Brisket in the Air Fryer
Juicy American BBQ brisket with a smoky spice bark, made in the air fryer. The beef brisket is wrapped and cooked slowly until it's tender enough to fall apart, and gets a sticky BBQ glaze at the end.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife For slicing against the grain
- 1 Bowl For the dry rub
- 1 Stanniol
- 1 Meat thermometer
- 1 Brush For the BBQ glaze
Ingredients
Dry rub
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp paprika- 2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin Ground
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
Brisket
- 1.2 kg beef brisket With an even fat layer
- 1 tbsp olive oil For rubbing in
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
BBQ glaze
- 100 ml BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Preparation
- Mix all the spices for the dry rub in a bowl: 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp coarse salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cumin and 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper. Stir it together well.
- Pat 1.2 kg beef brisket dry with kitchen paper. Rub the meat with 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp liquid smoke, so the entire surface is covered.
- Massage the dry rub thoroughly into the meat on all sides, so an even spice layer forms. Let the brisket rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while the air fryer preheats.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 150 °C fan.
- Wrap the brisket tightly in two layers of foil, so all the juices are kept in. Place the parcel in the air fryer basket and cook at 150 °C for 90 minutes. Carefully turn the parcel after about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir 100 ml BBQ sauce together with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar into a glaze.
- Unfold the foil and brush the brisket with half of the BBQ glaze. Turn the air fryer up to 200 °C and cook for a further 15 minutes, until a dark, sticky bark forms. Brush with the rest of the glaze after 8 minutes. The meat is done when the core temperature reaches 93-96 °C and it feels tender all the way through.
Serving
- Let the brisket rest covered for 20 minutes, so the juices distribute. Then cut it into thin slices across the grain and serve immediately.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
Brisket needs to reach a high core temperature (93-96 °C) before the collagen has melted and the meat becomes tender — trust the thermometer, not just the time. Wrapping it in foil keeps the meat juicy during the long cooking. Variation:
Skip the liquid smoke and use extra smoked paprika instead for a milder smoky flavour. Add a little chilli flakes to the dry rub for more kick. Serving:
Serve with coleslaw, pickled red onion, soft burger buns or baked potatoes. The rest of the BBQ sauce can be served on the side. Extra crispy bark:
If you want an even more pronounced bark, leave the brisket unwrapped for the last 5 minutes at 200 °C without glaze. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can divide the beef brisket into two pieces and cook them one after the other.
Brisket needs to reach a high core temperature (93-96 °C) before the collagen has melted and the meat becomes tender — trust the thermometer, not just the time. Wrapping it in foil keeps the meat juicy during the long cooking. Variation:
Skip the liquid smoke and use extra smoked paprika instead for a milder smoky flavour. Add a little chilli flakes to the dry rub for more kick. Serving:
Serve with coleslaw, pickled red onion, soft burger buns or baked potatoes. The rest of the BBQ sauce can be served on the side. Extra crispy bark:
If you want an even more pronounced bark, leave the brisket unwrapped for the last 5 minutes at 200 °C without glaze. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can divide the beef brisket into two pieces and cook them one after the other.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 42gFat: 34gSaturated fat: 13gPolyunsaturated fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated fat: 15gTrans fat: 1gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 900mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 4mgNet carbohydrates: 11g
