Directions
Prepare the smoker for 225°F smoking with oak wood (see detailed instructions for the Kalamazoo Smoker Cabinet following the recipe). Smoking duration will be 18 to 22 hours. After smoking, it should rest for at least 1 hour, but can be held in the oven at 140°F for several hours. Plan to put the brisket in the smoker 24 hours before serving so that you can be confident it will be done and ready.
Grind the chopped garlic and shallots together in a spice grinder (freshly-grinding your garlic and shallots leads to better flavor and a more interesting texture). Combine with the salt and pepper to make the brisket rub.
Trim the outer layer of fat on the brisket down to a maximum thickness of 1/4 inch thick. There are two separate muscles on a whole packer brisket, the “flat” and the “point.” The flat is the thin slab that forms the entire base of the brisket. This is the leaner part of the brisket. The point is the triangular mass on top. While trimming off the fat, take note of the grain direction of these two muscles. They are different from one another. When it comes time to slice and serve, remember these two grain directions so that you can slice across the grain.
Coat the brisket all over with the rub, working it in with your hands. Refrigerate the seasoned brisket, uncovered, until the smoker is ready. A cold brisket going into the smoker is able to develop a more intense smoke ring than a room temperature brisket.
Transfer the brisket to the smoker, placing it with the flat on the bottom, and smoke at 225°F with oak wood for flavor. The target internal temperature for the meat is 203°F, which will require about 90 minutes per pound. The internal temperature is important, but so is “the jiggle.” The tough, connective tissues in the brisket will eventually break down to a gelatinous state. When they do, the brisket will jiggle when poked, prodded or dropped. That’s how you know you’ve made a great brisket.
While it is cooking, you might observe that the brisket stops rising in temperature at around 150°F internal temperature. This phenomenon is known as “the stall,” and it is caused by the cooling effect of the evaporating moisture off the surface of the meat. Do not be concerned. It will eventually rise in temperature again.
Once finished, remove the brisket from the smoker, wrap tightly in foil, and let rest for at least an hour inside an insulted cooler, or for longer in an oven set to 140°F. The ideal internal temperature for slicing the brisket is 140°F.
Slice the meat across the grain and prepare for the onslaught of compliments from your happy guests.
Setup for the Kalamazoo Smoker Cabinet
Load the smoker with a full load (7 pounds) of premium Kalamazoo Quebracho lump charcoal. Clip the pit temperature probe to the center of the bottom food grate and set the BBQ Guru pit computer to 225°F pit temp. Fully-open the chimney, ball valve, and fan shutter. Light the charcoal (see owner’s manual) and preheat the smoker for 1 hour to ensure even heat throughout the heavy stainless steel food chamber. Once the BBQ Guru computer indicates the pit has reached 225°F, about 30 to 40 minutes, reduce the fan shutter opening to 50%. After the first 45 minutes of preheating, add 2 large oak wood chunks to the ash pan below the charcoal fire. The embers from the fire will fall on the wood to create flavorful smoke.
Insert the food temperature probe into the center of the brisket, then place the brisket directly onto the center food grate with the brisket flat on the bottom and the point on the top. Close the door tightly and plug the food temperature probe into the BBQ Guru pit computer. Set the food temperature on the computer to 203°F.
For the first 3 hours, replace the spent oak wood chunks every 45 minutes. After the first 3 hours, continue to replace them every hour or so. Assuming you go to sleep somewhere during the cook, you do not need to continue adding wood chunks during that time. The smoke from the charcoal will continue to flavor the meat. You should, however, top off the charcoal to ensure the smoker does not run out. We recommend that you ensure ample wood smoke for the first 5 hours and final 2 hours of the smoking time. You can replace the wood as seldom as you like during the period in between.
FAQs
A: You can usually figure about 1.5 hours per pound at 225 degrees for brisket, pork shoulder and other larger pieces of meat. Several things can affect this time such as actual meat thickness, wind, temperature and how often you open the door of the smoker.
What to season a brisket with before smoking? ›
Next, we add some very basic seasoning. To season your brisket for smoking and for Brisket Burnt Ends, simply rub generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and optional garlic powder. Place the seasoned brisket into the fridge and allow it to dry brine overnight. Now, it's time to cook!
