Smoking a big brisket doesn’t have to be intimidating. I break down the process into simple, approachable steps you can follow to get amazing results, even if it’s your first attempt.
No secret ingredients or techniques are required—just quality meat, a basic seasoning, good smoke, constant temperature, a long rest, and proper slicing. Follow this formula and you’ll create brisket better than your local BBQ spot, sure to impress all your friends, and lots of leftovers to enjoy when the day is done.
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
How to Smoke a Brisket
Step-by-step instructions for selecting, seasoning and smoking your brisket. Jump down to the full recipe card for all the details and learn more in the Brisket 101 Quick Guide.
1. Select Your Brisket
2. Trim
3. Season- 4. Smoke
5. Wrap- 7. Slice
- Select Your Brisket: Choose a high-quality “full packer” whole cut which includes both the flat and the point. USDA Prime grade is recommended. For planning by size, aim 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 of loose pieces. 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 all sides generously, and let it sit out at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Insert a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the brisket flat.
- Smoke the Brisket: Place fat side towards the hottest part of your smoker (usually facing up) in a preheated 225°F to 275°F smokert. Use post oak or your preferred wood for smoke.
- Wrap it: When the bark is formed and the internal temp reaches around 165-175°F (about 4-6 hours in), wrap it tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil. Place it back in the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temp of the flat becomes “probe tender,” between 203°F-206°F.
- Rest: Remove the brisket from smoker and rest for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2 hours, keeping it wrapped and placed in a towel-lined cooler to keep warm.
- Slice: Separate the point from flat muscle, then slice to serve, slicing against grain into 1/4″ thick slices. This is my favorite brisket slicing knife.
- Serve: Enjoy with your favorite side dishes for brisket.
How Long to Smoke a Brisket?
Plan on 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 it is probe tender, which means the probe easily slides into the meat without resistance. This is generally when the internal temperature reaches between 203° and 206° F, but it can be even higher.
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.
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 |
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Tools & Equipment used
Here’s a list of important tools & equipment that will make this process easier.
- 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 at the end.
- Start cooking early, even 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 in your smoker- This will catch the fat drippings which can cause flare-ups and will also make for an easy cleanup. The benefit of the water is it adds humidity which is optimal for the smoker environment.
- 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.” Just trust the cooking process. The temperature will start rising again. Once it does, it will climb fairly quickly.
- Rest it in a cooler – 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.
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
- Finish the brisket in the oven – After the brisket has reached at least 165° F and has nice bark, it is totally fine to wrap it and finish it in your oven set to 275° F and finish cooking until it reaches the desired doneness. This can save fuel and make things a little easier
- Sous vide the brisket before smoking – Try this amazing alternate cooking method for this mostly hands-off sous vide smoked 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 →
Leftovers Inspiration
Leftovers are the best part. 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.
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 bottom (opposite of fat cap) with a sharp knife.
- 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.
- Prep the Smoker: Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect cooking with a water-filled drip pan in place. Preheat to 225° and 275° F. Add 3 to 5 fist-size oak, pecan or your favorite wood chunks for smoke (if using a charcoal smoker), or pellets for a pellet smoker.
- Smoke the Brisket: Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket. Place the brisket in the smoker fat side pointed towards the heat. Leave the lid closed for at least 3 hours. Begin checking once 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 pink butcher paper (or aluminum foil). Place it back in the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the flat (thinner side) is probe tender, between 203 and 206° F, about 6 to 8 hours more.
- Rest for at least 1 hour: Transfer the brisket (still wrapped in the butcher paper) to a large cooler and rest for at least 1 hour and preferably 2 hours. 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 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 great.
- Cook Time: Approximately 1 to 11/2 hours per pound at 250°F.
- Thermometers: Use multiple probes 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!