This Sugar-Free Cocoa-Rubbed Smoked Brisket will blow your mind! If you follow a low-carb, keto diet, you can’t have sugar; meaning most rubs just don’t work; until now.
Ah, the brisket. One of the toughest pieces of meat. Also, one of the most difficult to smoke. I am happy to say that after three years of trial and error my husband perfected it.
Although, just because it’s perfect one time doesn’t mean it will always be perfect (Unless you are Franklin from Franklin’s BBQ in Texas and have been smoking brisket for ages).
Ever since I bought the barrel house cooker we have been experimenting with smoking the best brisket; the result would vary drastically. Either the brisket would come out undercooked, or it was overdone.
Even though it still tasted good, it was just not that jaw-dropping amazingly juicy and tender brisket we were always wanting to achieve.
Fast forward about three years, I wanted to try a chocolate rub on a brisket, so we pulled out the lil ole cooker. It also happened to be our last smoke before we upgraded to the Trager, so of course, it would make sense that the brisket FINALLY came out perfect.
Furthermore, this brisket was so juicy and so tender, and pulled apart perfectly (you can watch the video below and see for yourself) it melted in my mouth.
How to make Sugar-Free Cocoa Rubbed Smoked Brisket
1. Season generously with the rub (recipe below)
2. Rub both sides of the brisket, liberally.
3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap
4. Refrigerate overnight
5. Remove the brisket a couple of hours before smoking
6. Set the smoker temperature to 220; we used hickory wood
7. If it is a 5lb brisket, smoke it for 6 hours, or more, depending on the touch
8. Halfway through the smoke (around hour 3) cover the brisket in foil and place it back on the smoker.
9. If you don’t think it is done, it probably is not, and you have to cook it for a couple more hours.
10. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes before cutting.
11. Enjoy the best brisket of your life.
- If you don’t have a smoker but still want to make this brisket, you can use the oven. Same instructions apply.
Sugar-Free Cocoa Rubbed Brisket
Ingredients
For the Rub:
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup ground ancho chili
- 1/4 cup black pepper
- 1/4 cup cumin
- 1/2 cup sweetener
- 1/2 cup salt
- Brisket
- 5 lbs brisket
- hickory wood
- charcoal
- smoker
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combined cocoa powder, ground ancho chili, black pepper, cumin, sweetener, and salt.
- Season the brisket generously with the rub. Store the remaining rub in an airtight container.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
- Remove the brisket a couple of hours before smoking
- Set the smoker (or oven) temperature to 220
- If it is a 5lb brisket, smoke it for 6 hours, or more, depending on the touch
- Halfway through the smoke (around hour 3) cover the brisket in foil and place it back on the smoker.
- Let it sit for 30-45 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 4ozAmount Per Serving Calories 230Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 30g
Want some more BBQ? Check out all of my sugar-free, keto BBQ Recipes HERE
More Keto recipes to try:
My husband bought me my first smoker for my birthday and I am SO excited to try this. Question, when you smoke, do you add more chips as they burn down? Thanks!
Happy belated birthday, and how exciting to receive your first smoker as a gift! I’m thrilled you’re eager to try it out. Regarding your question, yes, you typically need to add more chips as they burn down to maintain a consistent smoke level. The amount and frequency depend on your smoker and the duration of smoking. Keep a close eye on the smoke flow and add chips when it starts to thin out. Enjoy your smoking adventures, and feel free to share your experiences. Happy smoking!