How long does it take to smoke a brisket?

Our general rule of thumb is to plan on between 30 and 60 minutes per pound. 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.

How do you smoke a brisket and keep it moist?

How to Keep Your Brisket Moist. Keeping a water pan in the smoker is the best way to retain moisture. After the first 2-3 hours start spritzing your brisket with water, apple juice, hot sauce or apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes to an hour. This helps keep it moist and stops it from burning.

How do you smoke a brisket without drying it out?

Wrapping the brisket if foil or butcher paper is one of the most important steps when smoking brisket. Wrapping will prevent the brisket from drying out and keep it nice and moist. As the internal meat rises, moisture pushes to the surface of the meat and escapes.

Do you smoke a brisket fat side up or down?

If you are in a hurry and want just a quick and simple answer to your question, here it is: cook your brisket with the fat side down. For most smokers, the heat comes from the bottom of the cooker, so cooking brisket with the fat side down will protect the meat from exposure to direct heat.

Why is my smoked brisket always tough?

Brisket contains a lot of connective tissue, which can make it tough. The type of connective tissue in brisket is called collagen. Cook the meat quickly and you get tough, dry meat. Cook a brisket slowly, with some liquid, and the collagen turns into gelatin.

Should I wrap my brisket in foil?

Smoked brisket cooked using the Texas Crutch method (wrapped in butcher paper or foil) is incredibly juicy and extremely tender. Wrapping your meat in foil ensures it comes out beautifully smoked and full of flavor.

What do you spray on brisket when smoking?

In a spray bottle, combine the apple juice and apple cider vinegar, and liberally spray the brisket, working quickly as to not let heat escape. Spray the brisket each time you refresh the wood.

Should you flip a brisket when smoking?

Flipping the brisket does even out the exposure of the meat to heat. Airflow inside any smoker is uneven and letting the brisket sit there in one position the whole time will cause part of it to dry out simply because of this unevenness. Ideally, flip and rotate your brisket at least once during the cooking.

How long should I smoke a 10 lb brisket?

How Long To Smoke a 10 lb Brisket. Using the guideline of 90 minutes per pound, a 10-pound brisket should be done in about 15 hours. However, as we’ve pointed out, there’s no hard and fast rule, especially when you’re dealing with larger cuts.

Will brisket get more tender the longer it cooks?

Do not slice it. Cover brisket in the meat juices to let it marinate. You can cook the meat even longer to make it more tender if you wish.

How do you keep meat moist when smoking?

Cooking over indirect heat, marinating, using a high ratio of smoking chunks to charcoal, wrapping in aluminum foil, and allowing your meat to sit for three to five minutes will help to keep it moist.

What temperature do you smoke brisket to?

The ideal temperature of a properly smoked brisket is 195°F, but keep in mind that the internal temp of the brisket can increase by 10 degrees even after it’s been removed from the grill.

Should I put rub on brisket overnight?

You can apply the rub to a brisket right before cooking or up to 24 hours prior. Usually, marinating it overnight is best because it gives the flavors a chance to soak in. If using sugar, it might be better to wait until the meat browns to prevent burning.

When should I wrap my brisket?

Most wood smokers aren’t perfect and the temp fluctuates, so a range between 225 and 275 degrees is fine. 6 After about 4 hours, begin to monitor the internal temperature of the meat. When it reaches 160-170 degrees and has a deep reddish brown or nearly black crust on the exterior, it’s time to wrap the brisket.

Should I brine a brisket before smoking?

Brining brisket is a good way to ensure the meat will be moist, tender, and full of flavor. Brining your brisket before smoking will help the meat retain moisture during the long cooking process. When meat is cooking, moisture gets drawn out and evaporates on the surface.