Beef Brisket Smoking Time and Temp

This incredibly flavorful and surprisingly simple Texas-way smoked brisket is the be-all-end-all recipe for mouthwatering BBQ perfection. While it might at first feel intimidating to make yourself, permit'due south break it downwardly into an approachable procedure that is your ticket to success.

Smoking a brisket ain't no quick thing to do. It is going to be an investment of both time and coin. While it takes a long time, it's actually quite a simple procedure. Sure, you can become super technical with all the niggling details, but really, you just need to know the basics for it to come out astonishing. You probably won't even need a recipe the next fourth dimension you make it.

It begins with a simple 2-ingredient rub, then smokes for hours and hours to perfection. Information technology's something that you and particularly your guests volition not exist able to get plenty of. Oh, and the leftovers are amazing, besides!

The Goal: Fume a about-perfect brisket on your very get-go try. Yes, information technology is possible, and you can do it!

Now let's set our confidence on loftier and get started making the all-time smoked brisket you accept e'er tasted!

The Bones Formula + Why Information technology Works

Making the best brisket doesn't crave whatever secret ingredients or honed techniques. It's really only the combination of iii important things and following the process.

This is a tried-and-true method that smokehouses in Texas have been using for decades. Information technology is based on Aaron Franklin'due south methodology, which is well known to be the gold standard for Texas-fashion smoked brisket.

1. Use high-quality meat (USDA Prime grade recommended and Choice at minimum).
2. Smoke low and slow at a constant temperature between 250 and 275° F using quality fuel and make clean smoke. This brisket is going to take a long time to cook, so be prepared and don't ever rush it.
3. Don't skip the long rest! The resting pace is then important. The brisket must rest for at least one hour and preferably two hours to fully reabsorb all the juices before you slice it.

Whether you are using a kamado smoker like a Large Green Egg, a pellet smoker similar a Traeger, a box smoker or anything in between, it's really the same concept. As long as you tin maintain the proper temperature, deliver quality smoke to cook the brisket to 200° F internal, and let information technology rest for at to the lowest degree an hour, your brisket is going to come out great.

How to Smoke a Brisket: The Basic Steps

Smoking the most astonishing brisket is a combination of some science, some fine art and a niggling luck.

The high-level steps are right beneath in grey. Go along scrolling further for fifty-fifty more than details and the full recipe carte du jour.

Every pace of the process is important and each has some margin for fault. Each pace is piece of cake to follow, but if a few of the steps aren't verbal, it'due south even so going to plow out great.

1. Trim information technology - Tidy upward the brisket by trimming the fat cap to exit about ¼" fat layer and removing the silverish skin from the underside.
   
2. Season information technology generously with a 50:50 ratio of Diamond kosher common salt and xvi mesh basis black pepper (or freshly basis pepper). Let it sit down out at room temperature for one 60 minutes.
   
3. Prep your smoker to use indirect heat cooking and bring the temperature between 250° F to 275° F with mail service oak (or your preferred type of wood) and set a h2o drip pan in place.
   
4. Smoke it - Place the brisket in the smoker and melt with the lid airtight.
   
5. Wrap it tightly with butcher newspaper when the bawl is formed and the internal temperature reaches virtually 165° F. Then identify back in the smoker until the internal temperature of the apartment (thinner side) reaches between 200° and 205° F, and it feels very tender and flexible to the impact.
   
6. Remainder it withal wrapped for at to the lowest degree one to two hours before slicing.

Now Permit'south Dig Deeper - What Is Brisket?

You hear about it all the time and you have probably ordered it at a eatery. But what is it exactly?

Brisket is a giant, extremely tough piece of beef. There are two briskets per cow (ane from each side) and they are the pectoral muscles, which are tough considering of all of the work they practise. Each brisket is comprised of two muscles, the apartment and the bespeak. Each of these has a unique texture and cooks differently, which adds to the challenge of the cook. The size of the cutting before trimming can range from 8 to 20 pounds.

While a brisket is large and tough, it packs tons of flavor and is a perfect candidate for depression and slow smoking. Information technology'southward up to us to piece of work a picayune magic and brand it the near tender, flavorful cut for BBQ that you tin can imagine.

How to Purchase a Brisket

Not all beef is created equal. Unlike qualities of beef brand a big difference in the end results. Ownership quality is an investment and is super important. While the meat has a relatively low cost per pound compared to some steak, the full gets expensive with the high weight of the cut. Since you will be spending a skilful amount of money and fourth dimension on this cook, yous want it to be the best it can be.

I always recommend going with USDA Prime grade brisket. It is usually only a few dollars more per pound and is totally worth it. The internal marbling is far superior to lower grades of beef. Marbling means more fatty, more than flavor, and a much tastier and tender brisket.

If you can't observe Prime form, then go with USDA Choice course at a minimum.

When shopping, consider the size and how it feels (from what you can tell through the plastic). The larger the brisket, the more meat you lot will end upwards with, but the longer it will accept to melt. Look for "even" thickness and you lot want it to feel somewhat soft and flexible.

Go on in mind that pasture-raised grass-fed beef is normally leaner and will have much stronger flavors, so it is best to avert grass-fed for barbecue.

The Flat vs the Bespeak vs Whole Packer

The anatomy of the brisket consists of two main parts, the apartment and the point. A whole brisket is called a "whole packer." While you might find the flat and point already broken down and sold separately, it is my opinion that ownership anything less than the whole packer brisket only isn't worth it with all the time you will exist investing.

Where to Buy

It tin can exist tough to source at your regular grocery store. That's where your local butcher can help, and they should know where it came from and how information technology was raised. Try to source beef that has been humanely treated. There are some fantastic online sources for high-quality product and Costco is also a go-to source.

• Ophidian River Farms
• Oversupply Cow
• Costco
• Your local butcher

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How Many People Will a Brisket Feed?

Figure 1 pound of raw untrimmed brisket per person. You will be trimming off about xx to xl% of the brisket and cooking out even more weight. A 15-pound brisket will serve approximately fifteen people.

Feed a hungry crowd for less than $6 per person!

Currently (as of September 2021), the toll at Costco for Prime brisket is $5.79 per pound.

While you don't want to calculate your hourly rate into this, you can feed at least xv people with a xv-pound brisket (or 4 super hungry folks). At $5.79 per pound, that is less than $6 per person for some of the all-time charcoal-broil meat they will always taste. Pretty astonishing, right?

What You Need

Essential Tools & Equipment for Smoking a Brisket

• Abrupt Knives: Boning pocketknife for trimming the fat and silvery pare and a slicing pocketknife for slicing the cooked meat.
• Fuel:
  • Wood chunks: I recommend post oak for a charcoal smoker. *Don't use smaller wood chips as they volition burn upwardly too apace for the long cook.
  • Lump charcoal (if using a charcoal grill). I recommend Jealous Devil or Big Green Egg brand for their great flavour and long called-for abilities.
  • Pellets: Use your favorite alloy. Oak is difficult to find, merely Pitboss does make oak pellets.
• Disposable aluminum drip pan for a water bath to go on the smoking environment moist and to catch the fat drippings. You can buy these in bulk at Costco.
• Two-zone remote probe thermometer is an amazing tool that monitors the temperature of your smoker forth with the internal temperature of the meat. Information technology will remotely alarm you if a temperature of either goes outside the parameters yous ready.
• Instant-read probe thermometer to get precise internal temperature reads of the brisket.
• Pink butcher paper for wrapping the brisket (aka the Texas crutch). I prefer the 24" width for easier wrapping (you tin can also use wide aluminum foil).
• Long tongs for transferring the brisket to and from the smoker.
• Canvass pans for seasoning and transporting the brisket to and from the smoker.
• Cooler for resting the brisket in an insulated environment after the fume.
• Large cutting board for trimming and slicing.

Prepping the Brisket

It's all in the prep work, and the proficient thing is that there actually isn't much of it.

Trimming the brisket

When you bring home the brisket, it probable has excess fat that needs to be trimmed off. This is the near tedious part of the whole process and it does make a deviation in the end issue.

The goal of the trim is to make an fifty-fifty clean-looking surface, void of pieces that volition burn down or not be edible. It's really up to you as to how much time yous desire to spend trimming the brisket, taking off as petty or every bit much of the fat as you would like. I say that if you want to eat it, leave information technology on. You lot can spend 5 minutes or thirty minutes depending on how much work you are willing to put in.

The Fat Cap: Trim the top fat cap layer downward to about ¼" to ½".

Remove Silverish Pare: You besides desire to remove the silvery skin (sinew) on the bottom side, every bit information technology doesn't intermission down or tenderize no matter how long information technology cooks.

*I'll be putting together an in-depth mail service and video on trimming. In the concurrently, view some trimming tips from Aaron Franklin.

