Tips on Smoking Brisket the Right Way

Tips on Smoking Brisket the Right Way

I have tried to cook Brisket numerous times and have screwed it up most of them

Brisket is hard to cook because of timing.

  • If you don’t cook it long enough it is inedible
  • If you cook it too hot the bark is to hard and it again is inedible.
  • If you cook it too long it falls apart and that is not what you want.

SO there are a lot of ways to screw it up. 

This method worked out wonderfully.  We did a video but left out some of the details. You can watch it here

I cooked it overnight simply because I did not make the time to do it during the day and we were using the smoker during the day.  In the afternoon, trim the fat but leave ¼ in Fat but carve big hard fat off. Then  Season with ….. Brisket Rub 

I have my own rub that I make that I will be releasing soon.

It is a mix of

  • Salt
  • Garlic
  • Pepper
  • Paprika

Simple stuff 

  • Season good both sides
  • Set for 2-3 hours to let is sweat. Do not put in fridge and bring to room temp.
  • Load smoker with wood. I use cherry and pecan
  • Put on fat side up and set your smoker to 215 degrees (Be above Boiling point so fat can be rendered). Tip: I put it on at night around10 pm.

Cooking Times

Small Brisket ( 10-11 lbs) - 7 Hours @ 215 Degrees

Large Brisket ( 14-16 lbs) - 9 Hours @ 220 Degrees

  • The next morning pull and wrap with a bunch of foil.  Use the heavy duty Foil and wrap it 3 layers thick.
  • Put back smoker @ 220 degrees for about 2 hours
  • Cook to 202-203 internal temp, make sure you use an internal thermometer and test it in the thick side of the meat.
  • Take immediately off the smoker and put in a cooler. TIP: I use an Oriorn 65 and It is ok for it to sit in the cooler for 6-8 hours

  • 3 Hours before event / dinner.  Slice against grain and pour BBQ Sauce on top and wrap in saran wrap and put in ½ pan and put back in cooler. 

I did one brisket like this and then I did another one where I left it in the foil and sliced it on site. So it was in the foil in the cooler for 11 hours.  Tip: The one I sliced on site was better. 

I cooked this brisket for the same group of friends that I cooked the 1st one I tested.

After slicing the last few ends off the last brisket of the night, Jeff comes up to me and says, “Brisket was great!, Helluva lot better than the 1st one you did”

That’s why I love my friends.

Love to heard your comments and questions.


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