How to Smoke a Brisket

Brisket is the summit of backyard barbecue: a big, tough cut that becomes tender, juicy and deeply smoky with patience and a steady fire. This step-by-step guide walks through a whole packer brisket from trimming to slicing.

What you need

  • A whole packer brisket (point and flat), such as a Nebraska Angus brisket
  • A smoker large enough to hold it: offset, pellet, kamado or similar
  • Seasoned hardwood such as oak or hickory, or pellets
  • Coarse black pepper and kosher salt, or your favorite rub
  • A sharp boning knife and a long slicing knife
  • A leave-in probe thermometer, an instant-read thermometer, and a thermometer for the smoker
  • Unwaxed butcher paper or heavy-duty foil
  • A dry, empty cooler and old towels for resting (optional)

1. Plan your timing

Brisket takes a long time, and every brisket is different. Size, thickness, fat, the smoker, the weather and how often you open the lid all change the clock. Plan to start early, often overnight, and build in a few hours of slack. It is far better for a brisket to finish early and rest than to rush it. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service notes that smoking meat can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours, and big briskets often take longer, which is why thermometers matter more than the clock.

2. Thaw and keep it cold

If your brisket is frozen, thaw it completely in the refrigerator first. FSIS warns that meat that is not fully thawed will linger too long in the "Danger Zone" of 40 to 140 °F in a low-temperature smoker. Keep the brisket refrigerated until you trim and season it.

3. Trim

  1. Work with the brisket cold, straight from the refrigerator.
  2. Trim the hard fat cap down to an even layer, leaving enough to protect the meat.
  3. Remove the thick, hard fat between the point and flat on the underside, and any silverskin on the meat side.
  4. Trim the thin edge of the flat so it will not burn, and round off sharp corners.

4. Season

For a Texas-style brisket, mix equal parts coarse black pepper and kosher salt and apply evenly on all sides. For Kansas City style, add paprika, garlic and a little brown sugar. A thin coat of mustard or oil can help the rub stick. Return the brisket to the refrigerator while you light the smoker; seasoning ahead, in the refrigerator, is fine.

5. Fire up the smoker

Bring the smoker to a steady temperature with clean, thin smoke. FSIS recommends keeping smoker air between 225 and 300 °F throughout the cook. Use a thermometer at grate level next to the meat. Let the fire settle before you put the brisket on.

6. Smoke

  1. Place the brisket on the grate. Many cooks put the fat side toward the main heat source, as a shield.
  2. Insert a leave-in probe into the thickest part of the flat.
  3. Close the lid and leave it closed. Tend the fire, not the meat.
  4. Spritzing with water, apple juice or vinegar is optional; do it sparingly, or the bark will stay soft.

7. The stall

At some point, the internal temperature will stop climbing, sometimes for hours. This is the stall. Moisture evaporating from the surface cools the meat, much as sweat cools skin. It is normal. You can wait it out, which builds more bark, or wrap the brisket to push through.

8. Wrap (optional)

Once the bark is firm and dark and will not rub off, many cooks wrap the brisket tightly in butcher paper or foil, a move nicknamed the Texas crutch. Paper lets some steam escape and keeps the bark firmer; foil holds more moisture and speeds the cook but softens the crust. Put the probe back in and return the brisket to the smoker.

9. Judge doneness by feel

A brisket is done when it is probe tender: a thermometer probe or skewer slides into the thickest part of the flat with almost no resistance, like a knife into soft butter, in several places. The internal temperature at that point varies from brisket to brisket, so trust the feel. For food safety, FSIS lists 145 °F with a three-minute rest as the safe minimum internal temperature for whole cuts of beef. A tender brisket will be far above that.

10. Rest

Resting lets the juices settle and the meat finish relaxing. Leave the brisket wrapped and rest it on the counter until it is cool enough to handle, or hold it longer in a dry, empty cooler lined with towels. If you hold it for a long time, keep it at 140 °F or above, the hot-holding temperature FSIS recommends.

11. Slice

  1. Unwrap, saving the juices.
  2. Separate the point from the flat along the fat seam.
  3. Slice the flat across the grain, about the thickness of a pencil.
  4. Turn the point (its grain runs differently) and slice it across its own grain, a little thicker, or cube it for burnt ends.
  5. Drizzle with a spoonful of the saved juices.

12. Burnt ends (bonus)

Cube the point, toss it with a little rub and Kansas City sauce, put it in a pan, and return it to the smoker until the sauce caramelizes. FSIS advises applying sauce in the last 15 to 30 minutes of smoking to avoid burning.

13. Leftovers

FSIS advises refrigerating smoked meat within two hours of removing it from the smoker, cut into smaller portions in shallow containers, and using it within four days or freezing it. Reheat leftovers to 165 °F. Wrap slices with some juices to keep them moist.

Troubleshooting

  • Dry flat: overcooked, under-rested, sliced with the grain, or trimmed too thin.
  • Tough brisket: usually undercooked. Put it back on until probe tender.
  • Bitter or sooty taste: dirty smoke from a smoldering fire or wet wood.
  • Soft bark: wrapped too early, spritzed too often, or wrapped in foil.

Next: try pulled pork, learn about Texas barbecue, or browse the glossary.

Sources

Affiliate disclosure: HogPit.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, HogPit.com earns from qualifying purchases. If you buy through a product link on this site, HogPit.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.