This classic Texas-style smoked brisket recipe is both delicious and surprisingly simple. Our step-by-step guide covers everything from selecting your brisket to trimming, seasoning, smoking, resting, slicing, and serving. We’ve broken down the process into approachable steps, ensuring success even if it’s your first time smoking meat. Starting with a simple two-ingredient rub, your brisket will smoke low and slow to perfection, promising mouthwatering flavor and super tender texture, along with plenty of brisket leftovers.
If you follow this guide and our simple instructions, smoking a perfect brisket really won’t be that hard. Whether you’re using a kamado grill, Traeger pellet smoker, or box smoker, these tried-and-true methods will help you achieve outstanding, crowd-pleasing results every time.
How to Smoke a Brisket
Step-by-Step instructions for smoking the most tender, delicious brisket. Jump down to the full recipe card for all the details and learn more in the Brisket 101 Quick Guide.
Key Info at a Glance
- Estimated Cook Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours per pound (12 to 18 hours)
- Smoker Temperature: 225°F to 275°F
- Wrap Temperature: 165°F
- Finished Internal Temperature: 203°F to 206°F
- Rest Time: 1 to 2 hours
- Recommended Wood: Post oak or pecan
1. Select Your Brisket
2. Trim
3. Season- 4. Smoke
5. Wrap- 7. Slice
- Select Your Brisket: Choose a high-quality whole “full packer” cut (USDA Prime recommended). Plan for 1 pound of raw untrimmed brisket per person.
Learn more about where and how to buy brisket → - Trim the Brisket: Trim the fat cap to 1/4″ thick, remove silver skin from the bottom side, and trim edges. Create an even surface for optimal airflow and to prevent burning.
Learn How to Trim a Brisket → - Season the Brisket: Use a 50:50 ratio of kosher salt and 16 mesh coarse ground black pepper. Season generously on all sides. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Insert a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the brisket flat.
Get the Brisket Rub Recipe with additional flavor add-in options → - Smoke the Brisket: Place fat side down in a preheated 225°F to 275°F smoker, with the point closest to the heat source. Use post oak or preferred wood for smoke.
- Wrap at 165°F: When the bark is formed and the internal temp reaches 165°F (about 4-6 hours in), wrap it tightly in butcher paper or foil. Continue cooking until the internal temp of the flat reaches 203°F-206°F. At this point, the meat should feel very tender (with a probe) and flexible. Verify with a probe thermometer, which should easily go into the meat without resistance.
- Rest: Remove the brisket from smoker and rest for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2 hours, keeping it wrapped. Tip: Place it in a towel-lined cooler to keep warm.
- Slice: Separate point from flat, then slice each against its grain into 1/4″ thick slices for tender bites. This is my favorite brisket slicing knife.
- Serve: Enjoy with your favorite side dishes for brisket.
How Long to Smoke a Brisket?
It will take approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours per pound in a 250° F smoker to bring the internal temperature up to 203° F. For planning purposes, the cook time for a 14-pound brisket will be around 14 to 17 1/2 hours. But it’s really more the thickness of the meat and the temperature of your smoker that determines how long it will take, rather than its overall weight that determines the time.
A brisket is finished cooking when the internal temperature reaches between 203° and 206° F. While the time it takes to finish cooking can vary greatly depending on a lot of variables; there shouldn’t be any guessing as to when the brisket is finished cooking since you should cook to temperature, rather than by time.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temperature, and even better is to use a Thermoworks Smoke Alarm so you can monitor it wirelessly without having to open the smoker.
Tip: Give yourself more time than you think you will need to cook it. Smoking meat always seems to take longer than you expect, so start early (even the night before) and just let it rest in a cooler for longer if it’s done early.
The Tools You’ll Need
Here are some important tools & equipment that will make this whole process easier. Check out the full list of my most recommended smoker accessories.
- Smoker – A pellet smoker like a Traeger, electric smoker or charcoal smoker will all work great. You will also need pellets or wood chunks, depending on the type of smoker you have.
- Sharp knives – A boning knife is perfect for trimming the fat and a slicing knife for slicing the cooked brisket for serving.
- Two-zone remote probe thermometer to remotely monitor the temperature of your smoker along with the internal temperature of the brisket.
- Meat thermometer – I recommend the Thermapen instant-read probe thermometer to precisely test and verify the internal temperature in different areas.
- Butcher paper – For wrapping the brisket. I prefer the 24-inch width for easier wrapping. You can totally use aluminum foil (aka the Texas crutch) if you have that on hand.
- Large cutting board – for both trimming and slicing the brisket.
Top Tips for Success
- A Thermometer is your best friend! These are your best friends. Use a 2-channel thermometer to remotely monitor the temperature of the smoker (placed on the grates) and one in the thickest part of the brisket flat to monitor the meat’s internal temp. And a third instant-read thermometer for spot-checking to verify doneness.
- Start cooking the night before. Smoking brisket takes a long time. Starting the cook overnight is a lifesaver and gives you a nice buffer if you need to eat at a certain time
- Use a drip pan with water – This will not only catch drippings which can cause flare-ups and make for more cleanup, but the water will keep the smoking environment more humid, which helps bark and keep the brisket juicy and more flavorful.
- Keep that lid closed – Open the lid of your smoker as few times as possible and do it quickly when you have to. This keeps the smoke in and maintains the temperature. You shouldn’t need to open it at all for the first 3 hours.
- Be prepared for the stall – The stall is basically a time when the internal temperature of the meat stops rising when it reaches around 150° F, sometimes for a few hours. During this time, the meat is sweating off liquid, which cools it down and prevents the temperature from rising during “the stall.”