Pro Tips for Trimming the Fat

1. Trim the fat when the brisket is very common cold. Common cold fat is much easier to slice through. Either trim it when information technology's correct out of the fridge or you can even place information technology in the freezer for ten to xv minutes to chill it downwardly commencement.
2. Wear food-prophylactic nitrile gloves for easy make clean-up and a improve grip while you are trimming.
3. Dry the brisket off with paper towels before trimming to make it less slippery.
4. Use a very abrupt knife and a large cutting lath. A stiff boning pocketknife is my preferred tool to hands maneuver and avert slicing that valuable flesh. Using a dull pocketknife volition make the job much more difficult than it needs to be.
5. Enquire your butcher to do information technology for you if it's something you don't want to practice it yourself (just call ahead).
6. Buy 1 that is already trimmed to avoid trimming the brisket all together. Some briskets come pre-trimmed, which saves some time but does give you less control.
7. Save the fatty if y'all wish. The fat you trim can be saved for making bootleg hamburgers. sausage, Yorkshire pudding, or it can exist melted and used for cooking.

Seasoning the Brisket

We desire to season the brisket so nosotros gustation that amazing beefiness and the smoke in all its glory without whatever distractions. Nothing makes that tastiness shine through like the simplicity of equal parts of Kosher salt and pepper. Sure, you can go crazy with your favorite special rub if you want to, but less is so much more than when starting with quality beef.

Later the brisket is trimmed, combine the Kosher salt and pepper in a spice rub shaker and sprinkle the rub from about 18" above the meat for an fifty-fifty coating over every surface.

Season the brisket ane hour before cooking to make sure the table salt is fully absorbed. You tin season it the night before if you adopt.

An Optional Slather

A slather is really any liquid practical to the surface of the meat to help the rub stick. Information technology can be as elementary as h2o, oil or mustard. It really isn't necessary virtually of the fourth dimension, and I personally don't utilize one for brisket. If you are having an issue with the rub sticking, y'all can apply a slather before applying the rub.

Best Forest for Smoking Brisket

Wood for smoking ofttimes comes downwardly to preference and can require experimenting to meet the flavors you dear best. In cardinal Texas, they traditionally use post oak (white oak). If you can become it, utilize local oak (or whatsoever local hardwood y'all have that is good for smoking). Oak has balmy slightly sweet flavors and has go my go-to for smoking just about everything.

Forest Size: For a long smoke like this one, use wood chunks, which are much larger than chips and will burn down for hours rather than minutes and then y'all don't accept to keep adding more than.

Identify virtually 6 chunks of forest with your charcoal to give a good amount of smoke.

The Cook (aka The Smoke)

Key Temps and Times

Smoker: 250° to 275° F. Lower is safer, college will cook faster and develop better bawl.
Brisket internal temp target #ane: 165° F. It'south time to wrap in butcher paper.
Brisket internal temp target #2: 200 to 205° F. The brisket is finished cooking and it'due south fourth dimension to remainder.
Approximate cook times: 1 to 1 ½ hours per pound. **Run across annotation on timing below.
Resting fourth dimension: ane to two hours or until the internal temp drops between 140° F and 145° F.

Cutting	Weight	Smoker Temp	Approx Cook Time	Done at
Whole Packer	xiv to 18 pounds	250° - 275° F	12 to eighteen hours	200° to 205° F
Apartment	six to eight pounds	250° - 275° F	6 to ten hours	200° to 205° F

Smoking meat ever seems to take longer than you look, then start early and merely allow it rest longer if it is done early on.

Why Timing Is Non key:

You probably want to know exactly how long it'due south going to take. It's a fair question, just there really is no correct respond. While you lot can figure roughly 1 to 1 ½ hours per pound of melt time, that is a very rough judge because of all the variables involved.

Some of the variables include the smoker temperature, the size and thickness of the meat, the fat content, starting temperature, the blazon of smoker, the humidity of the smoker, the weather outside, how close the meat is to the estrus, how many times you open the hat, etc. Okay, you lot get the betoken. All these variables make it impossible to accurately predict the time it will have. And that'southward totally fine.

This is where a handy groovy probe meat thermometer comes in. Thermometers are absolutely key to success and a stress-gratuitous smoke. Without one, you are flying blind. And sure information technology will still smell practiced while yous are flying, merely trust me, flying blind is no fun.

The Spritz

A spritz is simply a spray of liquids onto the surface of the meat to attract smoke and prevent it from drying out. I use an equal ratio of apple cider vinegar and h2o in a food-safe spray canteen. I personally oasis't found many times where I need to spritz a brisket in the smoker, but it may be needed if the meat starts to dry out or gets too night in areas. Avoid spritzing for the first few hours of the cook so the lid stays closed.

