Smoked corned beef is so easy to make and is a delicious alternative to a traditional corned beef recipe. The slow-smoked brisket starts with a store-bought corned beef brisket and ends with you making the best smoked corned beef recipe.

I first made sous vide corned beef when I was new to cooking with sous vide. I think next time I get a beef brisket I will combine the sous vide technique with the smoking technique in this recipe.
Use any leftover corned beef to make Ruben tater tots or any leftover corned beef recipes.
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😍 Here is why this recipe is amazing:
- Using a store-bought corned beef makes simple work of making a homemade smoked corned beef.
- Pick your seasoning blend to customize your own smoked brisket.
- Slice the finished beef as thin or as thick as you want!
🧂 Ingredients needed:
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
📝 Ingredient notes:
- Corned beef - store bought but if you can make your own go for it!
- Seasoning packet - the one that came with the corned beef.
- Mustard - yellow mustard. not pictured but adds one more layer of flavor!
🔄 Substitutions
If your corned beef does not have a seasoning packet or if you don't want to use the included seasoning packet, I have provided you with 3 different smoked corned beef rub recipes. Each one is a little different. I hope you find one that you love or can make to meet your tastes.
Mustard - yellow is used in this recipe but whole grain mustard, sweet honey mustard or for something different, brush on your favorite dark beer.
Corned Beef Rub Recipe #1
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 2 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
Corned Beef Rub Recipe #2
- 2 tablespoons Black Peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- ½ tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Corned Beef Rub Recipe #3
- 3 tablespoons ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon ground Coriander Seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground Mustard Seeds
🔪 How to make smoked corned beef, basic instructions
- Soak the corned beef for 2 hours, or up to overnight, to remove excess saltiness.
- Pat the corned beef dry, coat with mustard and add seasonings.
- Wrap with cling wrap and rest in the refrigerator overnight.
- Smoke in a 275 smoker for 1 to 1 ½ hours per pound.
- Internal temp should be at least 165.
- Rest for 15 minutes and slice.
📷 Smoking a corned beef, photo instructions
- Remove the corned beef from the packaging, draining the excess liquid. Reserve the packet if included.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the silver skin and excess fat.
- Leave the thick fat cap intact.
- Submerge the meat in cold water and allow to soak in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight, depending on how much of the salty brine you would like to soak away from the meat.
- While the meat is soaking, toast the spices in a dry pan. Then pulse the toasted spices in a food processor until pulverized.
- Drain the water off the beef and pat the meat dry.
- Cover the meat in mustard or brush on your favorite dark beer.
- Rub into the meat.
- Dust the coated meat with the ground spice mixture and press into the meat.
- Wrap the coated meat with plastic cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, preheat your smoker to 275 using your favorite smoker chips or smoker pellets.
- Unwrap the corned beef brisket and place it fat side up on the grill grate.
- Smoke the meat until the internal temperature is of at least 165. Some recipes will instruct that the internal temperature should be at least 185. 165 in a minimum.
- Remove the smoked meat from the smoker, rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Slice.
❄️ Storage tips
Keep the slab of meat wrapped in plastic wrap or in a zip top bag and freshly slice what is needed when you need it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
♨️ Reheating Instructions
Steam the meat in a pan with ½ inch of water until heated through.
👩🍳 Chef Tip
Toast the spices and grind them in a small food processor or use a mortar and pestle to grind them to a powder. By toasting the spices you are 'waking up' the flavors of the dry spices, drawing out the oils of the spices enhancing the flavor profile of the smoked corned beef.
I will chill the meat over night before slicing the meat very thinly. I use an electric meat slicer to get consistent slices of corner beef. Use a very sharp chef knife in place of the meat slicer.
Smoked Corned Beef
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Ingredients
- 3 lb corned beef
- 3 T Mustard
- 3 tablespoons ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon ground Coriander Seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground Mustard Seeds
Instructions
- Remove the corned beef from the packaging, draining the excess liquid. Reserve the packet if included.3 lb corned beef
- Use a sharp knife to remove the silver skin and excess fat. Leave the thick fat cap intact.
- Submerge the meat in cold water and allow to soak in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight, depending on how much of the salty brine you would like to soak away from the meat.
- While the meat is soaking, toast the spices in a dry pan. Then pulse the toasted spices in a food processor until pulverized.3 tablespoons ground Black Pepper, 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, ½ teaspoon ground Coriander Seeds, ½ teaspoon ground Mustard Seeds
- Drain the water off the beef and pat the meat dry.
- Cover the meat in mustard or brush on your favorite dark beer. Rub into the meat.3 T Mustard
- Dust the coated meat with the ground spice mixture and press into the meat.
- Wrap the coated meat with plastic cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, preheat your smoker to 275 using your favorite smoker chips or smoker pellets.
- Unwrap the corned beef brisket and place it fat side up on the grill grate.
- Smoke the meat until the internal temperature is of at least 165. Some recipes will instruct that the internal temperature should be at least 185. 165 in a minimum.
- Remove the smoked meat from the smoker, rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Slice.
Notes
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 2 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 2 tablespoons Black Peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- ½ tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 3 tablespoons ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon ground Coriander Seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground Mustard Seeds
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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