Once your brisket stalls or hits an internal temperature of 195, cover it tightly in foil and return it to the smoker at 225 until its flat side reaches 202 and feels tender to touch (a probe thermometer should go through it without resistance).
Keep an eye on the smoke. If it looks dirty or is producing an unpleasant odor, lower the heat accordingly.
Temperature
As with any food being smoked, when smoking brisket it’s essential to monitor its temperature to ensure it doesn’t overcook or overheat too quickly or slowly – too quickly can result in dry and overcooked textures, while too slowly may take far longer for it to reach tender and juicy textures.
An ideal brisket should reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to be considered tender enough for probe insertion without difficulty – an indicator that the meat should be removed from the smoker and served.
Before taking your brisket out of the smoker, ensure it has reached its target temperature. Failure to do so could mean continued cooking after it has been removed and muscle fibers contract, pushing moisture out and losing heat due to evaporation resulting in dry and tough meat.
Use a probe thermometer to monitor the progress of your brisket while it’s being smoked, and once its internal temperature has plateaued it’s time to cover with foil for optimal results. Doing this may save a couple of hours by stopping evaporative cooling processes but will prevent its delicious outer crust from forming properly.
Once removed from the smoker, it’s essential that your brisket be left to rest before serving it. Resting allows muscle fibers to reabsorb juices forced out by muscle contraction, creating a much juicier piece of meat. Just like with 6oz steaks, your brisket should rest for at least an hour after removal; an easy way of doing this would be filling a cooler with old bath towels and placing your brisket inside so it can rest up until now served!
Smoking Method
Smoking is a low heat process used to give meat its distinct bark. Smoking helps the internal temperature remain consistent throughout, assuring every part of your brisket cooks evenly. Low temperatures enable natural sugars in meat to caramelize, creating a crust that absorbs spice rub and infuses flavor into it; additionally, this crust prevents juices from escaping during the cooking process, keeping your brisket moist!
Use a wood smoker, ideally one with an adjustable smoke stack that enables you to regulate airflow into and out of the chamber. Select hardwood that will add flavor such as oak, cherry or pecan. When possible, avoid starter fluid as this could leave an unpleasant chemical aftertaste in your meat products.
As part of your smoking process, open the lid as little as possible so as to maintain temperature and smoke flow in your smoker. Doing so can prevent sudden drops in temperature that delay cooking time of your brisket. A remote probe thermometer can also help ensure an even cooking time without overcooking it.
As soon as your brisket reaches a deep mahogany color, it’s time to wrap it. This step allows the intramuscular fat to render out more fully and creates a tenderer result. I recommend using pink or peach butcher paper since it breathes better than aluminum foil.
Once your brisket is wrapped and secured in its wrappings, return it to the smoker and continue smoking it until its internal temperature at its flat end reaches 202 degrees F. To check that your brisket has reached perfection, insert a meat thermometer easily without encountering resistance from within the meat itself.
Once your brisket has been smoked, remove it from the smoker and allow it to sit for at least an hour before cutting across the grain into pencil thin slices. For a more visually appealing presentation, consider trimming off some fat on both the point and flat ends for an enhanced presentation.
Time
General rule of thumb for smoking brisket: an hour and a half per pound at 225 degrees F is ideal, which equates to 15 hours for a 10lb brisket. Professional pit masters recommend this temperature as it provides optimal texture in smoked meat products.
Some may prefer to cook their brisket for even longer, especially if cooking for a larger group. If this occurs beyond 20 hours at 225 degrees F however, the meat becomes dry and tough. In general, point and flat cuts of brisket tend to produce the most tender results due to more marbling content; thus enabling quicker smoking temperatures without increasing tenderness levels too drastically.
Trim away excess fat from your brisket to ensure an ideal shape and easy cutting later. Next, season generously with a rub made up of kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika before spreading evenly over the entire surface area of the brisket.
Before beginning smoking, make sure that the brisket has been prepared appropriately with seasoning and wrapping before placing it on your smoker. Also ensure your temperature probe has reached an appropriate high temperature setting; keep an eye on it regularly to avoid losing heat and smoke – too much opening of lid can also result in overcooking of meat which causes tough texture later.
If you are using a charcoal smoker, it is essential that only white briquettes with low moisture content are used – these will produce less steam and prevent your meat from becoming dry. Furthermore, use high quality hardwood that has been aged 9-12 months for optimal results.
Smoke the brisket until its internal temperature reaches between 195-205 F and it becomes tender and flexible when tested by inserting a probe thermometer, with no resistance as it goes in and out. Once done, remove it from the smoker and rest it for at least an hour (ideally more) so the meat can relax while redistributing juices, helping it remain hot when you slice into it.
Resting
Once removed from the smoker, it’s essential that your brisket rests before being served to your guests. This allows the juices accumulated during smoking to redistribute evenly across the meat for tender and succulent slices, and also gives its bark time to recover after being exposed to intense heat.
Once ready to rest your brisket, simply move it to a pan or cutting board large enough to capture its juices, cover with aluminum foil or butcher paper and allow it to rest for at least an hour – this process of carry-over cooking is one of the keys to creating deliciously tender smoked brisket meat!
Some people use an insulated box like a Cambro to help keep foods at an ideal temperature during their resting period, keeping brisket juicy while it rests. But coolers also work just as effectively for this task – simply preheat before placing your brisket inside for maximum insulation during resting time.
Smokers often spritz their briskets with water, apple juice, hot sauce or vinegar during the smoking process to maintain moisture and ensure tender meat. Be mindful not to overdo this practice as too much moisture could result in it turning mushy; rather just spray your brisket every 30-60 minutes as needed.
Before your brisket is fully cooked, its internal temperature should reach approximately 195 degrees Fahrenheit. To check its temperature accurately, insert a remote probe thermometer in its thickest part. If resistance occurs when inserting it, this indicates it has not reached completion; continue cooking accordingly.
Once your brisket reaches an internal temperature of around 195 degrees, wrap it in foil and allow it to rest. After one hour has passed, unwrap the meat and check its internal temperature again; if it still exceeds 195 degrees then slice and serve immediately.