Be Prepared for the Stall

The stall is basically a fourth dimension when the internal temperature of the meat stops rising at around 150° F, sometimes for a few hours. During this fourth dimension, the meat is sweating off liquid, which cools information technology downwardly and prevents the temperature from rise for a while.

The stall is real and it volition probably mess with you, and then just be ready for it. You lot only have to stand up by and trust the process. The temperature volition outset rising over again. One time information technology does, it will climb adequately quickly. When it reaches 165° F (or when the bawl is fully formed), go ahead and wrap the brisket. Avoid wrapping during the stall, equally it can cause information technology to go slower.

How to Tell When the Brisket Is Done

A brisket is finished cooking when the internal temperature of the flat reaches betwixt 200° and 205° F. Some pitmasters swear past the exact 203° F number. While the time information technology takes to finish cooking can vary profoundly depending on numerous variables, at that place shouldn't be any guessing as to when the brisket is finished cooking.

E'er utilise an instant-read meat probe thermometer to spot check the temperature, and fifty-fifty amend is to use a Thermoworks Smoke Alarm so you can monitor it wirelessly without having to open up the smoker.

With feel, you tin also tell when it'due south done by feel. When you don't have the experience yet, exist sure to experience how flexible the brisket is so you tin can start to larn when it'due south there.

The Rest

Once the meat is finished cooking in the smoker, it's fourth dimension for it to rest to redistribute the juices before slicing. Rest the brisket for one to two hours in a cooler (still wrapped in the butcher paper) or until the internal temperature drops to around 145° F. Information technology will still be nice and warm for serving.

Resting is probably the nigh important step, and admittedly should not be skipped or rushed. Information technology might be tempting to rest information technology for less time, simply it's totally worth the expect.

Slicing the Brisket

After the brisket has fully rested, it'southward fourth dimension to cease the task and serve it upwardly for all to enjoy.

• First, split the point from the apartment muscle, which is easy to practise one time the meat is cooked.The grain is unlike for each, so you demand to slice them separately.
• Slice against the grain using long slice strokes into ¼" thick slices for the about tender brisket bites. Use a long sharp slicing pocketknife like the Victorinox 12 Inch Granton Blade Slicing.
• Sliced brisket will dry adequately quickly, so piece only what you volition serve right away and piece more than as needed afterwards.

Pro Tips for Success

• Place the point (thicker part of the brisket) closer to the heat source than the flat (thinner part). This helps the whole brisket cook more than evenly. Depending on your smoker, you might desire to rotate the brisket once or twice during the melt.
• It's all about burn down maintenance to maintain the constant temperature around 250° to 275° F. There will always be fluctuations, but the goal is to avoid big temperature swings.
• Use a ii-aqueduct thermometer to remotely monitor the temperature of the smoker and the internal temperature of the brisket. I can't tell you how much this will aid and limit the trips out to the smoker to make sure it's still at the right temperature.
• Keep the lid of your smoker closed! Open information technology as infrequently as possible and practise it quickly when you take to. This keeps the smoke in and maintains the temperature. You shouldn't even take to open it at all for the first iii hours.
• Apply high-quality wood and charcoal. Information technology makes a large difference when it comes to the quality of the fume and maintaining the fire.
• Know your cooker. Knowing how your smoker works takes some experience, but information technology will requite you the conviction to keep the fire going and temperature right.
• Always smoke with a water drip pan. This helps go on the surroundings humid, which keeps the brisket from drying out and attracts fume to the meat's surface. The drip pan will likewise catch the fat drippings. Since the water evaporates during the cook, be sure to check the level and add more as needed.
• Accept notes from your melt. Document how you lot gear up up your smoker, the type of wood you used, how much, the times and temperatures throughout the fume, every bit well as how long you rested it. Smoking is an fine art and knowing what worked and what didn't volition help you improve with each endeavour.
• Get-go the nighttime before. If yous need to eat at a sure time, then take the prep time + approximate cook + rest time + some extra buffer to figure out when yous should start the cook.

Sides to Serve With Information technology

Serve it simply with bread & butter pickles,quick pickled onions and a few slices of white breadstuff. Bright sides will contrast with the smoky flavorful meat, with aught too fatty or rich. A fresh coleslaw is perfect because yous tin eat it on the side or put it on a brisket sandwich if y'all adopt. Baked beans and potato salad are also nifty pairings. Go along the theme going past sipping a refreshing hot & smoky mezcal margarita.

Leftover Brisket Inspiration

So you smoked a whole brisket. Chances are at that place will exist leftovers. The good news is that there are so many things you can brand.

