Juicy Smoked Brisket, Every Time

In this comprehensive guide, you will learn every detail surrounding how to make the juiciest Smoked Brisket, from selecting the ideal brisket to slicing it into juicy, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Let’s dive in and embark on a smoky quest that will turn you into a barbecue hero.

Complete Guide to Smoking Brisket

Crafting the perfect smoked brisket is not just a culinary endeavor, but a transformative experience. As you open up the butcher paper and reveal the brisket, you’re also opening up self-confidence. I truly believe this is the most emotional cook in the world of barbecue.

Let me start by sharing a few points:

• This guide is inspired by the typical process for a Texas-style Smoked Brisket. There are many other variations and methods, which will be added in over time. I’ve included my personal best practices and preferences.
• The photos in this post are from MANY briskets. I’m showing variations on bark, resting, seasonings, etc. The goal is to teach the process and how to customize it for your preferences.
• There is not one way to smoke a brisket. With so many steps, there are so many variables. To master the process you’ll need to gain intuition and flexibility with expectations. Use this guide as a roadmap, but be open to pivoting and trying new things.

Discover a wealth of knowledge in this guide from brisket selection, seasoning choices, and even tips on resting. Let me know in the comments if there are additional questions you may have! I’ll be adding to this over time.

Choosing the Best Brisket for Smoking

We’ve all been at the store staring at the giant pile of briskets, wondering which one to throw into the shopping cart. This is the time to be picky, and only buy something you’ll be proud to serve. There are countless times I’ve gone through the supply and decided to pass on purchasing one, because it simply didn’t meet the standards.

Let’s talk about what to look for, in order of importance:

Whole Packer Brisket

Make sure you are purchasing the whole packer brisket, not just the point or the flat. The whole packer will be very large, at least 12-14 pounds at a minimum. Don’t be afraid to ask the butcher for verification.

It might be tempting to buy a 17-20 pound brisket but realize that’s a HUGE cut of meat that will take significantly more time to cook (and rest). I highly recommend purchasing two 12-14 whole-packer briskets that are of an average size instead of choosing a mammoth, which will help you control your cooking time and still provide plenty of food.

Most of the time a whole-packer brisket is actually going to be cheaper per pound than the flat, or the point separated. These come untrimmed, which is exactly what you want.

Fat Cap & Marbling Quality

There are inconsistencies with USDA grading (sometimes a Choice should be Prime, etc.) so use your eyes. Make sure it is well-marbled.

Choice grade briskets typically don’t have much marbling, and will tend to be on the dry side. Despite the price, I recommend avoiding these.

Prime grade briskets should have noticeable marbling and are generally more tender as you lift it up.

American Wagyu has a higher cost, but will naturally have the premium amount of fat marbling. These are extremely rich in fat and flavor, and can be overwhelming for guests to eat. If you’re serving a general crowd, it’s likely you’d want to choose Prime grade.

The Flat Should be Thick

The thinner side of the brisket is the flat muscle (see below). Try to choose a whole packer that has the thickest flat muscle possible, at least 1 1/2-inch or greater thickness.

This isn’t always possible, but it will minimize the potential of dried-out flat slices. If it’s too thin, much of it will need to be sliced off during the prep and there can be quite a bit of waste. Don’t pay for meat you’re likely going to discard, unless you’re saving it to grind for burgers.

Feel for Tenderness & Pliability

Pick it up and give it a feel, the brisket should have some bend and flexibility. Compare the feel between many of the briskets you’re considering before you choose.

If the whole packer feels very stiff, it could be for a number of reasons. The muscles might still be tense, or there could be an extremely thick layer of deckle, hard fat, that will need to be trimmed off. Trimming more fat means more cost, which means you’re paying for waste.

How to Trim Brisket

Don’t stress about perfecting the process of trimming a brisket for your first few. It really does take practice and experience working with many different sizes and shapes of whole packers before you get the hang of it.

The goal for trimming a brisket is to remove the hard pockets of fat (referred to as the deckle), trim any of the soft and awkward pieces of fat and meat that will likely burn, and create a fairly smooth surface all the way around which will promote smoke flow and even cooking.

It’s important to know where the two muscles are located. The flat muscle will run most of the entire length of the whole packer. The point muscle is the thicker side, with more fat (see above photos).

