How Long to Smoke Brisket Per Pound (Complete Time Guide)

Lighting the fire and watching smoke curl around a whole brisket is a rite of passage for pitmasters and backyard cooks. But getting it right can be intimidating. Follow this guide, and the reward will be a tender brisket with deep smoky flavor, juicy slices, and a bark that crunches like candy.

What is Brisket

The full beef brisket is called a packer brisket, the name originates from how it comes out of the meatpacking plant. Our meat cuts chart will give you even more information. The flat and the point have a large fat seam that connects the two. As that seam melts, it self-bastes the beef. Their grains also run in different directions. This fact is important to remember for later when you are carving your brisket.

Smoking Brisket Flat vs Whole

Chef’s and pitmasters have differing opinions on whether or not to cut the full brisket into its two sections. There are advantages and disadvantages to each:

• Whole Brisket: Keeping the muscles intact lets you cook everything at once. The leaner flat section also benefits from the breakdown in fat and connective tissue from the point section. Smoke, moisture, and seasoning drift from one section to the other, giving you two cuts for the price of one slow cook.
• Smoking Brisket Flat: Smoking a brisket flat is faster than a whole brisket. You can use a higher temperature and for a shorter period of time. Brisket flat is also what you will typically find at your grocery store. If you want to smoke just the flat, follow this brisket flat recipe for fool-proof results as it can dry out. The flat, as it’s name implies, is rectangular in shape and flat making it easy to cut into uniform slices for serving.
• Smoking Brisket Point: The point, because of it’s fat and marbling, benefits from low and slow cooking. Both the fat and the connective tissue take time to break down resulting a beefy, moist cut.
• Burnt Ends: The point is perfect for the making rich cubes of burnt ends. Dust the point with more rub, splash of sauce, and smoke another hour until sticky, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Selecting the Right Cut

Factor	Best Choice	Reason
Grade	USDA Prime (or a high-end Choice)	Extra marbling shortens the cooking time and boosts tenderness.
Weight of your brisket	12–15 lb brisket	Large enough to retain moisture, small enough to finish in a day.
Shape	Even thickness, gentle taper	A lopsided hunk cooks unevenly at different temperatures.

Cook’s Note: Smaller briskets, such as 8 to 10 pounds, need less time but require attention so the flat doesn’t dry out.

General rule of thumb: buy 1/2 to 3/4 pound of raw brisket per guest. The brisket shrinks as it cooks. This amount takes into account side dishes being served with the brisket. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to make extras, as leftover brisket freezes well.

How to Smoke a Whole Packer Brisket:

A perfectly smoked brisket is the summit of backyard barbecue. Choose quality meat, master the fire, respect the rest, and you’ll serve the best brisket on the block, whether you run an offset smoker, a shiny pellet grill, or a gas smoker.

Trimming and Prepping

1. Fat Cap — Do not remove too much fat. You want to cut the denser, harder fat on top and leave the rest. Trim excess fat until only ¼-inch remains. Too much fat blocks the rub from penetrating the brisket and too little fat sacrifices moisture. You can see the fat and marbling in the raw packer brisket above. You can leave on more of the fat layer than is shown, if you prefer.
2. Silver Skin — Remove the thin membrane under the flat; it never softens, even at lower temperatures. Take a sharp knife and pull up a piece of the end. Then use your finger to pull the skin from the meat; almost like tearing off a strip of packing tape.
3. Room Temperature — Let the beef sit on the counter for about 30 to 45 minutes until it reaches room temperature. Starting at room temperature helps for even cooking throughout.

If you want more information on trimming, watch how to trim a brisket.

Seasoning Brisket

• A classic Texas crust is made with basic ingredients, such as a simple 50:50 ratio of coarse black pepper to kosher salt.
• Combine with additional spices such as paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of brown sugar for caramel notes as flavor enhancers.
• Binder: To help spices stick to the meat without changing flavor, dab it with apple cider vinegar or yellow mustard.

Here’s a table that outlines cook times for different brisket sizes, types of smokers, and temperatures. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and the actual cooking time can vary based on factors like meat thickness, meat grade, smoker type, and weather conditions. Always check temperature and tenderness to determine when brisket is done.

By adjusting the temperature of your smoker and monitoring the internal temperature of the brisket, you can achieve the perfect brisket no matter the size or smoker type.

Smoking Steps

• Placement — Lay the brisket fat side up with the point aimed toward the hotter firebox.
• Smoking time — Plan 1–1.5 hours for every pound of meat. A 14 lb. slab may require 14–20 hours of slow cooking.
• Stall time — When the internal temperature of the meat hits 150-165°F, the brisket seems to stop cooking or “stalls” at this temperature. The length of time is unpredictable.
• Target finish — Pull when the internal temperature reaches 195–205 °F when tested with a probe meat thermometer at the thickest part of the brisket. More importantly, the brisket should feel like butter when probed.

Overcoming The Stall

“The stall” happens during cooking around 150–165°F. The stall is a period of time that the brisket stops rising in temperature. It is primarily caused by evaporation, breaking down of collagen, and the fat melting. Two reliable tactics to deal with the stall:

1. Hold steady and wait, classic, pure, but takes a long time, and is not ideal.
2. Wrap the brisket in pink butcher paper or aluminum foil—the famed Texas Crutch to push it through the stall. Paper breathes, maintaining bark; foil, softens the bark. Use the wrapping process if you want to get past the stall faster.

Resting

• Wrap the brisket in butcher paper, if you haven’t done so already. Transfer it to a cooler which has been preheated for 20 minutes with 1/2-inch hot water, emptied, and wiped dry. Close the cooler and let it rest. No peeking! Alternatively you can wrap in foil and transfer to a 150°F oven for resting.
• Let the brisket rest for at least one hour and up to 4 hours. During the rest, muscle fibers redistribute the juices, making a flavorful, juicy brisket. Do not carve too early. Have a beer, take a nap, or whatever you need to do to let the brisket do it’s thing.

Slicing Perfectly

• Separate the point from the flat along the natural fat seam.
• Slice the flat across the grain, in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. You want the slices to hold together nicely, but not too thick to be harder to eat. A long slicer with a serated edge is ideal for the job.
• Slice the point across the grain, keeping in mind that the grain of the meat runs differently between the two sections. Double check before cutting.
• Cut the point into 1-1/2 to 2 inch square pieces. Place them in an aluminum pan and toss with BBQ sauce. Return them to the smoker for about an hour to make tender, moist, and glazed burnt ends.

How to Serve Smoked Brisket

• Side dishes: Coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread. They all have their traditional place alongside plates of brisket or ribs. And don’t forget the pickles!
• Burnt Ends: My absolute dream melt-in-your-mouth brisket recipe.
• Sliced brisket for sandwiches

Storing and Reheating Leftover Brisket

• Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 to 5 days.
• Freeze leftovers in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 months according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Spread the leftover brisket evenly in the container so all of it freezes quickly and evenly.
•  Package leftovers in tightly sealed containers or in vacuum sealed packaging. The vacuum sealing not only makes the packages more compact, but also extends their storage life.
• Defrost leftovers in the refrigerator overnight. Or, put them under a room temperature stream of water until defrosted. I am not a fan of microwaves (oh well), so I avoid this method because it can dry out the meat or cook it more.
• Reheat leftovers in a 225 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Or put them in a Dutch oven and braise on top of the stove. You may want to add some beef broth or additional BBQ sauce to keep them moist.

You’ve got this. Now dive in and start smoking brisket! If you want to get the master of all masters brisket, try out Aaron Franklin’s Smoked BBQ Brisket Recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions