How To Smoke Brisket | 5 Easy Steps For Beginners
Brisket is intimidating — it’s big, expensive and time consuming. But it doesn’t have to be hard. That’s why I created this simple guide for beginners to learn how to smoke great brisket in just five easy steps.
How to Smoke Brisket | 5 Steps for Beginners
Equipment
- Smoker
- Oven
- Handheld Temperature Probe
- Temperature Controller Kit (if using charcoal smoker)
- Tin Foil Roaster Pan – 9×11 or larger
- Tin Foil
- Cooler for resting meat
- Towel for resting meat
- Carving Knife
Ingredients
Meat
- 1 Brisket Flat
Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1 C Beef Broth add after wrapping in foil
Instructions
Pre-Planning Time Management Tip
- Cooking Time – Allow 90 minutes per pound for cooking time. It generally takes 60-90 minutes, but you don’t want to rush. Note, this is for Brisket flat, not full packer which could take longer depending on size. My 7.5lb flat took 11 hours to cook (~90min/lb), but I've also had some take just 60min/lb.
1. SEASON BRISKET
- Remove brisket from package and cover with salt, pepper, garlic powder, & Montreal steak seasoning. Seasoning Ratio – I use 4/3/2/1: 4 parts salt, 3 parts Montreal Steak Seasoning, 2 parts Garlic Powder, 1 part Black Pepper. This is a rough estimate as I don't measure, but typical ratios = 4/2/1 for Salt/Garlic/Black Pepper with option to finish with Montreal…I like Montreal seasoning so I add extra. Go with what you like.Trimming Note – I don't trim any fat from the brisket since the flat is already very lean.FUTURE SLICING TIP – Make small cut in one end of brisket against grain to show where to cut later. When I first started smoking brisket I couldn’t find the grain once the brisket was cooked. This is an optional but helpful step.
2. SMOKE BRISKET
- Preheat smoker to 250°
- Add wood – Once temperature is constant at 250, add ~3 wood chunks to smoker if using charcoal smoker. I use pecan for Brisket. Note, adding wood will cause temp to raise briefly, so you may want to add as temperature is still steadily rising to 250, say at about 240°.Temp Maintain Tip: Use a controller like the Flameboss 400 to maintain contestant temperature if using charcoal smoker. For more temperature tips see bottom of blog post: fulldadmode.com/brisket
- Place meat on Grill Grates. IF your heat source is close to the meat, put fat side down. Else put fat side up. I know this is controversial, but I put the fat side down on my Weber Smoker and it turns out great every time.
- Smoke until internal temperature reads 165°. Allow 45-60min/lb for unwrapped smoke time. My 7.5lb flat took 5.5 hours.
3. WRAP BRISKET
- Wrap Brisket when the internal temperature hits 165.
- Prep Tin Foil & Roasting Pan – Use 2 long pieces of tin foil to wrap the brisket. Place brisket on first piece of foil.
- Add 1C Beef Broth. Place 1C beef broth in bottom of foil to keep beef tender.
- Wrap in Tin Foil – Probe Brisket and wrap around the wire. Wrap with the piece of foil around the brisket then rotate meat 90 degrees and wrap with the second piece of foil. Foil v. Butcher Paper – You can use butcher paper instead of foil, but I like foil because it helps keep juices in brisket rather than absorbing in the paper.
- Finish in Oven – Put wrapped brisket in oven at 250 until internal temperature reaches 201°. Keep a temperature probe in the meat to monitor the temperature. Why Oven? – I finish in the oven for efficiency. You can finish on the smoker but if you wrap in foil you're not going to add much more smokiness and save charcoal and effort of not tending to the smoker.
4. REST BRISKET
- At 201° remove from oven. Keeping it wrapped in foil or butcher paper and wrap a towel around it. Then put in cooler for 2 hours to maintain moisture.
5. SLICE BRISKET
- Cut against the grain in slices about as thick as a pencil. Find the grain on the meat and cut perpendicularly to the lines of the grain. Hopefully you followed my tip to make a small cut in end 1 brisket against grain to show you where to cut prior to smoking. Finding the grain with a fully seasoned and cooked brisket flat can be a challenge.
Brisket Q&A | How to Smoke a Great Brisket
What temperature to smoke brisket?
225-250°. If using charcoal, make sure to get a temperature controller. Flameboss works great for me!
What wood smoke brisket?
Pecan. Can add a LITTLE hickory too for added smoke.
Can you smoke brisket too long
Yes. I smoke to 165° then wrap until 201° so it doesn’t get too dry.
Where to buy Brisket?
I buy from my local butcher, but you can also buy online. When splurging for great beef, go Wagyu. I use Snake River Farms.
Can you smoke brisket in the oven?
Kind of. I finish it in the oven but use a smoker to smoke beforehand.
Why smoke brisket fat side down?
To protect the brisket from drying out. If it’s too close to direct heat it could dry out.
Why smoke brisket to 200? When is Brisket done?
Smoke to 201° to get tenderness. At 201° fat is rendered and the connective tissue is softened in the meant. Waiting to 201° is hard, but it’s worth it. Don’t be impatience and pull off at 197, meat will be tough…at this point you’ve waited hours and an extra hour is worth the wait.
Why smoke brisket?
Flavor. You can cook a great brisket in the oven, but smoking adds an extra smokiness an oven bake won’t provide.
How long does it take to smoke brisket?
Allow 60-90 minutes per pound for a flat. Full packer will take 90+min/lb.
How to cut brisket flat
Cut across or perpendicular to the grain.
When to wrap smoked brisket?
165°
Want more recipes?
For more smoking recipes checkout the food section of my blog or Full Dad Mode on Pinterest.
I hope you like this recipe. If you have questions, drop me a line, I’m always happy to help.
Thanks,
Britt
About Post Author
Britt
Hey I’m Britt. I run Full Dad Mode to help people like you make the most of life. I share helpful DIY how to's and recipes designed to make busy lives easier. Click here to sign up for email updates to stay up to date on the latest tips and from Full Dad Mode!