Trim the Edges

Cut about 1/4-inch thick slice off the sides of the brisket. This will remove any of the dry, brown edges and also reveal more details about the muscle structure. Every brisket will be slightly different, so it’s important to be familiar with the general anatomy.

Remove Excess Fat

Start with the fat cap (shown above) on the flat muscle. Trim the top of it down, leaving about 1/4-inch of fat to protect the meat.

Repeat the same process with the point muscle. This is where you’ll notice the extremely hard fat, which is referred to as the deckle. Remove all of the hard deckle, this does not render down when smoking brisket and will be very unappetizing to consume.

My hard rule for trimming fat: If it looks or feels funny, remove it!

Round Off Edges

Round out the sides, removing any bits of brisket that are extremely thin and prone to burning. This also encourages the smoke to flow more evenly across the surfaces.

Trim off any excess bits of fat on the bottom of the brisket as well. This side does not have a fat cap, but it will generally have some silver skin and thin bits of fat.

Seasoning Choices

Choosing a seasoning for the brisket is critical for the development of a crusty, dark bark. There are traditional Texas-style spice blends, and also competition-style blends. Each has its own benefits, with a wide variety of tastes.

Apply your seasoning the day before, which allows for the salts to absorb moisture and transfer into the meat. This process is called dry-brining, which dries out the surface to create a better bark while seasoning the meat.

Applying a Binder to brisket

Binders are used to create a wet or sticky surface that allows the spices to stick better to the meat. It can also be an additional layer of flavor if you choose the right type of binder.

Most cooks will choose a binder such as yellow mustard due to the lack of flavor and high water content, which will dissipate during the process of smoking a brisket. Hot sauce or Worcestershire are also quite common but can add additional sodium to the surface.

Binders are not necessary if you’re planning to season ahead of time. Dry-brining is the process of seasoning and allowing the meat to rest in the fridge, uncovered, for a period of time before smoking the brisket. Salt will draw out moisture from the brisket, helping the seasoning to adhere. Over time the salts will dissolve and be absorbed back into the meat.

Brisket Seasoning Recipe

Start with a 50/50 blend of coarse Kosher salt and coarse black pepper, by volume, not weight.

16-mesh black pepper works the best and has the same grain size as Kosher salt. My preferred salt would be Morton Coarse Kosher Salt.

It’s no secret that many Texas pitmasters add in Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and other ingredients. These additional flavors do not compromise the color of the bark, and add depth. If you’re going to add ingredients to the brisket rub, I recommend the following ratio:

1 part Coarse Black Pepper
1 part Coarse Kosher Salt
1/2 part additional seasonings
(measured by volume)

Variations and Additions

If you’re looking for something you can make or customize, here is a list of individual spices that tend to work well with brisket:

• Ground coffee (grind the coffee roughly the same size as the pepper)
• Ancho chile
• Granulated garlic
• Celery seeds (crushed)
• Mustard powder
• Onion powder

Smoking Process

Make sure you are ready for a very long day (or night) of cooking. Smoking a brisket can take 12-20 hours, or even longer depending on the size and quantity.

Remove the brisket from the fridge. Do this while the smoker preheats. It doesn’t need to get to room temperature – that would take hours!

Preheat your smoker to 250°F. This applies to smoking a brisket on a pellet grill or offset smoker. This temperature allows for plenty of smoke flavor and will generally create a nice smoke ring.

Place the meat in the smoker with the brisket point facing the heat source. Allow the brisket to smoke for about 3-4 hours undisturbed.

For more smoked brisket recipes, check out Brisket Burnt Ends, Smoked Brisket Chili, and the incredible Chile Relleno Tacos.

Spritzing and Bark Development

Get ready to spritz with liquid after the first 3-4 hours. Doing so will keep the edges moist and also help develop bark. Spritz every 45-60 minutes until it’s time to wrap.

The most typical recipe is to simply use apple cider vinegar, or a mix of it with some water.

My preference is to mix a little water with coffee and Worcestershire sauce. The combo adds a dark, savory flavor and promotes a deeper black color for the bark.

The Brisket Stall

There is a moment during the cook where the brisket stops rising in temperature, and remains at the same temperature for potentially HOURS.

