Are you looking to impress friends and family with something decadent? If so, I’ve got your back with my Wagyu Beef Brisket recipe. When it comes to brisket, nothing is more extravagant than Wagyu beef. Its rich marbling and tenderness make it an unforgettable meal that will earn you all the Michelin stars. This dish is perfect for an elevated holiday menu, a special occasion, or just to treat yourself to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I kept this recipe simple, adding a couple of my signature seasoning blends to complement the natural richness of the beef, not overpower it.
When smoked on the Recteq Flagship 1100, the meat develops a crisp, caramelized, luscious bark while the inside stays buttery soft and juicy. The fat rendered so beautifully that this brisket recipe doesn’t require any liquid in its wrap because it bastes itself! If you’re looking for a foolproof way to smoke this fancy cut of meat, give this recipe a shot. It’ll have everyone coming back for seconds…and thirds.
Wagyu Beef Brisket | Heath Riles BBQ
The best part about cooking a brisket is having the ability to change things up. I love experimenting in the kitchen to find new, great flavor combinations. You can use any seasoning blend your family enjoys or try making your own. If you’re a night owl, spritz the Wagyu Beef Brisket during the cooking process, or add a little beef tallow to the aluminum foil before wrapping the meat. I think this brisket tastes great on its own, but you can add a glaze or some barbecue sauce if desired. The sky’s the limit! Let me know what unique combinations you come up with.
The Ingredients
This tasty Wagyu Beef Brisket requires four simple ingredients to make one gourmet meal. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Wagyu beef brisket. There’s nothing fancier than a Wagyu beef brisket. This cut of beef melts in your mouth and comes out delicious every time. Keep in mind that before trimming, my brisket was 20-23 pounds. If yours differs in size, you’ll have to adjust the cooking time.
- Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub. This proprietary blend includes a delicious mix of salt, garlic, and chili powder. It’s great on beef, but you can also use it on chicken, pork, vegetables, and seafood.
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. This rub helped me win first place in the Rib category at the 2022 & 2024 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest. It’s one of my favorite blends for beef, chicken, and pork.
- Black pepper. I prefer my brisket “Texas-style,” which includes plenty of black pepper. I added a good dash of black pepper before popping the meat on the grill. You can be generous with your seasonings, as most of it cooks off.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the equipment I used for this recipe. The Equipment and Tools section contains more of my grilling favorites.
- Pellet grill/smoker. I smoked the Wagyu Beef Brisket on the Recteq Flagship 1100. I love this pit for all of my backyard cooking needs. The coolest thing about this grill is its app, which allows you to check on your cook and take notes on what worked best.
- Charcoal. I used Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets to fuel the grill. This brand is the best because it doesn’t use fillers, and its products are readily available. You can find them at your local farm and fleet store or even your local Walmart.
The Process for Making Wagyu Beef Brisket
If you prefer visual tutorials, check out my video. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how this lip-smackin’ good Wagyu Beef Brisket came together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked the Recteq Flagship 1100 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 205℉.
- Trim the brisket. I prefer trimming my brisket, so I spent a little time removing hard pockets of fat and shaping the meat. This lets it develop a nice bark and lets the smoke permeate deeper. Plus, it makes your brisket look picture-perfect. You can watch my video tutorial to learn how to trim a brisket.
- Season the Wagyu Beef Brisket. Starting with the back side, I liberally seasoned the meat with Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I patted the seasoning in and repeated the process on the other sides, ensuring each piece was coated. I added a little more black pepper, then let the meat sweat in for about an hour.
- Start smoking. I set the Wagyu Beef Brisket on the top rack of the Recteq Flagship 1100 and let it smoke for 11 hours, or overnight.
- Wrap the beef. I double-layered two pieces of foil, giving me four pieces total. I lined the pieces up and created a seam shape to wrap the brisket without leaking any juices. At this point, my brisket was at an internal temperature of 157℉. I lifted the brisket onto the prepared foil and folded the foil over the top, following the shape of the brisket. This allows it to steam in its own fat, and gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Finish cooking. I bumped the grill up to 250℉ and cooked the wrapped brisket until it hit 205℉. My brisket had a total cook time of 12 ½ hours. I took the meat off the pit and let it rest for 3½ hours before I sliced into it. The only thing left was to dig in!
The Results
The Wagyu Beef Brisket came off the pit with a gorgeous bark offset by my seasoning blends. Wrapping the brisket gave it a fantastic amount of moisture and a beautiful smoke ring. This is a great all-around brisket that you can serve to anyone at any time.
Serving Suggestions for Wagyu Beef Brisket
Serve your brisket in slices alongside my Pit-Style BBQ Baked Beans or Smoked Funeral Potatoes. You can also chop your brisket to make Brisket Shepherd’s Pie or Brisket Grilled Cheese.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover beef brisket in the fridge for up to four days or freeze it for up to four months. You can also vacuum-seal it to preserve it longer.
Equipment and Tools
Recteq Flagship 1100, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, metal tongs, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, Yeti Tundra 65 Hard Cooler
