Make this smoked venison brisket with spicy coffee rub on your smoker or wood pellet grill for a flavorful, tender piece of lean meat. The rub is so easy to mix together.

venison brisket with barbecue sauce on a wood cutting board with slate

This post was sponsored by The Honest Bison. As always, all opinions remain my own and I am proud to partner with brands that I trust. Thanks for supporting me!

HELLO, gorgeous. AMIRITE? I mean you guys, come on. I’m so excited about this venison brisket!

I only started smoking meat on my Traeger Grill this fall, and it’s safe to say that I’m addicted. I knew it would be the perfect way to prepare this cut of meat and I whipped up this crazy flavorful coffee rub it go with it.

venison brisket on a wood cutting board with slate and thyme

This brisket is actually not from my husband Jared’s harvest, it is from The Honest Bison. The Honest Bison ethically source bison, elk and venison. Since they holistically raise the animals with their ranch partners they’re able to sell the meat all over the USA.

SO MANY of you have been coming to me asking me where you can buy venison. You can’t just pop into Whole Foods and order up a tenderloin, so The Honest Bison is your solution. And let me tell you, the meat is incredible. Be on the lookout for more recipes featuring their prodcuts on Miss AK!

So, without further do…let’s smoke some meat.

venison brisket package on a cream linen with a bowl of rub and a wooden spoon of coffee

INGREDIENTS & KITCHEN TOOLS | SPICY COFFEE RUB RECIPE

If you are looking for a way to level up your Venison Brisket, look no further than this easy brisket with a spicy coffee rub. It is perfectly tender and oh so delicious, you’ll be making this recipe on repeat this year. Here is what you need:

Honest Bison Venison Brisket*

Coarsely ground coffee

Chili powder

Coconut sugar (brown sugar would also work here)

Coarse Salt

Cumin

Garlic powder

Cayenne pepper

Red pepper flakes

Kitchen Tools:

We love using our Traeger Grill for this recipe, but any type of smoker will work as well. As with all meat, you’ll want a nice sturdy cutting board and a sharp knife. I always recommend having a meat thermometer on hand as well. This recipe is super easy and you don’t need much to pull it together.

STEP BY STEP | THE BEST SPICY COFFEE-RUBBED BRISKET

If you have a beautiful cut of venison brisket in your freezer that you’re not quite sure what to do with it, you have to give this simple and flavor-packed recipe a try!

Step 1: Defrost your venison brisket fully and remove it from its packaging. Pat dry.

Step 2: Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

Step 3: Using about half of the rub (about 3 Tbsp.)* work the mixture into the venison so that the meat is entirely covered by the rub on both sides. If you’re using an Honest Bison Brisket, you will have 2 pieces of brisket per package so make sure each is liberally rubbed.

Step 4: Wrap the brisket tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours, the longer the better.

Step 5: When you’re ready to smoke the meat, remove the brisket from the fridge while you preheat your smoker or wood pellet grill so it can come to room temperature.

Step 6: Preheat your smoker or wood pellet grill (I use a Traeger Grill) to 225F.

Step 7: Once preheated, place the brisket directly in the smoker/grill and smoke for about 2 hours, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of about 150F.*

Step 8: Let this rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving (PLEASE DO THIS). Best served with my Paleo BBQ Sauce.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Always pat your meat dry: This will allow your season to stick to your meat.
Make sure your meat comes to room temp before placing in your smoker.
LET YOUR MEAT REST! Trust me on this!!

HOW TO SERVE

I love serving this as is with my Paleo BBQ Sauce, a side of crispy potatoes, and a side salad. It is perfect for any time of the year. My Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad or my Caprese Salad are also the perfect sides to pair alongside this brisket.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What part of the animal does brisket come from?

Brisket generally comes from the lower chest or the bottom of the shoulder of an animal. It’s typically pretty lean meat, with a cap of fat on top if you’re working with a fattier meat like beef, but with venison, it’s very lean and it’s an awesome source of protein.

The rub I used here really helps break down some of the tissue. By letting it sit overnight or for 24 hours with the rub on, the salt and seasonings work their magic and add flavor.

How do you smoke venison brisket?

While smoking can sometimes seem intimidating, it’s really easy to smoke brisket, especially venison. The cut of meat I worked with was only 1 lb. which made things easier and qicker.

All I had to do was remove the brisket, with the rub on it, from the fridge. Then, I placed it on my Traeger Grill which was heated to 225F and let it go for about 2 hours, until it reached 150F. A lot of beef recipes want you to get the meat to 190F, but I found that for venison, cooking a bit less was best because it doesn’t have as much fat.

STORING AND REHEATING

If you happen to have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat it and enjoy!

OTHER VENISON RECIPES

Love smoked meat? Be sure to check out my Smoked Venison Tenderloin and whip up a batch of my Paleo BBQ Sauce to slather this in! AND, don’t forget to snag a copy of my venison cookbook – Venison Every Day.