How to Smoke Beef Brisket in a Smoker

Beef brisket is one of the toughest and fattiest parts of the cow, but it is transformed by slow smoking into a lean, tender cut of meat. As the fat on the brisket slowly melts, it is absorbed into the meat, causing it to become moist and tender. Smoking a brisket usually takes between 12 and 15 hours. It tastes best when smoked over chunks of mesquite wood and served with a homemade barbecue sauce on the side.

Things You'll Need

• Untrimmed whole brisket
• Smoker
• Dry rub
• Probe meat thermometer (wired or wireless)

Instructions

1. Prepare the brisket by bringing it to room temperature and rubbing it thoroughly with about a cup of your favorite dry rub.

2. Bring the smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F before adding the brisket.

3. Insert the probe of the meat thermometer into the brisket. The tip of the probe should be in the center of the thickest part of the brisket. Make sure to place the display portion of the thermometer outside of the smoker to prevent damage.

4. Hang the brisket in the smoker and let it cook for 12 to 15 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. If you're smoking a half brisket, it may only take 8 or 9 hours to cook.

5. Remove the brisket from the smoker and wait a half-hour to an hour before cutting it.

6. Slice the brisket thinly against the grain and serve with bread and barbecue sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• The best beef briskets for smoking weigh between 8 and 10 pounds, are untrimmed and are covered with a layer of fat about 1/4-inch thick. You can make a simple dry rub for your brisket by combining 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup chili powder and 2 tbsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and brown sugar. If you're using a new or unfamiliar smoker, check the temperature every two hours. Make sure to use a probe-style meat thermometer that has a separate readout. A regular meat thermometer will become unreadable if left inside a smoker.

• Raw beef may carry pathogens. Take care to wash your hands and anything else that comes in contact with the meat thoroughly after handling.