This is called the “stall”. Do not freak out!

Keep your cool. You can either continue to cook the brisket as-is, unwrapped, or you can move on to the next phase of wrapping with butcher paper to speed up the process.

Brisket stalls will typically happen between 150-165°F. Look for the temperature to actually stall, meaning that it has slowed down or halted its rise in temperature. Don’t just wrap at a specific temperature, check and monitor the meat!

Wrapping with Butcher Paper

Learning how to smoke a brisket is the first half, now we need to finish it out. This next step is commonly referred to as the Texas crutch.

Once the brisket enters the stall and you’re happy with the formation of the bark, it’s recommended to wrap it in butcher paper. This step is not mandatory, but drastically cuts down on cooking time.

Roll out two sheets of butcher paper, long enough that you can roll the brisket at least twice. Lay them out on a flat surface, overlapping each other. Give the brisket and the butcher paper a final spritz, and start wrapping.

Roll the brisket into the paper, tucking in the sides after the first roll. Make sure you pay attention to which side is the top and place it back onto the smoker, with the top facing up.

Smoke to the Finish

Place the wrapped brisket back on the smoker, remembering which side was facing up during the smoking phase.

Turn up the heat to about 275°F and continue to cook the brisket. At this point it is no longer taking on smoke flavor, it’s slowly cooking to finish.

Continue to smoke the brisket for a few hours until it reaches around 200°F.

How to Rest the Brisket

Learning how to smoke a brisket is half of the battle. Resting is the other half, and can absolutely transform a potentially tough brisket into a tender, juicy slice.

Allow the brisket to rest, still wrapped in butcher paper, for at least 45-60 minutes at room temperature. Do not let it get below 145°F for a period of time.

This is tricky, especially during colder months. I’ll provide some tips and tricks to help you:

• Loosely tent with foil. This will help shield it from the cooler air temperatures, whether you have A/C running or if it’s winter.
• Place it in the oven, shut off. This will slow down the cooling process significantly
• Place it in a cooler after the initial rest. The smoked brisket will remain quite hot for a significant amount of time. You may use towels to insulate it further at this point.
• Place it in the oven at the lowest setting, ideally 170-175°F or below if possible. This is my preferred option. I promise it will not overcook the brisket! This is a tested method used by many, replicating what most BBQ restaurants will use but at a slightly higher temperature. I recommend allowing the brisket to cool at room temperature first to about 170°F and then placing it on a baking sheet with a wire rack (still wrapped). Allow it to stay in the oven for at least 2 hours, up to 8-10. Let it cool to about 150°F before slicing.

Slicing and Serving

Using a sharp knife, slice the brisket in half where the point meets the flat (shown above). You will see a slice that has both muscles separated from the thin layer of fat that was rendered.

• Slice the flat muscle into pencil-thick slices across the grain.
• Slice the point muscle in half, lengthwise, which is ideal for slicing to serve.

From here, you can either reserve the brisket point for something like Brisket Burnt Ends or Smoked Brisket Chili. Or just go ahead and slice it up to serve!

Important Tips from Beginning to End

These tips for your next smoked brisket will enhance the overall process but are not all required.

• Season the brisket the day before, allowing it to rest in the fridge uncovered. This will improve the overall bark and flavor.
• Coarse spices create a crustier, darker bark with more flavor. Nooks and crannies will pick up more smoke flavor and crisp up much more than finely ground seasoning.
• Add a water pan if your air is dry. Sometimes during winter when the air is dry and crisp, it’s beneficial to have a water pan near the heat source. Humidity will speed up the cooking process and aid with bark formation.
• Edges are dry? Wrap them with a little foil. Sometimes the flat will start to get dark and dry because it’s too thin. Take a piece of foil and carefully wrap the edge to help protect it from drying out too much.
• Tip the brisket if liquid is pooling on top. Let the juices run off, otherwise, the bark will have a bald spot.

Pairing Foods with Smoked Brisket

Nothing beats a generous plate of smoked brisket, but sides can definitely help! Here are our top choices to serve up:

• Smoked Baked Beans
• Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
• Creamy Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Southwestern Coleslaw
• Grilled Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Kimchi Potato Salad

Check out some of our latest Side Dishes as well:

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