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Beef Brisket with Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce

This incredibly tender beef brisket features a sweet and smoky homemade Dr Pepper barbecue sauce that slowly caramelizes to absolute perfection.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 333
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 beef brisket (7 to 9 lbs) 1 beef brisket (7 to 9 lbs)
  • 16.9 oz Dr Pepper 16.9 oz Dr Pepper
  • 2 tsp salt 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pepper 2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 cup ketchup 1 cup ketchup
  • 6 oz tomato paste 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp mustard 1 tbsp mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked sea salt 1 tsp smoked sea salt

Method
 

  1. Trim most of the fat off the brisket, leaving about a quarter-inch layer to keep the meat juicy, and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Cut the massive brisket safely in half for easier handling.
  3. Grill the brisket halves over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until nicely charred.
  4. Place each half of the brisket into its own deep foil pan to allow for airflow.
  5. Pour exactly half of the bottle of Dr Pepper into each pan and cover securely with foil.
  6. Grill over low heat at 225F for 2.5 to 3.5 hours until the brisket is very tender.
  7. To prepare the barbecue sauce, sauté the diced onion in olive oil and butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan until soft and translucent.
  8. Add the minced garlic and sauté for one additional minute to release the aromatics.
  9. Stir in the ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and spices until well combined.
  10. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat and continue simmering for 30 to 45 minutes until your desired consistency is reached.
  11. Serve the warm sauce generously on top of or alongside the sliced brisket.

Notes

Let the brisket rest at room temperature for 45 minutes before grilling to ensure even cooking from edge to edge.
Keep the grill lid securely closed while slow cooking to maintain a consistent internal temperature.