How long does a brisket typically take to smoke and what temperatures do you guys use? I've seen anywhere from 225-275 suggested in recipes online. I think I'm going to smoke my 1st brisket Memorial Day weekend so I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible first (naturally).
Steve, I think you might get a 100 different answers here. And, I don't even know what to tell you, other than this...it is up to you. When I used to smoke briskets on a stick burner, I always cooked between a 275*-300* temp, and they were usually done in around 8 hours...with no stall. I chose that temp, because it was the temp that that smoker liked to run at, and was the easiest to maintain. And, it would vary between that 275* and 300*...probably averaged around 285*-290*. The first one I tried on my WSM, I did at 230*, just because I'd heard so much about "low and slow". I just never had a smoker that would burn consistently that low, like the WSM will. And, I put it on before I went to bed on a Friday night at 10:00pm. My Auber temp controller kept the WSM right on 230* for the entire cook, and that brisket took 17 hours, including a 6 hour stall at 165* internal. And, I will say that the point of that brisket was spectacular, but the flat was a tad drier than I'm used to...but that may have been due to foiling to rest in an ice chest too early, and it continued to cook. Anyway, my next one I am going to try at 250*. If I'm still not satisfied with the quality of the meat and the time taken to smoke it, I'll crank it up to 275* on the next one. So, it's really your choice of what temp to cook at, and your time schedule. The higher the temp, the faster it's done, and the faster you get to feel that jello-feeling when you pick it up.
There's also the wrap in foil, or no wrap, discussion...which can get you through the stall quicker. Personally, I don't wrap a brisket...as I just think it ruins the bark that we look for down here in Texas. I tried it a couple of times, and just couldn't see how it helped, so I went back to not wrapping. Occasionally, I have wrapped in butcher paper, and that's not too bad, as far as the bark is concerned. Then, you'll get into all the different "rub" discussions, and of course everyone thinks theirs is the best. In Texas, for the most part, we use Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper...in a 1-1 mix, all the way up to a 3 parts pepper to 1 part salt mixture. Wayne Mueller, the pitmaster at one of the oldest, best, and most famous barbecue joints in Texas, Louie Mueller Barbecue, will tell you he uses 9 parts pepper to 1 part salt for his rub. However, I'm pretty sure he says that tongue in cheek...but, it does have a really good peppery taste.
Like I said above, I've been smoking brisket my whole life, and I'm still playing with it. There is no right way, or wrong way...and no perfect temp to cook it. It's a tough piece of meat to master, and the quality of the meat has a lot to do with your results. I always use at least Choice for brisket, as Select just doesn't contain enough marbling, in my opinion. The supermarkets in my area all carry mainly Select grade. Prime costs the most, and has the most marbling, and sometimes is worth the extra cost over Choice...but most of the time I can't really tell the difference. Where I can tell the difference is in using CAB briskets that I get from a local butcher company that actually raise their own grass-fed Angus cattle. Most CAB briskets are actually Choice grade, but I think it has more marbling than standard Choice, and is more flavorful.
Good luck with the brisket...and Happy Smoking!!
