The Best Smoked Corned Beef Recipe
No St. Patrick's Day celebration is complete without this very best smoked corned beef brisket on the dinner menu! This corned beef is smoked low and slow with a spiced Guinness braising sauce to make the most tender, juicy cured brisket.
How to Make the Best The Best Smoked Corned Beef
There’s nothing quite like smoked corned beef to elevate your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This best smoked corned beef recipe combines traditional corned beef with the smoky depth of a barbecue and the rich, spiced flavors of Guinness braising sauce. The result is an incredibly tender, juicy brisket that’s sure to become a holiday favorite.
The magic of this recipe lies in the two-stage smoking process. First, the corned beef is smoked low and slow until it reaches 160 degrees F, which takes about 4-5 hours. Then, it’s transferred to a Guinness braising mixture infused with warm spices like coriander, cloves, mustard powder, and allspice, and smoked again for another 4-5 hours until it reaches that perfect 200-205 degree F internal temperature. The Guinness adds a subtle sweetness and depth that perfectly complements the savory beef.
The final resting period is crucial—don’t skip it! Letting the corned beef rest for 30-45 minutes allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is moist and flavorful. Serve it sliced against the grain with your favorite corned beef fixings for an unforgettable meal that will have everyone asking for seconds.
The Best Smoked Corned Beef
No St. Patrick's Day celebration is complete without this very best smoked corned beef brisket on the dinner menu! This corned beef is smoked low and slow with a spiced Guinness braising sauce to make the most tender, juicy cured brisket.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Spices
Instructions
Smoking
- Heat the smoker to 225 degrees F. As the smoker comes to temperature, rinse the corned beef and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the corned beef fat-side up directly on the grill grates with a water pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the corned beef. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 160 degrees F, approximately 4-5 hours.
- In an aluminum pan or Dutch oven, whisk together the Guinness, seasoning packet, dried bay leaves, dark brown sugar, beef bouillon, ground coriander, whole cloves, mustard powder, ground allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Remove the corned beef from the smoker when it reaches 160 degrees F. Place the corned beef in the pan with the Guinness mixture.
- Insert the meat thermometer again and cover the pan or Dutch oven with foil and pinch the edges to seal. Smoke again until it reaches an internal temperature of 200-205 degrees F, about 4-5 hours.
- Remove the corned beef from the smoker and keep it in the aluminum pan covered with foil to rest for 30-45 minutes. Do not skip this step—this allows the juice to redistribute to the meat. Slice the corned beef against the grain and serve with your favorite corned beef fixings.
Notes
- Rinsing the corned beef removes excess salt from the curing process.
- Both Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and Guinness Draught work well in this recipe.
- Beef bouillon adds extra savory depth to the braising sauce.
- Rest the corned beef after smoking to ensure the juices redistribute throughout the meat.