It will probably mess with you (like it does me), so just be ready for it. You just have to stand by and trust the cooking process. The temperature will start rising again. Once it does, it will climb fairly quickly. - A better rest – Place the wrapped brisket in a cooler lined with a towel. This will keep it nice and warm as it rests until you are ready to serve it.
- Slice to serve. Sliced brisket will dry out fairly quickly, so slice only what you will be serving right away and slice more as needed later.
Brisket Cook Time Per Pound
| Cut | Weight | Smoker Temp | Cook Time (Approx) |
| Whole Packer | 14 to 18 lbs | 250° – 275° F | 12 to 18 hours |
| Flat | 6 to 8 lbs | 250° – 275° F | 6 to 10 hours |
The Best Wood for Smoking Brisket
Wood for smoking often comes down to preference and can require experimenting to see the flavors you love best. Post Oak is traditional for Texas BBQ, but you can also add a combination including Apple Wood. Learn more about the best wood and pellets to use for smoking brisket.
Learn more in the Beginners Guide to Briskett →
Recipe Variations
- Use a slather – A slather is a binder applied to the surface of the meat to help the dry rub stick. It can be as simple as water, oil, mustard, or even beef tallow. If you are having trouble getting the rub to stick, you can apply a little slather before dusting on the rub, which really won’t change the flavor of the meat..
- Finish the brisket in the oven – After the brisket has reached at least 165° F and has great bark, it is totally fine to wrap it and finish it in a 275° F oven until it reaches the desired doneness.
- Sous Vide the brisket before smoking – Try this amazing alternate cooking method for this mostly hands-off sous vide brisket recipe which you can choose the texture and doneness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it simply with bread & butter pickle
A fresh coleslaw is perfect because you can eat it on the side or put it on a brisket sandwich if you prefer. Baked beans, potato salad, and creamy macaroni salad are also great pairings. Keep the theme going by sipping a refreshing hot & smoky mezcal margarita.
Check out all the best sides to serve with brisket →
What to do with Leftovers
Make melty brisket sandwiches and the best brisket ragu over pasta or creamy polenta, inside crunchy tacos, breakfast brisket and egg hash, a brisket grilled cheese for lunch, add it to baked beans, make chili with, add it to ramen. You can make addicting burnt ends with the leftover point end. Okay, you get the point. It is good in just about anything and you are the lucky one who gets to indulge for hopefully a few days at the least.
More Smoker Recipes You’ll Love
Smoked Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 whole packer brisket (12 to 16 pounds)
- 1/2 cup Diamond kosher salt
- 1/2 cup coarse ground black pepper (16 mesh grind)
Instructions
- Trim the brisket: Trim off any loose pieces of meat and shave the fat cap down to about 1/4" thick. Remove the silver skin from the backside.
- Season: Combine the Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper in a small bowl or spice shaker, then evenly season the brisket on all sides. Let the brisket sit out at room temperature for 1 hour while you set up your smoker.
- Prepare the Smoker: Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect cooking with a water-filled drip pan in place. Bring the temperature between 225° and 275° F. Add 3 to 5 fist-size oak, pecan or your favorite wood chunks for smoke (if using a charcoal smoker).
- Smoke the Brisket: Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket. Place the brisket in the smoker fat side down with the thickest end closer to the heat. Leave the lid closed for at least 3 hours. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165° F and a dark brown bark is formed, about 6 to 8 hours.
- Wrap the Brisket: Remove the brisket from the smoker and tightly wrap it with uncoated butcher paper (or aluminum foil). Place it back in the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the flat (thinner side) reaches between 203 and 206° F, about 6 to 8 hours more.
- Rest: Carefully transfer the brisket (still wrapped in the butcher paper) to a large cooler or cutting board to rest for at least 1 hour and preferably 2 hours or until the internal temp drops to 140 to 145° F. You can line the cooler with a towel to further insulate the brisket to keep it warm.
- Slice and Serve: Separate the point from the flat muscle, then slice against the grain (which is different for each muscle) into 1/4" slices just before serving. Enjoy with your favorite sides.
Video
Notes
- Smoker Temperature and Wood: For a pellet smoker, use 225°F; for charcoal smokers, 250-275°F. For smoke, I prefer post oak wood chunks, but mesquite, pecan, or a combination with cherry/apple also works well.
- Cook Time: Approximately 1 to 11/2 hours per pound at 250°F.
- Smoker Temperature: For a pellet smoker, use a lower temperature of 225° F, and a higher temperature of 250-275° F for charcoal smokers.
- Thermometers: Use multiple for accuracy: one in the brisket, one on the grate, and a handheld for spot checks.
- Open the smoker lid as few times as possible during the cook.
I smoked my first brisket following your recipe and directions. I over-estimated the amount of time it would take to cook. My 14lb brisket only took 5 hours to reach 165 and then 3.5 more hours to reach 203. Thankfully I have a wi-fi enabled smoker and checked the temp often. After I pulled it off, I wrapped heavy duty foil over the butcher paper and then wrapped in a towel and slid it into a 5gal drink cooler on its side. I kept it there for 4 hours and then was worried that the temp wouldn’t stay above 140. I removed it and took off the towel and put it in my warming oven at 150 until ready to serve it. Upon unwrapping, it was hot and steamy and so juicy! We sliced and served it to a party of 12, and everyone absolutely loved this meat! My husband was nervous about me serving a brisket that I’ve never done before to company, but it was a winner! Thank you!