How long should a beef brisket be smoked? ›
Our general rule of thumb is to plan on between 30 and 60 minutes per pound when learning how to cook a brisket. For example, a 16-pound brisket cooked at 275 degrees Fahrenheit will take between 10 and 12 hours. The entire process from trimming, injection, seasoning, and cooking will take between 18 and 20 hours.
What is the 3/2:1 rule for brisket? ›
Often used for other meats that require long, slow cooking on the barbecue, such as ribs, the 3-2-1 method essentially involves firstly smoking the meat as it is for three hours, wrapping it for the second two hours, and finally finishing the cooking unwrapped for the last hour.
Is brisket better at 225 or 250? ›
I think the sweet spot for brisket is 225-250°F. This low temperature allows the brisket to render nice and slowly while having enough time to absorb all that smoke flavor. Cooking a brisket hot and fast can tighten up the connective tissue in the meat which will leave it tough and chewy.
Do you smoke a brisket fat side up or down? ›
To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.
What not to do when smoking a brisket? ›
12 Brisket Mistakes Everyone Should Avoid
- Cooking at the Wrong Temperature. ...
- Using the Wrong Rub. ...
- Not Allowing (More Than) Enough Time to Smoke. ...
- Not Letting Brisket Rest Long Enough. ...
- Making Too Many Changes Between Cooks. ...
- Only Looking at Time and Temperature Before Wrapping. ...
- Spraying the Fat. ...
- Over or Under Smoking the Meat.
After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.
What is the secret to smoking brisket? ›
The secret to making a delicious brisket is smoking at a consistent temperature, cooking with indirect heat, and, most importantly, monitoring the brisket's internal temperature to determine when to wrap it and when it is done. It is critical to know when to wrap the brisket.
Can you overcook a brisket when smoking? ›
It's easy to over-smoke brisket due to its long cook time. This will result in a piece of meat that "tastes like liquid smoke," Franklin says. To prevent this, it's necessary to use very dry wood.
With evaporation stopped, the heat of your smoker pulls ahead in the battle of the stall. The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.
How long should brisket be out of fridge before smoking? ›
Before smoking, the brisket should be trimmed of excess fat and seasoned generously with a dry rub. The dry rub should sit on the meat for at least an hour before smoking. Additionally, beginners should let the brisket sit at room temperature for about an hour before smoking to ensure even cooking.
What is the danger zone for brisket? ›
If you are planning to smoke or grill meat, you should know about the 40-140-4 rule; The idea behind this rule is that meat should increase the temperature from 40°F to 140°F within 4 hours. It will reduce the bacteria growth to a great extent. Note: 40°F to 140°F means 4.44°C to 60°C.
What is the magic number for brisket? ›
There is no magic number for when briskets are done. I've had briskets be done anywhere from 200° – 208°. What are you looking for is for it to feel done.
How much fat do you trim off a brisket before smoking? ›
You should not totally remove the fat cap. Fat is flavor, and a small amount lends that burst of juiciness to your brisket slices -- but too much fat would give those slices more of a mushy, slimy mouthfeel. While this is a personal preference, we recommend trimming the fat cap to 1/4 inch with 1/2 inch at the most.
How long do I smoke a brisket before I wrap it? ›
I want my bark to be dark but not black and well set up on the meat. I want to see the fat starting to render nicely, and when you press on the fat, it's spongey and not firm. Most of the time, I wrap my briskets around the 170-180F mark which is usually after around the 8-hour mark.
When to pull brisket off smoker? ›
The meat still needs a couple of hours in a higher temperature range to fully render fat and dissolve collagen. Brisket can be done in a range of 200-210°F (93-99°C), but as a general rule, it's safe to bet on 203°F (95°C). Brisket should be tender but not so tender it's falling apart.
How long to smoke a 10 lb brisket at 250 degrees? ›
Raising the cooking temperature to 250℉ will reduce cooking time. Instead of the 1 ½ to 2 hours per pound, you should need between 1 and 1½. That means a 10lb brisket needs 10 to 15 hours in the grill. If you really can't spare the extra time then 250℉ could be the answer.
Is it OK to smoke a brisket for 20 hours? ›
Smoking duration will be 18 to 22 hours. After smoking, it should rest for at least 1 hour, but can be held in the oven at 140°F for several hours. Plan to put the brisket in the smoker 24 hours before serving so that you can be confident it will be done and ready.