Make brisket sandwiches and omg practiced brisket ragu over pasta, tacos, breakfast brisket and egg hash, grilled cheese, add it to broiled beans, make chili, add information technology to ramen. Okay, you get the point. Information technology is good in just about anything and yous are the lucky one who gets to indulge for hopefully a few days at the least.

Bank check out all the leftover brisket recipe ideas.

FAQs

How long does it take to smoke a brisket?

It takes approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours per pound at 250° F to smoke a whole packer brisket.

For planning purposes, smoke times for xiv-pound brisket come out to xiv to 17 ½ hours. Smoking meat always seems to take longer than yous expect, then kickoff early on and just permit information technology balance longer.

Tin I finish cooking the brisket in the oven?

Yes, you tin can definitely finish cooking it in an oven once the bawl is fully formed in the smoker and information technology is wrapped. This comes in handy if you run out of fuel or are having a difficult fourth dimension maintaining the temperature of your smoker. Use the same temperature oven as you had in your smoker.

How long should I rest the brisket?

Rest the wrapped brisket for at least an hour, only preferably 2 hours.

Do you lot demand BBQ sauce with brisket?

The quick answer is a big NO! Barbecue sauce is definitely not needed for something this rich and flavorful. It speaks for itself. If y'all need BBQ sauce on your brisket, then chances are something went incorrect when cooking it. This brisket should melt in your mouth with so much amazing beef flavor, and you definitely don't desire to encompass that up. Just if yous must, a little Sweetness & Tangy BBQ Sauce can exist on the side to dip in.

• 12 to 16 lb Prime number grade whole packer brisket (fat trimmed to ¼" to ½" and silver skin removed)
• ½ cup Diamond kosher salt
• ½ cup freshly ground black pepper
• Spritz of 50:50 apple cider vinegar and water (if necessary)

• Combine the Kosher salt and freshly basis black pepper in a small-scale bowl or spice shaker, then evenly season the brisket on all sides. Let the brisket sit out at room temperature for 1 hour.

• While the brisket comes to room temperature, gear up the smoker co-ordinate to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect cooking with a water-filled baste pan in place. Bring the temperature between 250 and 275° F.Add 3 to 5 fist-size oak, mesquite or your favorite wood chunks for fume.

• Place the brisket in the smoker with the thicker tip closest to the rut. Leave the hat closed for at to the lowest degree iii hours. Cook for a full of 6 to viii hours until dark brownish bawl is formed and the internal temperature reaches 165° F later the stall (when the temp stops ascent for hours around 150° F).

• Remove the brisket from the smoker and tightly wrap it with uncoated butcher paper (or aluminum foil). Place information technology back in the smoker and keep cooking until the internal temperature of the apartment (thinner side) reaches betwixt 200 and 205° F, about half dozen to 8 more hours.

• Carefully transfer the brisket (still wrapped in the butcher paper) to a libation to residuum for at least 1 and preferably ii hours or until the internal temp drops to 140 to 145° F. You tin line the cooler with a towel to further insulate the brisket if you prefer.

• Separate the signal from the flat muscle. Slice against the grain (which is different for each muscle) into ¼" slices just before serving. Enjoy!

• Wood for smoking: I prefer using oak wood chunks, but y'all can likewise use mesquite or add in a combination of cherry or apple depending on your preference.
• See to a higher place for tips for trimming the fat.
• The thicker part of the brisket (the point) should be closer to the oestrus source.
• More often than not, yous will place the brisket fat side up in the smoker.
• Continue the smoker at a abiding temperature between 250 and 275° F.
• Open the lid of the smoker equally few times as possible during the melt.
• Check the level of water in the drip pan and add more if too much has evaporated.
• Spritz with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and h2o in a spray canteen if the meat starts to dry out or gets too dark in areas.
• The cook fourth dimension is ane to 1 ½ hours per pound at 250° F.
• Don't slice it until you are going to serve it or information technology volition dry out.

Calories: 582 kcal | Carbohydrates: 5 g | Protein: 76 thou | Fatty: 27 k | Saturated Fat: ten 1000 | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13 thou | Cholesterol: 225 mg | Sodium: 4061 mg | Potassium: 1303 mg | Cobweb: 2 yard | Sugar: 1 thousand | Vitamin A: 43 IU | Calcium: 55 mg | Fe: 8 mg

This mail was originally published on January 29, 2019 and was last updated on September 23, 2021 to include useful updated information.

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Source: https://saltpepperskillet.com/recipes/smoked-brisket/

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