once the meat is done marinating, remove it from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
While you wait, prepare your grill by placing a drip pan under one side of the cooking surface and heat the burners on the opposite side to 250 degrees.
Step three: Grill and serve
Place the meat on the grill above the drip pan and baste with any remaining BBQ sauce.
Allow it to cook for around 5 hours (or until it reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F), flipping at the 3-hour mark.
When the meat is finished on the grill, carefully remove it from the heat and wrap it in aluminum foil. Let rest for 20 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Pro Tip for Grilling Brisket in Honey BBQ Sauce
To properly cook the meat, you will be cooking on the "indirect" side of the grill-the side opposite of the burners you use.
This allows the brisket to cook slowly and remain juicy instead of being charred by a direct flame. You could also use a smokebox and wet hickory chips in your grill to impart a smokiness to the meat.
This isn't required, though, and it will be delicious with or without it.
Variations for Our Brisket Sauce Recipe
A recipe is not truly perfect until you’ve added your touch to it. That’s why we encourage you to play with your food and adjust our brisket sauce recipe. Let your inner chef come out and play and change up this recipe. Have fun! Here are some ideas:
I enjoy making a variety of sauces to marinate meats before grilling. I've experimented with Blueberry BBQ Sauce, Blueberry Ketchup, honey lemon vinaigrette, and marinates that bring out the best in beef.
- Try any of the alternatives above in this same BBQ Brisket recipe.
- Add some spice to the BBQ sauce by mixing in sliced jalapeños or adding fresh ground horseradish root.
- Separately marinate some vegetables in the Honey BBQ sauce, lightly grill, and serve with the beef.
What cut of meat should I use for brisket?
Use the beef cut known simply as "brisket" that typically from the lower chest of the cow. It consists of two parts: the leaner flat and the fattier point. This cut is ideal for slow cooking like grilling as it becomes tender and flavorful when cooked low and slow.
How do I select a good quality brisket?
Look for one with ample marbling, as this indicates tenderness and flavor. Choose a cut with a thick, even cap as they will stay juicy as they cook. Make sure that it has a vibrant red color and is well-trimmed without excessive connective tissue or blemishes.
Should I wrap brisket in foil during grilling?
You don't have to for our recipe. Wrapping brisket in foil is a popular method known as the "Texas crutch." It helps to quicken the cooking process as well as keep the meat moist.
That said, it can also soften the bark and reduce the smoky flavor. That's why we don't use this technique for our honey BBQ brisket recipe!
